Denise Mitchell (Dublin Bay North, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

If it is voluntary, the only people who will take the legislation seriously are those restaurants and hotels that are good employers. They are not the people whose behaviour we are trying to change with this Bill. We are concerned with those bad employers who simply will not bother with voluntary codes. The Government's proposal also only prohibits employers putting tips towards their employees' wages. That does not stop them stealing the tips and putting them into their own pockets or using them to pay for breakages, stock, etc. Our Bill gives employees a legal entitlement to their tips. It is a much stronger protection for workers. The Government should do the decent thing and support this Bill. It has broad backing and is aimed at protecting and increasing the rights of workers who work in a tough and low-paid industry.

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