The aim of this legislative reform is to strengthen the rights of employees while maintaining a competitive labour market. In response to the demand for reform, the Government established a review group to examine the operation of the redundancy payments scheme and to ensure that the scheme best meets the requirements of employers and employees. The review group's results were incorporated in the social partnership agreement, Sustaining Progress. This Bill will introduce a simpler, speedier and more efficient system of redundancy payment. A number of important changes has been proposed.