Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The House will be united in seeking to pass legislation that will deal with the issue of low-hour contracts and precarious work practices because this issue affects many vulnerable workers. We have engaged in a series of hearings at the joint committee over the past number of months. This issue is also in the confidence and supply agreement between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to underpin the minority Government. It is almost 12 months later and the legislation to be offered by the Government is only being drafted now having been referred to the Attorney General on 4 May. The sense from the Government is that there is not a degree of urgency about this. The Minister of State said the legislation will be published as a matter of priority. Could he be more definitive regarding a date? We are dealing with the issue before the committee now and it would be a sensible and constructive use of parliamentary time to make the legislation available to the committee while it is conducting this exercise and not having to extend the time that will have to be invested in the issue. It is dragging on. The Government has the benefit of the Attorney General and the entire Civil Service apparatus to draft the legislation while we work with the various stakeholders. Could the Minister of State be clearer about when we will see the legislation?

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