Pat Casey (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister to the House. The debate has moved on from mink farming and it is about what happens as a result of the closure of a business. Senator Higgins alluded to it. We do not know where we are going. We do not know what sector might be closed in another 15 or 20 years. I want to speak about people in family businesses and who have spent the past 30 years building up those business. If I were in their shoes, how would I feel? I would have serious concerns about my own viability. I would be more concerned about the 30 or 40 people I have employed for the past 30 years. Where will their future lie? What substitute employment will be put in place for them? If I had put my life into my business and was told that business would no longer exist, not because of what I had done but because of a change in Government policy, would I be happy with what is on the table today? Honestly, I probably would not. This is the most honest answer I can give.

I have many reservations about what is in the legislation relating employers. I also have concerns about future activities. I say this with regard to planning and trying to get planning permission in a rural area when something is demolished. Something has to be worked out as to what can substitute for the existing buildings. As soon as people get funding to demolish the buildings, are they guaranteed planning permission for a substitute business? No, they are not. I do not see this anywhere in the Bill. Anyone from a rural area knows how difficult it is to get planning permission for a one-off house, never mind for an industry. What will we substitute this industry with? We do not know. I hope the Minister will sit down and negotiate these issues, if at all possible. I am imagining what it would be like if my business was taken from me tomorrow morning, not because of what I did but because of a change in Government policy. How would I feel? Hand on heart, I do not believe there has been enough negotiation or consultation. We need to sit down again. I hope the Minister can extend such an invitation.