“This IBEC survey has made some very interesting findings, and I think it underlines the importance of a Yes vote for businesses in Kildare and right across the country. Not only do 90% of CEOs believe a Yes vote is important to the future prosperity of their business, 83% believe it will have a positive impact on Ireland’s ability to attract Foreign Direct Investment.

“Furthermore, the survey gives an interesting perspective on the impact of a rejection of the Treaty. If we oppose the Treaty, 87% of business leaders believe it will limit our ability to do business in Europe. At the moment, 60% of our exports go to the EU. As the only English-speaking country in the Eurozone, we are in a great position to further capitalise on this market. Why would we want to put this at risk?

“A Yes vote will help to deliver the certainty and stability needed for job creation. We’ve seen thousands of jobs created by companies like Apple, Mylan, Cisco, HP and Paypal in recent months. Clearly Irish business leaders believe our ability to continue to attract this kind of investment would be severely hampered by a rejection of the Treaty.

“According to IBEC, Irish companies are making a direct link between passing the Treaty and the future success of their own businesses. These are job creators operating in the real economy, and I think their views should not be ignored.  

“While unemployment rates remain far too high, there’s been some small progress on job creation in the last year. For example, by the end of 2011, there were 11,000 more people working in accommodation and food services than when the Government came to office. There was also a 6,000 net increase in jobs in IDA-supported companies last year and there was a 30% increase in companies investing in Ireland for the first time.

“We need to give ourselves the best possible chance of continuing with this progress. The Stability Treaty won’t solve everything, but it will be a key step as we rebuild a working Ireland.”

ENDS

“I was delighted to learn that Kildare North Chamber of Commerce is strongly advocating a Yes vote in the upcoming Referendum on the Stability Treaty. A multitude of local, national and international business groups have come out in support of the Treaty, because they recognise that a Yes vote will be a key step in driving economic recovery.

“Chambers Ireland joins IBEC, ISME, the Small Firms Association and many other business groups who are actively campaigning for a Yes vote. A Yes vote will help deliver the stability and certainty that businesses need, and will be a critical step in bringing about the right conditions for growth.

“The Government has been taking a series of steps in recent months aimed at making it cheaper and easier to do business and create jobs. The Action Plan for Jobs, launched earlier this year, is being monitored on a quarterly basis to ensure every government department is fulfilling its commitments. A number of headline measures will be delivered this year, including the €100 million micro-finance loan scheme and a partial loan guarantee scheme.

“Companies with export potential are also being specifically targeted and supported, to help them grow their business and access lucrative markets overseas. All of these measures rely on the renewed confidence in the Irish economy being maintained. This confidence can only be secured with a Yes vote on May 31st.

“As well as the need for confidence, businesses also understand the need to access funding when you need it. Voting Yes to the Stability Treaty is the only way to ensure we have access to the ESM, Europe’s new bailout fund, should we ever need it. Businesses also appreciate the final element of the Treaty; sticking to sensible budget rules.

“The fact that the business community is fully behind the Stability Treaty highlights the fact that it will be a key step as we rebuild a working Ireland with certainty and confidence.” 

ENDS

Committee on Jobs, Social Protection and Education Report

15th May 2012

An hours-based system for part-time jobseeker’s payments would be much fairer and more equitable, according to a new report by the Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Social Protection and Education.

The current system, which is based on a number of days worked per week, disenfranchises a number of part-time workers from jobseeker’s payments, the report A Review of the Status of Casual Workers in Ireland said.

Report author and Committee Member Anthony Lawlor, TD said: “Part-time workers are classified as those who work less hours than their contemporaries. However, this classification fails to define the number of hours ‘less’ refers to. As a consequence, taking into account the three in six day rule, one person could work two twelve hour shifts over two days and be entitled to claim three days benefit, whilst another person could work only two hours over five days and not qualify for benefit. This is clearly unfair due to the changing work patterns in Ireland and the need to bring people back into the workforce. Consequently this discrepancy needs to be addressed.”

The report recommends that part-time work should be defined as working 24 or less hours per week. It also proposes that the Part Time Jobs Incentive Scheme should be more widely advertised and eligibility for the scheme reduced from 15 months to 11 months.

Any change to the system should not have a negative knock-on effect on an individual’s entitlement to other supports, according to the report. It recommends that a concerted effort is made from governmental level to inform unemployed people of their entitlements if they re-enter the workforce and reassure the public that their financial circumstances may not be adversely affected by returning to part-time work.

Among the reports other key findings are:

· Any changes to the system must be revenue neutral.

· Employers must be incentivised to take on part-time workers by highlighting the advantages, both from an economic and social perspective, of doing so.

· A streamlined, online process for logging hours worked by a person in receipt of unemployment benefit is recommended.

