It is an undue delay, to be fair, by any administrative standards.

Not a bad start.

I will start by acknowledging the work of the Minister and the funding she has committed in respect of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, particularly the €6.3 million that was allocated in March, which will have a very significant impact for organisations such as YANA, an organisation I have worked with that covers north and east Cork. The effect of that funding will be to build up capacity in organisations such as YANA. In our roles as TDs and public representatives, we are seeing a lack of capacity and …

I support the Bill. It is very good and sensible legislation and I acknowledge the work of Deputies Farrell and Ó Broin, and the Labour Party will certainly support it. I read the Minister of State's speech with interest and was taken by the fact he felt he had to reassure the market regarding the Bill. This is how I interpret his intervention when he stated: The Government is concerned that any attempt to regulate ‘digs’ could well have a negative impact on the supply of this traditional and important source of ac…

I move amendment No. 1: In page 9, between lines 27 and 28, to insert the following: “(2) The risk referred to in subsection (1) means a risk greater than the risk facing children generally, when being adequately taken care of in a private home.”. Section 11 states: The Principal Act is amended by the insertion of the following section after section 58J: “58JA. (1) Where an authorised person is of the opinion, following the exercise of any of his or her powers under section 58J relating to a premises in which a reg…

I take the points made by the Minister. It is the right of every person in this House to put forward amendments and the right of every other person to comment on the quality or otherwise of those amendments. There is a timescale in which to put forward amendments. If people think they can put forward a better amendment than this one, let them do so. While I have the floor, I pay tribute to Deputy Funchion. She is an extremely good colleague. We are losing her to another forum. I extend my congratulations to her. I …

On the weekend of 8 and 9 June last, a major incident occurred on the Allow river, which is a tributary of the Munster Blackwater, in which over 5,000 fish were killed. That included species such as salmon, trout and lamprey. The reason I raise this here today is because I am concerned, in the first instance, about that fish kill and that we do not have as of yet the full facts established as to how that happened. I read about this incident on the RTÉ News website. It was Joe Mag Raollaigh who was reporting on it. …

I welcome the Minister of State's reply. I genuinely do, because that brings the story along. It is reassuring to know that the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, has written to the statutory body involved here and that a meeting will take place with the CEO of Uisce Éireann and we will see what the result of that meeting will be. I feel sorry for the people of this region, and particularly the Kanturk and District Trout Anglers Association, which had a Trout Anglers Federation of Ireland's all-Ireland river championship…

I am reading with interest the Minister's words before the House this afternoon. His speech states: The second purpose is to provide for the regulation and registration of childminders who work in ... [the childminder's home] through a phased approach in line with the national action plan for childminding. I am committed to delivering childminding-specific regulations that are both appropriate and proportionate, safeguarding children and providing assurances of the quality of childminding services while acknowledgi…

Not in this Chamber.

I do not think she called for more powerful or forceful chairing.

I move amendment No. 7: In page 15, line 4, after “Minister,” to insert “having regard to the views of trade unions,”. On Committee Stage I said I would come back to this issue on the representation of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, ICTU, as one of the relevant organisations to this new entity. The Minister on Committee Stage stated: When appointing people to the board I must ensure that, collectively, it has the necessary experience relating to the functions and the responsibilities of the authority. Membersh…

I accept that the Minister is not accepting the amendment and I will not delay the House too long on that matter. The Minister's position is very clear. I have found some comfort in her words in respect of the required skill set. There is a tried and tested formula in legislative matters like this where it absolutely affects workers and their livelihoods. There is plenty of precedent, as I have outlined on Committee Stage, for a specific ICTU representative to be appointed to that board, as they have been to previo…

I looked at the amendment. Forgive me if I am being a little pedantic. It is just to seek clarity. It states, "aggregate statistical data relating to participation in the automatic enrolment retirement savings system". That is fine and self-evident. It also states, "statistical data relating to the types of investments held by AE provider schemes". To me, that reads like you can have statistical data about the types of investment, that is, the categories of investment. If you invested in Nestlé, for instance, the c…

I move amendment No. 22: In page 42, line 22, to delete “years 7 to 9” and substitute “years 4 to 6”. I will be brief, as I do not want to spend too much time going over a Committee Stage argument, but I read the Minister's reply to that debate. I will quote from it. She stated: In any event the employer and employee contribution rates will only increase from 3% to 4.5% in year 7, whereas contribution rates in employment-based schemes are generally at the 5% level for both employers and employees. The issue will no…

I accept that the Minister is not minded to agree to the Labour Party amendment. I am going over old ground from Committee Stage here, but in economic terms, our worry is what is called the opportunity cost. In essence, the time it will take to set this up means that workers will miss out on the scheme's benefits for a number of years. The example I cited on Committee Stage was of a worker on an average income of €922 gross per week. That worker will miss out on an employer contribution of approximately €6,500 towa…

There was much deliberation in relation to the words "may" and "shall". There is a doctorate in me somewhere after I leave this place on the use of those two words in legislation and on their import. I acknowledge Deputy Ó Cathasaigh's work on this. I also acknowledge that the Minister has ceded ground, if I may say that, to her Government colleague in the context of the importance of the amendment. From an Opposition point of view, I acknowledge a good day's work on the part of Government in respect of ensuring th…

I move amendment No. 39: In page 88, between lines 17 and 18, to insert the following: “Hindering the displacement of occupational pension schemes 129. An employer shall not wind up or freeze a qualifying occupational pension scheme in place after the commencement of this Act for a period of 10 years.”. In order that I am ad idem with the Leas-Cheann Comhairle, this amendment relates to the issue of hindering the displacement of occupational schemes. It is a repeat of the Committee Stage amendment. In essence, we a…

The Minister has not advanced her position since Committee Stage. I accept that. We are now in the arena where the Minister has to take a position on what is in the preliminary legal advice. I appreciate that. However, there are other channels of communication, through her departmental officials and stakeholders out there in the ether who are very interested in this legislation, whereupon some perspectives may be shared on that very same preliminary legal advice. I am sure plenty of channels are open. It will be an…

I thank the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, from which I have taken a very direct line. That will be obvious to everyone who has been watching the amendments we have put forward. That is only natural because I am a member of the Labour Party. This is good legislation. I would like to have seen it improved, but it is good for workers. If I may say so, the Minister has done a very good day's work here, as have her officials, in promulgating this legislation. It could be transformative as regards the very simple conce…