Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Taoiseach has missed the point in his answer, which might be deliberate. The issue is not with the minimum wage or employers' PRSI.

The issue is that in many rural areas across the country and not only in Donegal the only work available is seasonal work or part-time work for two or three days a week. As a result of the cuts implemented by Government not only do families not have sufficient income to survive but employers cannot be sure they will have workers available to them when business picks up again because of the seasonal nature of that work. The people about whom I am speaking would love to be working full-time but in rural Ireland there is no full-time work. The Action Plan for Jobs, cuts to employers PRSI and so on will not create full-time work for those workers. What they need is the security of a welfare net to enable them to remain in their communities, live in rural Ireland and be available for work. All these people would take up full-time employment if they could get it but the employers do not provide it because the nature of the business does not allow for it. As a result of the Government's cuts people cannot remain in rural Ireland and are therefore not available for work when business picks up again. This is an easy matter to resolve. It is also impacting on employers, which I have been highlighting for a number of years would happen. What we need is a response from the Taoiseach that assists workers and employers. This proposal requires serious consideration.

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