Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Yes, he got it wrong in that Governments have not played that role. It is our job in this House to ensure the Government uses a firm hand now to make things better for the ordinary people who are going to work everyday and doing their best.

Deputy Cullinane's Bill has been considerably amended and enhanced such that most Deputies are in agreement that it offers a way to put in place a system that will protect workers into the future. I appeal to the Government to accept the proposed solution, which has been approved by a cross-party committee which includes members of the party in government. I urge the Government to reconsider the road it is going down and instead acknowledge that these proposals can work for everyone, including the Government and employers. Other speakers referred to concerns expressed by IBEC and other business interests. In fact, the people who do best out of all these things are those with money. It is in the interests of employers and big business, although it pains me to acknowledge it, that we have a stable and solvent economy. Stability and solvency are secured via a situation where people have money to spend and can plan to go for their dinner in a hotel next Sunday, go on holiday in a couple of months and buy a car next year. Without strong Government action and effective legislation, the people on the types of contracts we are discussing will never have that type of disposable income and will not, therefore, be able to contribute to the economy. We must help them out of that predicament. I appeal to the Government to support the proposals put forward by the Oireachtas committee.

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