Michael Comiskey (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister and agree with most of what she had to say. However, given the number of calls I have received in recent days from people with small businesses there is major concern about the sick pay issue. I suggest that the Minister look at the issue again. It will be a case of sick pay or jobs. According to the people who run small businesses employing from five to 15 or 20 people they are very worried and experience a major problem with PAYE, VAT and pay for their employees. It is important not to kill the goose that lays the golden egg. I recognise that the Minister has a difficult role and that she has to achieve certain savings within her Department but perhaps she would go down the road of the first three days of illness, without payment from the Department of Social Protection, whereby employees would be responsible for themselves. I ask her not to go down the road of the sick pay scheme.