Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

On a serious note, we should welcome the Bill because it is a small step towards the separation of Church and State, but it is not from where we should start. We should start by acknowledging that 90% of schools are still under the control of the Catholic Church, which they should not. We should also start by acknowledging that large sections of the public health service are under the direct control of the Catholic Church, which they should not.

Let us contrast the haste with which people want to progress this Bill with the progress of the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill, on which Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil seem to have disappeared without trace. It is gone into the hidey holes of government and we do not know when it will be brought back. I do not understand our priorities. The Public Health (Alcohol) Bill should command the support of everyone in the Chamber. That it has been disappeared by the Government parties owing to lobbying on the part of some of the folks in the Visitors Gallery is not acceptable. It is easy to support this Bill, but where is the courage of the Senators when it comes to supporting their own party's Bill and the Minister on the Public Helath (Alcohol) Bill? That Bill needs to be introduced as soon as possible.

The issue of haste also concerns me because, as the Minister of State will be aware, the major vintners' associations refused to engage with the joint labour committees that were, thanks to the good work of Senator Gerald Nash, set up by the previous Government. I acknowledge that there are a number of very good employers in the industry, but, as stated by my colleague, 75% of employees in the food and accommodation sector earn less than €400 gross a week and there are huge abuses in terms of split shifts, unfair rosters and not paying proper premiums for working on a Sunday or overtime rates. The Minister of State has an opportunity today. The Government set up the joint labour committee process in which the people concerned refused to engage. Will the Minister of State call on them to engage with the industrial relations machinery of the State? If he does not do this, he is sending a clear message and giving these guys the green light to work away. The National Employment Rights Authority, NERA, reports that 60% of employers in the sector were in breach of basic employment legislation. Six out of ten employers inspected were in breach of the legislation. I have heard all of the concerns about publicans. However, apart from Senator James Reilly, who gave a genuine response, so far I have heard no expressions of concern about the concerns of workers.

There was a proposal to take all Stages of the Bill today. I say absolutely no way and I am glad that it is no longer the case. If we are serious about ensuring fairness in the sector, why not take the time, while the Bill is being examined, including on Committee Stage, to engage with the trade unions, in particular, and call on the vintners and the other folks involved in the accommodation and food sector to do what they should do, that is, acknowledge that there are poor standards in terms of pay and conditions? The House does not have to take my word for it. We know it from NERA and the CSO's figures released yesterday. Some 75% are earning less than €400 a week. Let us ensure these folks engage and set up a joint labour committee to put proper standards in place. I hope the Minister of State will be clear in his response in supporting that proposal. If not, he will be betraying tens of thousands of workers throughout the country and the work done by the previous Government. I would like to see that issue addressed, if possible. As the Bill is going through, we have a moment to use that leverage to good effect for the tens of thousands of front-line workers affected and I see no reason not to do so. I would like to hear some support from others in the Chamber. It cannot always be left to Sinn Féin to stand up for workers. We seem to have run out of Fianna Fáil speakers, but what are we going to do?