Emer Currie (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This legislation is groundbreaking, as has been said frequently. It is about supporting people who cannot afford to be sick at present. We have heard personal examples of that.

I have sympathy for the Minister of State in this scenario. It is easy to talk about employers all in the one bracket but we are talking about employers who, in this scenario, will have to pay 70% and then may also have to find replacement workers at 100%. They are already working in very difficult situations, increasingly so, with wage increases, energy costs and high business costs at present. It is about getting the balance right.

We have received some emails about a rebate scheme for employers and helping them. I believe there is something in section 10 around inability to pay.My question is on what supports there could be for employers. We have heard from the likes of the Vintners' Federation of Ireland and other small businesses.