Joint Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment to discuss introduction of statutory sick pay with employers and unions

The meeting at 9am in Committee Room 2 of Leinster House will hear from:

• Representatives from Irish Small and Medium Enterprises (ISME); and
• Representatives from Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU).

Committee Chairman Deputy Maurice Quinlivan said: “Unlike most of our European partners, Ireland does not have a statutory sick pay scheme where employers are legally obliged to pay all or part of a worker’s wages if they are ill and unable to work for a time.

“This has been brought into clear focus by the Covid-19 pandemic where the choice facing many employees is to continue to show up for work while sick, and risking the spread of illness in the work place, or to claim Illness Benefit from the State.

“The Committee looks forward to discussing this important matter with the representatives of the employers and the unions, and to hearing their views on how Ireland can develop a statutory sick pay scheme that protects workers and businesses.”

The Joint Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment has 14 Members, nine from the Dáil and five from the Seanad.

The meeting in Committee Room 2 can be viewed live on Oireachtas TV.

Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.