Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)

I have no difficulty with the principle of what the Minister of State is trying to achieve, but will he explain the position concerning the average number of employees? It is a time of employment uncertainty. There is substantial business occurring at Dublin Port, Cork Port and other large ports, which I hope will remain the case, but a number of ports are marginal. The amendment is a big ask, so to speak, although I have no difficulty with the requirement to make a statement within a certain period.

I presume that the contracts referred to in the amendment, which states "of the average number of employees that are expected to be employed during the accounting year under contracts of service following that to which the accounts relate", are contracts of service directly linked to the port authority concerned. The second proposed paragraph states "that more than 30 of its current full time employees are likely to continue to be so employed full time under contracts of service during the accounting year following that to which the accounts relate". Irrespective of whether the port is at Waterford, New Ross or so on, will the Minister of State clarify what will be required in a case involving fewer than 30 full-time employees?

At Kinsale in Cork, stevedores are employed from time to time as grain or timber boats come in. They might work day and night for three days but, due to bad weather or market fluctuations, there might be a sos in which nothing would occur for three or four weeks. I accept that Kinsale is not a commercial port in the same respect, but my concern relates to the situation in which fewer than 30 individuals are employed full-time in any given year. Is the statement a statement of intent? Is it suggested that port companies must guarantee the situation in the chairperson's report? I do not have a problem with the provision, but is it for the chairperson to declare whether his or her company will have a good year with more than 30 full-time employees or whether there will be fewer than 30 such workers because the outlook is poor owing to the shaky economy and problems at global, national and local level? What would be the situation were only 18 people working full-time at the port company at the end of the year? Will the Minister of State enlighten me?

I do not have an issue with the Government amendment but I am puzzled by the inclusion of specific numbers. What would be the situation were the commercial enterprise of a port to contract in such a way as to lead to a loss of employment? It can occur. For many years, my brother-in-law worked at Bell Line in Waterford in such a situation. All of a sudden, a reputable company left the port with the loss of 50 or 60 jobs. Will the Minister of State clarify the position in this scenario? I apologise if I spoke before my good colleague, Senator Cummins.