Gerald Nash (Labour) | Oireachtas source

In response to the Minister, the WRC has experience in related matters. I am aware of many cases taken by trade unions on behalf of members who were considered to be falsely self-employed. One case involved redundancy payments. Broadly speaking, the WRC adjudication officers are quite experienced and have the nous to deal with issues like this.It is a matter that I know we do not have common ground on and something that I am happy to reflect on. I am adamant that the WRC needs to have a role in employment status. The vision for the entire Bill is that the WRC would have a function. It is, hopefully, something that we can reflect a little bit more on, on Report Stage, to nuance and finesse this legislation. I hope that we get to that point and that this legislation can attract the support of this House.

I shall repeat what was said by my colleague, Senator Bacik. It is very disappointing that we do not have representatives here from the Fianna Fáil Party. In fact, it is deeply ironic on a day where the Fianna Fáil Front Bench spokesperson for employment affairs and social protection, Deputy O'Dea, published a Bill and took it to First Stage in the Dáil. It is the height of disrespect, to be frank. His claims that Fianna Fáil has to be genuinely concerned about this issue are fundamentally undermined by the fact that there is nobody here this evening to represent them. I have no difficulty if they take a view that this Bill is not worth supporting or requires additional amendments. That is fine. That is what this Chamber and democratic process is for and it is what it is designed to do. Committee Stage is designed to get under the bonnet of the legislation and interrogate the provisions of a Bill in great detail. We are having a constructive discussion here this evening, which will be helpful to all of us, but it is outrageous that Fianna Fáil is not represented here this evening. I am often loath to make narrow party political points in this Chamber but the absence of representatives causes me a problem, and it should cause everybody here a problem. They are entitled to determine what their own view is but I would prefer if they did so after hearing the full debate here this evening. Whether individuals from the party will be here to vote on the Bill later on, that is entirely a matter for them. It is a matter that I want to put on the public record and it is gravely disappointing.