I thank Deputy O'Reilly for raising this issue as well as for her engagement in committee on this issue. As we saw with the recent introduction of an SEO for the construction sector, these are important tools for our workers and must be enforced. It is the role of the WRC to inspect and I am open to further considering its role and powers to ensure that SEO minimum rates of pay and terms and conditions are fully upheld and enforced. The WRC is an independent statutory office under the aegis of my Department. Its pr…

I thank the Deputy for her comments. I do not wish to revive the complete debate we had at committee a couple of weeks ago, which was weird for both of us, when we kept agreeing with each other across the committee room. I do not wish to be doing too much of that, but I fundamentally believe that SEOs are a strong part of what we have in our industrial relations sector and are crucial for our economy and the workers at hand. When they work, they work extremely well. I am very hopeful for the new SEO in the construc…

What we have seen over the past year or two is additional resources provided to the WRC and additional inspectors and cases go through the WRC. The Deputy would have read the annual report earlier in the week of the activities of the WRC in 2002, which saw an increase in the number of cases, resolutions and inspections, which are all good things. We remain optimistic and ambitious for the role of the WRC, aware of the vital part it plays in ensuring industrial harmony, but also ensuring that the rights of workers a…

I thank Deputy O'Reilly for raising this really important issue. I was delighted to see it on the question paper because it deserves a good hearing. Deputy O'Reilly has raised it with me directly and with the Taoiseach several times in this Chamber, at committee and via correspondence. First and foremost, my thoughts, like those of the Deputy, are with those Iceland workers who are going through an unbelievably stressful period. As the Deputy will be aware, I have been meeting representatives from the grocery and r…

I hope to meet the employer very soon and I will keep the Deputy fully apprised of any engagement. We will also deal with a range of issues with regard to other matters we have been dealing with earlier such as prices at the checkout. I am aware of the ballot and I know about a number of one-off protests that have happened at certain stores, that were not ballots or pickets, but they were protests and campaigns, including in Cork and other places. While I fully appreciate the difficult circumstances faced by some e…

The Deputy and I have spent enough time with retail workers, be it through organised labour movements, in our daily lives or indeed engaging with them practically for many different reasons. We know exactly what the strains of working in the retail sector can be and the effort that goes in. It is a tough job done by many people throughout the country. Retail is the largest private sector employment in the country. It is a good job for many people and deserves good wages, paid in a timely manner, as per legislation.…

My Department co-ordinates Ireland's annual national reports under the revised version of the Council of Europe's European Social Charter. Ireland's 19th national report on the implementation of the charter was submitted to the Council of Europe in December 2021. The report covered the period 2017 to 2020 and focused on the accepted provisions under the thematic group of labour rights. The European Committee of Social Rights's assessment of Ireland's report was published in March this year. While the committee foun…

There is quite a bit to unpack there, but I think the Deputy will accept that the time lag between when the report was published and what has happened since has seen many of the breaches rectified. On a couple of points the Deputy made, the rates of minimum pay for workers of a certain age are under review by the Low Pay Commission. We discussed that during the last session of parliamentary questions. On the ban on strikes for members of the Defence Forces, I must pay credit to the Minister for his work during his …

The recently published White Paper on Enterprise sets out the Government's strategy for entrepreneurship and was informed by the SME and entrepreneurship growth plan, which is a strategic blueprint for SMEs and entrepreneurs to start up, scale up and access foreign markets, as well as helping them to navigate the transition to a low-carbon, digital economy. As part of the implementation of the White Paper we will focus our efforts on developing an integrated approach that accelerates start-up growth and scaling and…

I absolutely agree with Deputy Bruton that this is vital for the long term and short term in terms of identifying start-ups of all sizes throughout the country that have serious potential. I must give credit in particular to the local enterprise offices throughout the country. I am fortunate to visit them. We see new businesses coming on stream and not only establishing themselves within the first two years but taking on employees also. They move from being a one-person operation to having two or three employees an…

Deputy Nash and I had an exchange last night in the Chamber during Private Members’ business, during which I issued a very stark warning. Price caps have been introduced so far this year in the EU in both Croatia, which had food costs inflation of 20%, and in Hungary, which had food costs inflation of 50%. Let us be frank: these have not worked. They have actually had a damaging impact on the wider economy and crucially on society, including those in supermarkets. It is a power that is open to the Government under …

The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Coveney, and I engage with representatives of workers on a weekly basis. Deputy Bacik cited a report on rostering. A review has been put in place for banded hours for retail workers, following the report that was launched by Mandate six weeks ago. I met Mandate twice in respect of this matter, as well as employers in the retail sector. We will continue to work together to make sure workers in the retail sector are protected and they get the hours and salarie…

I am looking forward to tomorrow's retail forum. There is going to be a frank exchange. I am delighted to see that the vast majority of retailers, beyond those who normally attend, have confirmed their attendance. We will be asking the sort of direct questions Deputy Cairns has alluded to, and we will be making it quite clear that where input costs have gone down, we expect to see prices go down at the supermarket tills for consumers. There is an awful lot that will be discussed tomorrow. There will of course be a …

I thank the Deputies for raising these important matters and allowing us time to discuss them. As mentioned, we will not oppose the motion. In fact, it is fair to say we are largely in agreement. Needless to say, I do not agree with some of the language that has just been used. I, too, do the weekly shop for my household and see people suffering, be they in Nutgrove, Rathfarnham, Stillorgan or Dundrum, where they have to make those horrendous decisions between bread or nappies and butter or washing powder. It is co…

The meeting was arranged before the motion.

That one will still happen; this meeting was called last week.

I can show the Deputy the records.

Ireland has a robust suite of employment rights legislation, which offers extensive protections to workers. My Department has no plans at present to introduce new legislation to govern employment references. While there is no statutory entitlement to a reference from an employer, where an employer does provide a reference, they have a duty of care to ensure it is fair and not misleading. Where an employee believes their employer has provided a false employment reference, legal recourse may be possible where an unde…

I can confirm that Enterprise Ireland has already engaged and will continue to engage with the company concerned regarding the proposal that has been submitted. I understand that the company’s proposal is being reviewed by Enterprise Ireland through the usual due diligence and due process procedures. I hope the issues raised in it will lead to a situation in Ireland where every person with a disability will be able to access all modes of public transport without having to worry if he or she will be able to get on t…

Go raibh maith agaibht a Chathaoirligh Gníomhaí agus a Sheanadóir McGreehan. I appreciate her kind words and it is lovely to know that I am still considered new.