Kathryn Reilly (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I support Senators Norris, Craughwell and White in their opposition to this section. While it may not be the Minister's intention to introduce fees, this provision will enable his successors to do so. Research published this year by the Citizens Advice Bureau in Britain shows that seven out of ten potentially successful cases by employees against their employers are not going ahead following the introduction of a fee system. Between October 2013 and March 2014, there was a 73% drop in the number of cases relative to the same period in the previous year. The research referred to the case of a man who worked 40 hours per week for more than two months as a kitchen porter and was entitled to holiday pay of just under £300. He abandoned his claim on discovering the fee for accessing the tribunal would be £390. We will be opposing this section.