Tony Mulcahy (Fine Gael)

I speak as someone who has been an employer for 33 years, a shop steward for ten years and a permanent employee throughout my working life, as I have worked alongside most of the lads I have employed. I am pleased to support this common-sense Bill. Times have changed since I started as a trainee chef in 1974, when I was fortunate to enjoy the protection of a JLC agreement. At that time, we did not have a minimum wage, whereas nowadays the minimum wage provides a baseline from which to operate. This is the key to many of the issues arising in this regard.

I have listened to some of the points made about employees. There is also an employer dimension to this debate. To ensure the domestic economy survives and grows again we must correct some of the anomalies in the system. I do not disagree with any of the points Senator Barrett made on the industrial relations sector. A fine club is being developed in that area and it may need to be addressed.

Many Irish businesses operate across international borders 24 hours per day, 365 days of the year. The tourism and hospitality sector operate to similar times. We must enable companies to grow. A well known Wexford hotelier who is the patron of a hotel in Shannon to which my company supplies catering services has stated his hotel pays glass collectors €18 per hour on Sundays. We must call this issue as it is because we are employing young lads to do a bit of handy part-time work and nothing more.

I congratulate the Minister and Minister of State. The nationally agreed social partnership protocols provide a means of resolving any difficulties that may arise. Differences between the coalition partners are continually raised. When I go home on Friday or Saturday night, I am often told Fine Gael and the Labour Party are not getting on. I have been a Senator for 16 months and it appears to me that we are getting on well. While we have differences, these will be sorted out responsibly. It is fine if this is done in public but we will get on with our job and do a heck of a lot better than those who were in office for ten or 12 years before us.