Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The decision taken by the Government yesterday to introduce the sick leave Bill 2021 was a very good one. This introduction was approved by the Cabinet yesterday. The Bill will legislate for a statutory sick pay scheme for all employees, to be phased in over a four-year period. It can be seen from the decisions taken yesterday, including the decisions to undertake the most radical reform of second level education and to introduce this sick pay scheme, the auto-enrolment pension scheme and other measures, that the Government continues to take significant decisions that are reforming and will improve workers' quality of life. This sick pay scheme will be paid by employers at a rate of 70% of an employee's wage subject to a daily maximum threshold of €110. There has been extensive consultation with employers and unions on these measures. It represents a very significant watershed.

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