Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for her reply. It is now a year and a half since the legislation was introduced. Deputies O'Dea and Brady and I have introduced Bills in this area. The one I am asking about is a distillation. Each of us had a Bill with more lofty objectives. The aim was to ensure the protection of workers who are being thrown sacrificial lambs, even with well-to-do employers running amok. The introduction of our Bills led to one company coming back from the brink and giving at least some employees protection.

There are important measures in the defined benefit scheme to ensure that employers do not disavow their obligations willy-nilly. This Bill was to offer some degree of protection to workers in defined benefit schemes but a year and a half has passed. I accept that the Attorney General's office is snowed under and the Minister has said there is a European dimension to it as well in respect of European legislative provisions that will enhance it, I hope, but can she give an indication of the likely time in 2019? Does she expect it to be in the first quarter of 2019?

See this speech in context