Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Section 13 provides for a definition of "remuneration" for the purposes of a Labour Court recommendation for the terms of a sectoral employment order. The definition is based on the definition of remuneration included in the Protection of Employees (Temporary Agency Work) Act 2012. The definition includes basic pay and a list of other elements in excess of basic pay that may be included as part of the court's recommendation for a rate of remuneration for a particular sector. I understand that the payment of country money was a feature of the former registered employment agreement with the construction sector. Generally speaking, employees in that sector do not have a permanent fixed place of work and are required to travel, as the Senator pointed out, to different building sites according to the duration of the employer's contract at each site. In this context I do not consider that country money, which is designed to compensate employees for expenses incurred travelling distances to and from building sites and to cover subsistence expenses, is part of a person's pay. Moreover, I understand that the payment of country money may be made without deduction of tax and PRSI where certain conditions are met. Accordingly, I would not propose to include it as part of the definition of remuneration, therefore, I cannot accept the amendment.