Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)

I inadvertently said that the maximum employee threshold is the greater of 10% of employees, or 100 employees. I should have said that it is the lesser of 10% of employees, or 100 employees. I am sure some Senators noticed my error.

Senator Quinn made a reasonable point about the provision as it will apply to 2% of employees in a large company. However, I remind him that 100 employees constitute a substantial number of people in any event. If the employees invoke the right, it is only a right to information and consultation. Senator McDowell made the opposite point to Senator Quinn. A certain percentage of people choose to exercise the right to vote, for example. We would usually prefer if many more people exercised that right. In this instance, it does not seem particularly onerous to require that the process will not be set in train unless 10% of people invoke their right to set it in train. The Senators who have listened to the contributions of their colleagues who have disagreed strongly with them will appreciate that it is difficult to find some middle ground in this regard. The Bill reflects the compromise that has been reached. I played a role in striking that balance. I was helped by the fact that an existing formula contained in other legislation has worked very well. Some people will never accept a need for a trigger mechanism. Others will never accept that the minimum requirement within the trigger mechanism is big enough. I think we have struck a reasonable balance between those positions and I hope to proceed on that basis.