David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It is no surprise that the Minister has not answered my questions at all. The Minister mentioned the University of Limerick study. The Bill the Government is proposing is not in line with that report and its recommendations. That report committed to a six-month look-back whereby the hours in a person's contract would reflect the hours they work over a six-month period. The Government is looking at an 18-month period. The bands the Government suggests are also so broad as to make the Bill almost insignificant. The Government is not dealing with the problem at all. To my astonishment, the Minister says that bogus self-employment is not an issue. A report from a reporter in RTÉ says it is even an issue in RTÉ. It is rampant across many sectors. The Minister's head is in the sand. The question I asked the Minister is whether he will sign Mandate's pledge and charter to ensure we have secure hours. I am afraid if the Government's Bill passes, it will not be any comfort to those workers who are being exploited. There is already a Bill. We will debate it tonight in the context of a report that comes from a sectoral committee. Why not do that? Why not support, progress and implement that Bill and ensure workers have full protection and not partial protection which is what the Minister and his Government want to provide.

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