Mary White (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister of State. In my experience of business, a good employer looks after his or her employees. This Bill is designed to punish rogue employers who do not cherish their employees. In my company, we value our staff highly. When my partner and I started the company, our staff motivated us. We had a flat management structure in place and our approach was maternalistic, in that we cared for our staff.

There are issues which cause concern for employers such as employees who have a record of getting into trouble at work. If an accident happens in a company, employers must determine if the accident is genuine or contrived.

Certain procedures must come into operation in the event of an accident. In my company, for example, an ambulance is called immediately. There are rules and procedures in place and we regularly practise the drill in the event of an accident because accidents can destroy a business if there are any misunderstandings or mistakes.

The Minister said in his speech that the Bill modernises health and safety laws. He described it as a significant piece of social legislation which affirms the Government's commitment to upholding the protection of workers. In my company there is no differentiation between employers and employees. We have a successful business because we care for our staff.

The 1989 Act, inspired by the tripartite commission of inquiry, chaired by Mr. Justice Barrington, applied safety and health laws to all Irish employment for the first time. Coinciding with the new preventive, rather than reactive, approach significant progress was made. The progress was based on the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act of 1989 and was strongly supported by successive Ministers.

Significant awareness of health and safety has led to a reduction in the numbers of deaths and accidents at work, but more needs to be done. As the Minister of State pointed out, the latest figures from the Health and Safety Authority show that 50 people died arising from work activities in 2004. Although this is a reduction of more than 25% in the rate of deaths at work since 1989, it is still totally unacceptable. Many of the accidents we read about in newspapers happen because of carelessness. Employers, particularly on building sites, are taking unnecessary risks with scaffolding and so forth. That is abhorrent and repulsive.

The Bill is a vehicle to relaunch and promote worker health and safety, especially for new workers. The costs to the economy from injuries at work include direct costs to State health and social insurance services; costs to employers, including insurance; lost time; lost production; and lost orders. The Minister quoted a frightening figure in this regard — injuries and ill health costs the economy €1.6 billion each year.

When the former Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Harney, introduced the minimum wage, I wrote to congratulate her. I support the principle of a minimum wage and I commend the Minister of State, Deputy Killeen, on increasing the rate. I wish him well in his work and I recognise, as an employer, that this Bill is designed to tackle the problem of rogue employers, of which there are many, unfortunately.