David Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I wish to strongly support my colleague and friend, Senator Mary Ann O'Brien, who is an extraordinary example of someone who is an entrepreneur and who has created a significant business interest. She and her husband used their entrepreneurial genius in order to launch the Jack and Jill Children's Foundation. These are the people to whom we must listen. They are not crazy, they have experience.

I have been approached by the organisation which represents small and medium-sized enterprises, ISME. These enterprises, of which there are 9,000 or so, employ 250,000 people. They already pay PRSI in respect of their employees and for replacement staff and they are now being whacked again. Is there going to be a reduction in the PRSI they pay in order to compensate for this?

Sickness schemes help to create sickness. On radio in recent days an employer recounted the story of meeting an employee who was out sick from work and who was returning from a skiing holiday. I do not understand how a doctor could have examined someone who was in Switzerland. The average number of sick days taken each year by people who work for small and medium-sized enterprises is three. The figure for the public service is 12 or more. I do not want to cause a breach between the public service and those in the private sector. However, it is intended to whack those who are putting their own livelihoods on the line for the sake of their businesses. These people get sweet damn all from the State if those businesses get into difficulties. They have no insurance but they are obliged to pay it for others. In 2011, 185,000 days were lost to sick leave in the Civil Service. Some 72,000 of these relate to staff in the Department of Social Protection, where Deputy Burton is Minister. That is extraordinary. A total of 5,000 employees of the HSE call in sick every day. This is not the case among those who work in what I refer to as the real world.

My final point relates to what will be the impact on crèches and child care facilities, which are already on the margins. The Government is aware of the position in this regard. Some 37% of child care facilities have indicated that they will be obliged to make staff redundant and a further 42% have stated that they will have to increase their fees.

There is a need to reconsider this matter. The Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Burton, is a fine individual. The Minister before the House, Deputy Bruton, is also a fine individual but I do not have time to pay adequate tribute to his many qualities.