· The report recommends that part-time workers in receipt of unemployment benefit will continue to prove that they are actively seeking and available for work.

Deputy Lawlor said: “Those who are unemployed and on the Live Register should not be discouraged from seeking part-time work and should not feel that it is more of a benefit to them to remain entirely unemployed and receive social welfare than to engage in part-time work. It is vital for Ireland to have a fair and equitable system in regards to those who are unemployed and want to re-enter the workforce by seeking part-time employment. However, such a change to the system must be done on a relatively revenue neutral basis without having an overall negative impact on the Live Register figures.

With so many people unemployed, we should be encouraging people to try to enter the workforce, even if it is only part-time work. By going ahead with the reforms suggested in this report, we will be taking a step towards improving the standard of living of jobseekers and creating a fairer and equitable social welfare system.”

Download the report [PDF file].

Committee Member Anthony Lawlor discusses the report in the below video.

For further information please contact:

Ciaran Brennan,

Houses of the Oireachtas,

Communications Unit,

Leinster House,

Dublin 2

P: +3531 618 3903

M: 086-0496518

F: +3531 618 4551

Committee on Jobs, Social Protection and Education

Membership

Damien English, TD (Chairman)

Ray Butler, TD

Áine Collins, TD

Joan Collins, TD

Michael Conaghan, TD

Barry Cowen, TD

Seán Crowe, TD

Tom Fleming, TD

Brendan Griffin, TD

John Halligan, TD

Seán Kyne, TD

Anthony Lawlor, TD

John Lyons, TD

Nicky McFadden, TD

Mary Mitchell O’Connor, TD

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, TD

Aengus Ó Snodaigh, TD

Willie O’Dea, TD

Brendan Ryan, TD

Brendan Smith, TD

Peadar Tóibín, TD

Senators

Deirdre Clune,

John Kelly,

Michael Mullins,

Marie Louise O’Donnell,

Averil Power,

Feargal Quinn

Fine Gael TD, Anthony Lawlor, has called on the people of Kildare North to get behind what will be the biggest tourism initiative ever held in Ireland, The Gathering 2013, the aim of which is to reach out to the 70 million strong global Irish family and encourage them to play a part in Ireland’s recovery.

“Next year will see the biggest tourism event in Irish history taking place; a year long event celebrating Ireland and its people, here and abroad, and the bond that unites us together. The aim of the Gathering is to reach out to the Irish diaspora and to bring 325,000 extra visitors home.

“The Gathering will comprise a series of already well-established but enhanced festivals, such as the New Year’s Eve and St. Patrick’s Festivals taking place. A number of new events will also be held to celebrate Irish food, our rich sporting culture and of course Riverdance with the launch of John McColgan and Moya Doherty’s new show. Encouraging more visitors to Ireland will act as a massive boost to the economy and will help us further along the road to recovery; but we all must play our part.

“For the initiative to be a success every community, every town and every village needs to get involved. By organising local family, school, cultural, sporting or musical gatherings and asking overseas friends and relatives to come home we can make 2013 not only a record year for tourism but for reconnecting Ireland and her people.

“Businesses, clubs and local organisations are being called on to plan special events and to highlight what is great about each local community, acting as an incentive for people to visit. The Irish diaspora will also play a critical role in enticing friends to join them in experiencing and celebrating everything Ireland has to offer.

“The Government wants everyone to be part of The Gathering and to take pride in Ireland and in being Irish. Despite the fact that the economic road ahead is a long one, we still have much to be proud of. By reaching out to our friends and relatives overseas and asking them to pay us a visit next year, we each have a great opportunity to play our part in our Ireland’s recovery and in restoring our country to greatness.”

Ends

I will speak about the construction of the Bill, if I may be excused the pun. I have remarked on previous occasions in the House about how language is used in the drafting of legislation. I remember reading a sentence in a Bill which consisted of 272 words and by the time I had read half the sentence, I was almost asleep. I commend Senator Quinn on the clarity of the language used in this Bill. This is the first time I have not needed to read the explanatory memorandum, which I call the Ladybird version of a Bill. Senator Quinn and the Bills Office are to be congratulated on a Bill which is clear in its language. People will be able to understand the provisions and the Bill is short, succinct and to the point. This is important because the people who will read this Bill are not necessarily qualified barristers or solicitors; they are people who may have left school early in order to work in the construction industry. They will be able to read this Bill and understand what it provides with regard to their rights and obligations.

I am concerned at the practice whereby Bills are amended significantly on Committee Stage. I do not understand why a Minister cannot include any required amendments at the initiation of the Bill so that these can be discussed by the House on Second Stage. Many Members are not involved in committees and will not have an opportunity to speak on amendments to a Bill. When a Bill returns to the House, as a Government backbencher I will not have an opportunity to speak on those amendments. I ask Ministers to bring forward Bills which are as complete as possible so that the House can discuss the full Bill in detail. I contend that if the Minister is required to introduce amendments to a Bill it shows a flaw within the Department, that the Bill has not been examined in detail.

