Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome this measure. I fully appreciate and value the massively important role that employers play in Ireland. I hope that the Government would also appreciate them, but I do not think it does sometimes. It is not just the big employers. Of course, we very much appreciate the people who come from overseas and invest here. We welcome the very big employers that we have - the ones we would call homegrown. Above all else, we have to place great significance on the small employers, the people who first of all created jobs for themselves and then maybe one or two others. It could then go to five or ten. They are the backbone of Ireland.

I always said that I believe the Government is poorer because not many people in government have to pay people on a Friday. I really believe that if all those in government did, they might know much more about the realities of day-to-day business. If some of them were paying people on a Friday it would give them a greater understanding of what really goes on - trying to balance books, keeping banks at bay and keeping everybody paid. It is unfortunate that very few of them are.

Having said that, this measure is welcome. I would like to see many more initiatives like it. Employers work in conjunction with their employees. It is all part of a team and everybody trying to keep the show on the road and keep a business afloat. There is a terribly important job of work to be done.

See this speech in context