I must now deal with a postponed division relating to Second Stage of the Sick Leave and Parental Leave (Covid-19) Bill 2020, which took place on Wednesday, 23 September 2020. On the question, "That the amendment to the motion be made", a division was claimed, and in accordance with Standing Order 80(2), that division must be taken now.
Sick Leave and Parental Leave (Covid-19) Bill 2020: Second Stage (Resumed) [Private Members]
The following motion was moved by Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin on Wednesday, 23 September 2020: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time."
Debate resumed on amendment No. 1:
To delete all words after “That” and substitute the following:
“Dáil Éireann:
— acknowledges the exceptional challenges faced by employees during the Covid-19 pandemic and the lack of a statutory sick pay regime in Ireland;
— welcomes the introduction of the Covid-19 enhanced illness benefit which provides income support to any employee with Covid-19 symptoms or required to self- isolate and also the recent introduction of a new social insurance-based paid parental benefit scheme and extended parental leave rights; and
— and resolves that the Sick Leave and Parental Leave (Covid-19) Bill 2020 be deemed to be read a second time this day six months, to allow for consultation between now and then by the Minister for Social Protection and the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, with unions and employers, which will allow for:
— consideration of reforms and improvements to Ireland’s statutory sick pay laws and any related change to illness benefit which is funded through Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) contributions as referred to in the Programme for Government;
— research into the extent and exact nature of the problems identified by this Bill, including a full evaluation of the costs the Bill as drafted would place on employers, particularly small and medium sized enterprises that have been severely hit by Covid-19; and
— full discussion and exploration of other practical issues and that may arise, such as increased business costs and business viability, as a result of the proposals and to consider other options for change which might be available, and which would not make it more difficult for employers to remain viable.”
- (Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection)
Amendment put:
The Dáil divided: Tá, 82; Níl, 61; Staon, 0.
Tá
- Berry, Cathal.
- Brophy, Colm.
- Browne, James.
- Bruton, Richard.
- Burke, Colm.
- Burke, Peter.
- Butler, Mary.
- Byrne, Thomas.
- Cahill, Jackie.
- Calleary, Dara.
- Cannon, Ciarán.
- Carey, Joe.
- Carroll MacNeill, Jennifer.
- Chambers, Jack.
- Collins, Niall.
- Costello, Patrick.
- Cowen, Barry.
- Creed, Michael.
- Crowe, Cathal.
- Devlin, Cormac.
- Dillon, Alan.
- Donnelly, Stephen.
- Duffy, Francis Noel.
- Durkan, Bernard J.
- English, Damien.
- Farrell, Alan.
- Feighan, Frankie.
- Fitzpatrick, Peter.
- Flaherty, Joe.
- Flanagan, Charles.
- Fleming, Sean.
- Grealish, Noel.
- Griffin, Brendan.
- Haughey, Seán.
- Heydon, Martin.
- Higgins, Emer.
- Hourigan, Neasa.
- Humphreys, Heather.
- Kehoe, Paul.
- Lahart, John.
- Lawless, James.
- Leddin, Brian.
- Lowry, Michael.
- MacSharry, Marc.
- Madigan, Josepha.
- Matthews, Steven.
- McAuliffe, Paul.
- McConalogue, Charlie.
- McEntee, Helen.
- McGrath, Michael.
- McHugh, Joe.
- Moynihan, Aindrias.
- Moynihan, Michael.
- Murnane O'Connor, Jennifer.
- Murphy, Eoghan.
- Murphy, Verona.
- Naughten, Denis.
- Naughton, Hildegarde.
- Noonan, Malcolm.
- O'Brien, Darragh.
- O'Brien, Joe.
- O'Callaghan, Jim.
- O'Connor, James.
- O'Dea, Willie.
- O'Donnell, Kieran.
- O'Donovan, Patrick.
- O'Dowd, Fergus.
- O'Gorman, Roderic.
- O'Sullivan, Christopher.
- O'Sullivan, Pádraig.
- Ó Cathasaigh, Marc.
- Ó Cuív, Éamon.
- Rabbitte, Anne.
- Richmond, Neale.
- Ring, Michael.
- Ryan, Eamon.
- Shanahan, Matt.
- Smith, Brendan.
- Smyth, Niamh.
- Smyth, Ossian.
- Stanton, David.
- Troy, Robert.
Níl
- Andrews, Chris.
- Barry, Mick.
- Boyd Barrett, Richard.
- Brady, John.
- Buckley, Pat.
- Cairns, Holly.
- Canney, Seán.
- Carthy, Matt.
- Clarke, Sorca.
- Collins, Joan.
- Collins, Michael.
- Conway-Walsh, Rose.
- Cronin, Réada.
- Crowe, Seán.
- Cullinane, David.
- Daly, Pa.
- Donnelly, Paul.
- Ellis, Dessie.
- Farrell, Mairéad.
- Fitzmaurice, Michael.
- Funchion, Kathleen.
- Gannon, Gary.
- Guirke, Johnny.
- Harkin, Marian.
- Healy-Rae, Danny.
- Healy-Rae, Michael.
- Howlin, Brendan.
- Kelly, Alan.
- Kenny, Gino.
- Kenny, Martin.
- Kerrane, Claire.
- Mac Lochlainn, Pádraig.
- McGrath, Mattie.
- McNamara, Michael.
- Mitchell, Denise.
- Munster, Imelda.
- Murphy, Catherine.
- Murphy, Paul.
- Mythen, Johnny.
- Nash, Ged.
- Nolan, Carol.
- O'Callaghan, Cian.
- O'Donoghue, Richard.
- O'Rourke, Darren.
- Ó Broin, Eoin.
- Ó Laoghaire, Donnchadh.
- Ó Murchú, Ruairí.
- Ó Ríordáin, Aodhán.
- Ó Snodaigh, Aengus.
- Pringle, Thomas.
- Quinlivan, Maurice.
- Ryan, Patricia.
- Sherlock, Sean.
- Shortall, Róisín.
- Smith, Bríd.
- Smith, Duncan.
- Stanley, Brian.
- Tully, Pauline.
- Ward, Mark.
- Whitmore, Jennifer.
- Wynne, Violet-Anne.
Staon
Tellers: Tá, Deputies Brendan Griffin and Jack Chambers; Níl, Deputies Alan Kelly and Duncan Smith.
Amendment declared carried.
Motion, as amended, agreed to.