Michael Ahern (Cork East, Fianna Fail)

The Senator must wait for four years. He is a little early yet. As regards the SMEs, the Bill provides greater clarity for companies which may want to recruit workers for a certain period on a fixed-term basis to see if they are satisfactory from the point of view of making the worker permanent. The employer knows the framework within which he or she must work to make that person permanent. As I said in my speech, there is nothing to stop the employer from making that person permanent before the three years come to an end. I encourage both employers and employees to work within the framework set out in the Bill which attempts to give flexibility to employers and security to employees.

Senator Leyden was critical of the exclusion of trainee gardaí and nurses from the Bill. This was done in pursuance of Article 2(2) of the framework agreement which permits the non-application of its provisions to initial vocational training relationships and apprenticeship schemes.