Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am disappointed the amendments have been ruled out of order but I want to adopt a positive stance regarding what the Minister of State said. He said a couple of significant things. I think I am right in saying he has given a commitment that the numbers required to form a co-operative will be reduced in a Bill that is coming, hopefully, in the near future. He has also mentioned a legal definition for co-operatives. I would stress worker co-operatives in particular in that regard. We all know the potential of worker co-operatives. Scotland has had significant progress in recent years. It calls them employee-owned enterprises. I do not really care what they are called once we can make progress in that regard.

We can see in this specific situation, where many businesses are struggling, that if this option was available and people had more confidence in being able to form a co-operative because of the greater legal standing, and if it was easier in that they only needed three members as opposed to seven, we could save employment across Ireland, especially in rural areas and small towns. I am delighted to hear what the Minister of State said about much work having been done. I ask him to urgently progress this legislation.

We have a significant issue across Europe with business succession when people retire after a lifetime of work. In many instances, those businesses close. Worker co-operatives are a route taken across Europe to fill that gap and to maintain employment. One beauty of worker co-operatives is that the wealth built there is kept within the communities. It is ideal for a country such as ours. We have fallen far behind the rest of Europe in this regard. I am encouraged by what the Minister of State has said. Sinn Féin will work constructively on that Bill. I urge that it come forward as quickly as possible because God knows we need it with this crisis.