Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome An Tánaiste to the House and I welcome this Bill. It is extremely important because we really were an outlier in Europe in regard to sick pay. I fully understand the challenges and difficulties smaller businesses face. I welcome the provision for a gradual introduction of the statutory scheme and the sharing of costs between businesses and the State. The Government has a responsibility to legislate for sick pay because people do get ill and, when they do, they deserve some latitude and some little bit of compensation.

This Bill, the remote working proposals that are going through at the moment, what is being done in the legislation on tips and gratuities and what has been recommended by the Low Pay Commission regarding a living wage are all important provisions. They are small, incremental steps. None of them on its own will resolve the challenge of getting workers into businesses, for example, in the hospitality industry. None of them will make a wealthy person out of a worker. Combined, however, they will create an environment in which people feel appreciated and that they will be properly remunerated for the work they do.

The introduction of a minimum wage many years ago was the right thing to do. At that time, it represented 60% of the median wage. Even though it has been increased many times, including on eight occasions since 2011, it no longer represents the median wage, as it should, and it is not proportionate. What is being proposed in terms of a living wage is important.

As I said, there is a staffing crisis, particularly in the hospitality, retail, food and drink industries. Something must be done about it. We are not unique as a country in facing these challenges, which are reflected right across the western world. However, we can be unique in terms of our responses. There are actions the Tánaiste can take in his Department and I know he has done work on some of them already. One of the actions that can be taken is speeding up the granting of work permits. That is critical because, let us face it, many of the workers in the restaurant and hotel industries are people who come from abroad and may require work permits. We can speed up the process of granting those permits.

We also can loosen up the arrangements to allow people who are here for educational purposes to do more work. Currently, there is a limit on the amount of work they can do. Something can be done in this regard.