David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

A status red severe weather warning speaks for itself. Red is the highest alert and it is a warning to workers to stay safe, not to make unnecessary journeys and not to go to work unless it is safe to do so. The problem is that during the time of the red alert far too many workers were unable to heed the warnings given by An Taoiseach and those in authority because their employers instructed them to turn up for work. Some workers received messages telling them not to arrive too late for work, others travelled to work only to be sent home, many were under threat of having a day's pay docked if they did not turn up for work and for the vast majority of workers, particularly in the private sector, the days lost are to be taken from their annual leave allocation. For many people, particularly those in low paid jobs, this is very difficult because it means they will not be able to take leave they had planned to take at a later stage.

Long before the recent weather event, Sinn Féin moved a Bill that would address this issue. We want this Bill to be supported by Government. What practical measures will the Government take to ensure that we do not have these types of situations again? While most employers are reasonable and flexible, some have shown themselves not to be so. It is not good enough for the Taoiseach, when pressed on this issue, to say it is a personal matter for employers. It is not a personal matter. It is about the safety of workers. We must ensure that the safety of workers is front and centre. What does the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, and the Government propose to do on this issue?

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