Barry Ward (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Like others, I join in welcoming Dolkun Isa, president of the World Uyghur Congress, to Ireland. Some of us had a chance to meet him today and to acknowledge what he said. It is important to speak to people like him and to hear what they have to say.

The European directive for transparent and predictable working conditions, which is due to be transposed in this jurisdiction by 1 August, according to article 21 of the directive. It is a very important piece of employment legislation that will particularly protect people in insecure or low-paid employment. It will have important provisions on maximum probation periods and the minimum wage. Another important provision is that an employer will not be able to advertise a job without setting out clearly a salary scale. That is something that not only addresses certainty for the applicant but it will also go a long way towards addressing the gender pay gap. There will be clarity on what pay will be available to people and it give people an opportunity to submit a job application with their eyes open.

I do not know what steps have been taken to transpose this legislation. I do not have that information. I hope this House will have an opportunity to speak about it because the details of how that is done will be tremendously important. The way that it is worded and takes effect in Irish legislation will dictate whether it is a strong measure for the employees who need it or not. I hope we will have a debate on that and have a clear opportunity to look at the legislative provisions that transpose the directive.