Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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To ask the Minister for Social Protection if he will maintain the current sick leave payment regime and ensure that no further sick pay obligations are passed on to private companies in order to protect jobs and ensure the cost of home care remains competitive. [51521/12]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The range of complex issues associated with the possible introduction of a scheme of statutory sick pay - including such matters as the provision of possible compensatory mechanisms for particularly vulnerable employers, the extent of coverage of such a scheme, the appropriate rate of payment involved and how a scheme would be enforced - continue to be examined in the context of the need to maintain competitiveness in all sectors of the economy.

All of these issues need to be addressed to the satisfaction of the Government before any decision could be taken on the possible introduction of a statutory sick pay scheme.