Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Labour Employer Economic Forum's subgroup tasked with the implementation of the High Level Working Group's recommendations on Collective Bargaining met on 29 June 2023 and 16 November 2023. Updates on these issues were also provided at the LEEF plenary meetings chaired by the Taoiseach on 20 November 2023 and 26 February 2024.

Many elements of this report are already being progressed by the WRC and the Labour Court. Other recommendations, which would require significant legislative change, are being considered by the Office of the Attorney General. It was agreed with the social partners that the LEEF Subgroup will meet again as soon as full legal advice has been considered.

In addition to the LEEF plenary and subgroup discussions, a new technical working group has been established this year with the social partners to examine the collective bargaining aspects of the EU Directive on Adequate Minimum Wages.

Article 4 of the EU Directive on Adequate Minimum Wages, Promotion of Collective Bargaining on Wage Setting, aims to promote collective bargaining on wages in all Member States. The Directive requires Member States in which the collective bargaining coverage rate is less than 80 % to provide “for a framework of enabling conditions for collective bargaining” and to publish an action plan to promote collective bargaining. The 80% threshold is an indicator triggering the publication of an action plan and not a mandatory target to be reached. The action plan must be published by the end of 2025 and I can confirm that it is intended to publish the action plan ahead of that date.

This technical group met on 19 February 2024 and 25 March 2024. I understand that the meetings of the group have been constructive and that it will meet again in the coming weeks to look at the social partners’ proposals with regard to the EU Directive and to formulate Ireland’s action plan to create enabling frameworks for collective bargaining.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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71. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he is planning any changes to the current statutory sick pay scheme; if paid sick leave days and the maximum sick leave pay will be affected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17045/24]

Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Sick Leave Act which commenced on 1 January 2023 provided an initial statutory entitlement of 3 days which increased to 5 days on 1 January 2024 and this could potentially increase to 7 days in 2025 and 10 days in 2026.

Payment by employers to employees for statutory sick leave days is currently set at 70% of an employee’s average gross earnings, up to daily cap of €110. The rate of 70% was chosen to ensure excessive costs were not placed on employers, who in certain sectors may also have to deal with the cost of replacing staff who are out sick at short notice.

However I know that some businesses, particularly SMEs, are facing increased costs and have concerns about the cumulative impacts of increased labour regulation. That is why the Government has introduced a range of measures to support these businesses in adjusting to new measures to improve working conditions, along with more generally improving the cost competitiveness of firms.

Officials in my Department are carefully assessing the impact of statutory sick leave on businesses by sector and company size to inform the decision in respect of the timing and scale of the next phase in the rollout of the scheme, including the number of days covered.