I am happy to clarify. In fairness to the Cathaoirleach, he has done his best within the limits that are available.

I want to accept that. Let me be very clear without being distracted. Everyone in this Chamber knows that for decades - we have piles of reports on Seanad reform - any Government that comes in makes sure that fundamental Seanad reform does not happen. We know that. My point is that I am a little concerned that we will all say the right things today but there will be a blockage at some point. The reason we tabled these amendments was because we cannot afford to leave this issue in the lap of the gods. We need to mak…

It is good to see the Minister of State and I thank him for coming to the House. European works councils play an important role in the information and consultation of employees of multinational companies across borders. It is a very important function, underpinned by an EU directive. The directive on European works councils compels member states to put in place adequate administrative or judicial procedures in order that workers and company management can enforce all the rights and obligations deriving from the dir…

On a personal level, I kind of feel sorry for the Minister of State because in all my time doing Commencement matters this is the shortest answer I have ever seen. In effect, he has no answer for me, which is extraordinary in circumstances where this has been highlighted for years by SIPTU. I will again reference Mr. Denis Sheridan, my colleague from SIPTU, who stated, "As a consequence of the inadequate transposition of the Directive, the new Irish law made it attractive for multi-national companies to move their …

Still.

That is an extraordinary statement.

I commend our colleague Senator Flynn on her fine speech in respect of Traveller education. I extend a warm welcome to the mayor Joe Kelly and his wife. It is great to see them here. Something very significant happened in Limerick City and County Council last week. The following motion was put to the council: This council calls on the Government and the Minister for Housing to declare a housing emergency and to use emergency powers to introduce an immediate moratorium on evictions, similar to that during Covid, to …

I move amendment No. 1: In page 4, between lines 16 and 17, to insert the following: “ “illness or injury” means a period of sickness, or impairment, affecting the body or mind;”. It is good to see the Minister of State again. The issue with which this amendment deals arose in the Dáil. There is a concern as to whether we need a clearer definition of "illness or injury". That is why we have proposed this amendment, which seeks to define illness or injury as "a period of sickness, or impairment, affecting the body o…

In the circumstances, I am happy to have raised the issue. I am not going to press the amendment at this point.

I move amendment No. 4: In page 5, to delete lines 30 to 32 and substitute the following: “(5) An employee’s entitlement to a statutory sick leave day shall commence from their first day of employment.”. I wish to acknowledge that when my colleagues in the Dáil expressed concerns in relation to workers who adhere to a fixed pattern of work that includes a break of a few months every year and have to complete 13 weeks' service every year to qualify for sick pay, the concerns were acknowledged and amendments were acc…

I thank the Minister of State for his response. The difficulty I have is that if we put barriers in the way of workers qualifying for sick pay they will go to work sick. If they go to work sick, they will make other people sick and that will impact the business in a detrimental way. We have been through two horrendous years of Covid. We now think we may not be out of it in the winter and it could be back again. How would it make sense in the context of what we have just been through and what we may have to face aga…

I move amendment No. 6. In page 6, between lines 6 and 7, to insert the following: “(9) The Minister may by bringing forward a report within 3 months of the passing of this legislation on the merits of regulations providing that subsection (10) not apply until such time as the full roll out of primary healthcare free at the point of delivery has been achieved, and until such time employees shall be allowed to self-certify as being incapable of working due to illness or injury and be entitled to statutory sick leave…

We are down to seventh.

One in four workers.

It is clear the Minister of State and I will not agree on this. I ask him to acknowledge the example I gave of a minimum wage worker. Will he acknowledge that under the scheme, the first day of sick pay amounts to nothing for these low-paid workers. I have given that example and I ask the Minister of State to acknowledge it.

To be clear, Sinn Féin is voting for the Bill. The Minister of State is aware of that. We have worked constructively with him on it. We just happen to believe that, right now, the balance - we have been speaking about balance - is not correct because it does not work for low-paid workers. I have given the Minister of State a clear example to show why it does not work for low-paid workers. We are asking him to consider that balance because if low-paid workers are excluded, there is a fundamental problem and weakness…

That is interesting. Implied in the response of the Minister of State is that it is somehow okay for a low-paid worker not to get any money for the first day of sickness. To be frank, I disagree with him on that. If a person is sick, he or she should be entitled to sick pay. The Minister of State has acknowledged that, for the first day, there will be no sick pay because the person has to fork out for a GP. That is a point of fundamental difference between us. Sinn Féin supports the Bill but we think workers should…

It is true.

We have employers in Limerick too.

The Senator is always welcome on this side of the House.