It was remiss of me not to congratulate you publicly, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, although I did so in person. I am delighted. You were not elected because you are a woman but it is good that you are nonetheless, and I wish you the very best in your new role. I know that you will be impartial and fair. I also know that you will be firm so I will just have to deal with that.

My amendments were ruled out of order. They referred to facilitating the establishment of workers' co-operatives. In the North, Scotland and across Europe, workers' co-operatives and community co-operatives are very much the norm, but they are not the norm in this country. It is a very good way of working. I read in the newspaper recently about a co-operative of migrant workers who came together to provide a not-for-profit home care service. If ever there was a place that needed a not-for-profit home care service, …

I wish to speak briefly to this section and the new section that would be introduced by amendment No. 9, if that is okay. I spoke previously about the concerns that were raised - nobody will be unaware of them - about access for trade unionists to the workplace. What this global pandemic has highlighted, particularly for those of us who are trade unionists, is the need for workers to be organised and to come together to prioritise their own health and safety. The new section I propose in amendment No. 9 includes a …

It is not agreed. I have already written to you, a Cheann Comhairle. The Data Protection Commissioner has expressed concerns about the practices in Dublin Airport and I believe it is appropriate for An Tánaiste and the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to come into the House next week and take questions and answers and not just statements. Furthermore, it has been mentioned already on several occasions that people are watching - of course they are. We do not need six weeks' holidays. I believe i…

I have proposed that the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection and An Tánaiste come into the Dáil on Tuesday and take questions and answers on what is going on in Dublin Airport and the concerns raised by the Data Protection Commissioner, and that we adjourn when that is concluded and reconvene on 1 September.

I move amendment No.1: In page 4, line 36, to delete “6 years” and substitute “7 years”. This amendment is pretty much just a technical amendment designed to increase the timeframe in which a guarantee given pursuant to this agreement will increase from six years from the date of the agreement to seven years. In 2013 the Department commissioned a review of the temporary partial credit guarantee scheme, which was carried out by First Choice Financial Services and AJS Financial Advice Limited. They were appointed by …

I move amendment No. 3: In page 5, between lines 10 and 11, to insert the following: “(4A) The Minister shall ensure that monies loaned in accordance with the Covid-19 credit guarantee scheme shall— (a) be loaned interest free with zero repayments for the first 12 months of the loan, and (b) interest rates on such loans shall be capped at 2.5%, with interest only being applied to cover the overheads of administering the scheme.”. The interest rates charged on the loans are normal business loans rates from the respe…

I wish to respond to some of the Minister of State's points. I do not mean this in a disrespectful way given that he is in attendance, but we raised the issue last night of the relevant senior Minister not being in the Chamber. The Minister of State advised that was because there was a Cabinet meeting. I do not believe it was ongoing at the time, but I appreciate that he may have been busy. However, this legislation is before us again and, once more, the Minister is not present. The Government scheduled the time fo…

That is offensive to Deputy Doherty.

The Tánaiste is not here today. That is the excuse he had last night.

He is not here today. It is important that that is recorded. He is not here today. The Minister of State has given an excuse for yesterday. We need a new excuse today.

I thank the Deputies for tabling the motion. I wish to salute the Debenhams workers and their representatives from Mandate Trade Union. It is not lost on these or any other workers that the Government gets excited, interested and passionate about particular things. Its members get very passionate about money for themselves. The Cabinet happily debated legislation which would give the super junior Ministers a few more bob. That is not lost on people. They know what is going on. They see who the members of Government…

I am sharing time with an Teachta Doherty, who is on his way to the Chamber. I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Bill, which Sinn Féin will not oppose. The legislation is quite technical in nature and makes significant changes to the Covid-19 credit guarantee scheme. It is an important scheme and the changes to its workings are to be welcomed. I know from speaking to many businesses and various representative groups that there are issues with regard to the structure and workings of the loan scheme. The creati…

I join others in wishing the Minister well in his new role. Is he aware that in some instances employers are paying their employees 70% of their wages despite requiring them to do 100% of their work while availing of the wage subsidy scheme? Deputy Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Deputy. I am advised by Revenue that the question of an individual’s entitlements in an employment context, and the question of what wages an employer may or may not be in a position to pay such an employee in light of the impact of the pande…

Employees can see that and they do not need to the Minister to point them in that direction. They see that their bosses are getting the subsidy and their wages have been reduced by 30% while their hours remain the same. The Minister said he will ask employers to make their best efforts. Good luck with that because many of them do not seem to be making an effort. This is not a significant problem, but I am interested in hearing from the Minister if he has a view on whether this should be tackled. Sinn Féin proposed …

The Minister talked about protecting jobs and that is important. The reason we supported the passing of the emergency legislation was to do exactly that, but not to protect jobs at all costs and not to protect employers who seek to exploit this scheme by claiming money from the State and forcing their employees to work 100% of their hours. It is all very well to say there should be an agreement between the workers and the management and the business owners, but what if that does not happen? These are vulnerable wor…

I will send the Tánaiste a copy.

I thank the Social Democrats for bringing forward this important motion. It is a very broad motion but it has sparked a very necessary conversation. When the Fianna Fáil Minister of State, Deputy Troy, took us through the greatest hits of the minimum wage, he left out a very important part, which is that the last time Fianna Fáil and the Green Party were in government together, they cut the minimum wage. When their backs were to the wall, as they would say, the first people thrown under the bus were low-paid worker…

I am sorry. I had forgotten I had 30 seconds to introduce. Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach Gníomhach. My question is fairly simple. It relates to the decision of the courts to strike down sectoral employment orders. I would be grateful if an Tánaiste would focus specifically on the measures he and his Department intend to take to shore up the rights of workers which, in the view of the ICTU and other organisations, have been undermined and damaged by the court's decision.

That is exactly what was said when the last Fianna Fáil Government cut the minimum wage. We were told the wages of people in employment would be protected but they were not. I have absolutely no faith that, in the absence of sectoral employment orders, employers will act in the manner the Tánaiste very kindly suggested they might. I am very pleased to see that the Government will appeal the ruling but, in the meantime, there is an urgent need to protect the tens of thousands of workers who are reliant on these SEOs…