Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)

The Senator should never underestimate his own clout. The JLCs are representative of the industry. I am sure the employers' representatives on the JLCs have raised this matter. I understand it was raised last April and can be raised again within six months. I urge the representatives on both sides to come together and reflect on the difficulties being experienced by businesses in the context of the double-hour rate that applies on Sundays in places outside the Dublin-Dún Laoghaire area.

I assure the Senator that I have received many representations, not only from employers but also from employees in small towns and villages who have been let go and who have no possibility of obtaining any form of work on Sundays. Most employees were quite satisfied with the rates of pay of which they were previously in receipt prior to the instigation of the inspection process. The JLCs have statutory power to strike the rates and if they agree new rates, these must be implemented under the employment regulation orders.