I note that in cases of legislative changes put before the House, such legislative provisions may already have been enacted in other jurisdictions – I refer in particular to UK legislation which will also apply in Northern Ireland. I ask why such legislation cannot be adapted for use in this jurisdiction if it is suitable. There in no point in re-inventing the wheel. The Minister of State, Deputy Brian Hayes, stated that the UK situation was referred to when considering the regulatory impact assessment. As my colleague from Sinn Féin noted, UK legislation is implemented in the North of Ireland. Therefore, what is good enough for the North of Ireland should, in certain circumstances, be good enough for here. As my colleague from Sinn Féin also stated, we should consider such legislation in an all-Ireland context. For instance, some construction companies operate on both sides of the Border and the legislation enacted in the UK a number of years ago should have been implemented here as well.

I refer to the provisions in the Bill with regard to payments and staged payments. I cite the example of a tender for a school building in my village of Kill. A contract was awarded to a company but the dogs in the street knew that the company was going to the wall. I could not understand why the contract was not subsequently awarded to the next best company on the tendering list. Instead, the work was re-tendered and another year passed before the school was built and the children had to work in damp prefabs and old school buildings. I urge the Minister when he reviews this Bill to present the amendments for debate in the House if possible. My key point is that when Bills are brought before the Dáil I ask that they be as complete as possible so that we can discuss them fully and have as few amendments as possible.

ENDS

“A Yes vote in the Stability Treaty Referendum will help bring about the right conditions to protect existing jobs and aid in creating the new jobs we need. International job creating investors thinking about coming here crave certainty; they want to know that Ireland is moving forward on the road to recovery.

“We’ve seen the benefit of Foreign Direct Investment in recent months in Kildare, with the creation of up to 200 jobs by HP in Leixlip. As a commuter county, Kildare also stands to benefit from the impressive list of jobs announcements in the Capital from companies including Mylan, Amgen, Mastercard and Sky. Announcements from these companies alone have led to the creation of more than 2,000 jobs in the last few months. If we want to continue to attract this kind of inward investment, we need to send out a message of stability and certainty by voting Yes on May 31st.

“There are a number of positive reasons to vote in favour of the Stability Treaty. Firstly, it will give Irish and global companies the confidence they need to invest here and create jobs. The Treaty will also ensure governments stick to sensible budget rules, to avoid the reckless mistakes of the past from being made again.

“And crucially, voting Yes to the Stability Treaty ensures we will have access to the ESM, Europe’s new bailout fund, should we ever need it. Despite what Sinn Féin and others may claim, this is set out in black and white in the Treaty document; if we reject the Treaty, we will be cut off from these funds.

“We need to borrow about €19 billion to run the country in 2014, after our current funding runs out. Those opposing the Treaty cannot explain where we would get this money from if we block ourselves off from the ESM.

“It’s also important to make clear what the Treaty does not do. It has absolutely no impact on our corporation tax rate; in fact the word tax does not feature at all in the Treaty document. It does not threaten our sovereignty; decisions about Ireland and our finances will continue to be made by our government.

“The Stability Treaty won’t solve all of our problems overnight. We still have a lot of work to do, and the Treaty will help us get there.”

ENDS

“More than ever Ireland needs certainty and to know that the future will be brighter. I strongly believe that a Yes vote will ensure Ireland’s path to recovery. Investor confidence in Ireland is key to our economic prosperity and in recent months we have had a number of large multinationals, including Paypal, Amgen, Microsoft, make huge investment in our country creating hundreds of jobs. These companies have done so because they consider Ireland to be at the heart of the Eurozone with a stable currency. Ireland’s reputation as a place in which to do business is once again growing and a Yes vote will add further to this international opinion. A Yes vote will indicate our commitment to the EU project and fiscal cooperation with other Member States.

“It is imperative that each and every voter informs themselves about the facts of this Treaty. That is why the Government is running the most comprehensive information campaign for an EU referendum ever held in this country. A copy of the Treaty accompanied with an information booklet is currently being delivered to every home in the state, and a dedicated website has been established (www.stabilitytreaty.ie) to deal with any questions that may arise.

“I urge you to access this information and to make an informed decision on 31st May. It is also important to have a high voter turnout and people have until tomorrow, 2nd May, to apply for a postal vote, and Monday 14th May to be included on the supplementary register. This referendum is about your future and I believe a Yes vote will once again create a stable and confident Irish economy” concluded Anthony Lawlor TD,

ENDS