Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin Bay North, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I will repeat what we said on Committee Stage. Whenever an improvement to the lot of the worker is proposed, the Government always seems to speak of Armageddon and about how difficult it will be for employers and how businesses will fold, etc. Whenever we propose issues such as a basic rate of pay, a living wage or anything in this area we are always told it will place an unreasonable burden on employers, whereas in every other modern European country it is a basic provision.

I restate to the Tánaiste that there are basic provisions even on this island. People in the North of the country have free GP care, something that we have not managed to organise for ourselves in the Republic. That is why this is lopsided. We cannot always think solely, as appears to be the contention of the Tánaiste's party and Government, about the burden on the employer. He cited the war in Ukraine and Border issues with Brexit. The sick worker who has to go to work on the basis of having a low-paid job must be at the forefront of everybody's mind. We are living in a country in which 23% of workers are on low pay. That is what has been driving our attempts to rectify the matter. As has been said, it is to the credit of the Government that it is attempting to rectify this issue but this does not go far enough to protect workers who should not feel they should have to go to work when they are unwell in order to feed their children. That is, unfortunately, the scenario.

See this speech in context