Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister said that the Government asked employers nicely but that did not work. The Taoiseach, during many photo opportunities where he read out the weather forecast and so forth, told people to stay at home for their own health and safety. However, many people cannot afford to take a day off work. What is the Minister's advice to them? How do they pay their bills? What are they supposed to do? Do they listen to the Taoiseach or do they look after the bottom line and their own bread and butter? Is the Government going to lift a finger to help them or is it going to just rely on the kindness of employers? As someone who represented workers for more than a decade, I can assure the Minister that the Government cannot rely on the kindness of employers.

We now have two grades of workers in the health service - those who have the protection of the Minister, Deputy Harris, and those who are denied it. That is not acceptable. Surely people should be observing the advice and should be able to stay at home and safeguard their own health, safety and welfare. They should not have to worry about having their wages docked.

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