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

The Minister of State referred to the changing world of work as if it is something that has just recently happened. Of course, it has not. I was trying to work it out there, but I think it is about 17 years since the first time I heard the phrase "no mutuality of obligation" in a Labour Court recommendation. The Minister of State will know what that phrase means. It has been knocking around for a very long time. For years people thought that the bogus self-employment issue was something that existed only in certain parts of the economy. It is now invading every part of the economy.

What the WRC found in the case to which I referred was that the employer had been evading their legal responsibilities under employment law, namely, that they had sought to force a worker into bogus self-employment in respect of her job as an instructor. That just denies her permanent employment. It is not just a case of not getting a contract; the worker does not have access to sick leave, does not have access to a pension and does not have access to paid time off. It is a really serious issue. The Minister of State will be aware of this.

I would appreciate an update on the consultative group and the work it is doing. It is good that it meets but we want to hear what is actually coming out of that group.

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