I thank the Member for bringing the Bill forward. I am conflicted about it. There is great sentiment to it and the heart is certainly in the right place. The Bill proposes amending the Act of 2023 to strengthen employee entitlements, limit refusal and objection grounds and delete section 20(2). I note, however, and these are just observations I have on the Bill, that it encourages and formalises a dispute culture in the workplace. I have concerns about that. I am concerned there would be a likelihood of an increase in complaints to the WRC and the Labour Court regarding same. I have heard Members in the House speak about employees, vilify employers and speak about them being billionaires on superyachts. I think that Deputy has been watching too many Bond movies because most of the billionaires I know, or know of or have read about, and I do not know too many billionaires personally, all work hard. They are working on their businesses and they are going from project to project. I do not think they are going around on superyachts as our friend in the socialist party believes. I have concerns about the Bill because I question bits and pieces of it. There is the question of mentorship. When people start off in a business and they are working from home, they are isolated. They are very much isolated in their homes. There are also health and safety issues and questions about the general data protection regulation, GDPR, and the entire system around this, the legal rights people have, the protection of data, the protection that people have in the home and health and safety in the home.

Sentiment score: 0.13

I have read the Deputy's Bill, thanks, unlike other Deputies. There are also questions about the broadband infrastructure. I do very much have sympathy for the Bill but I have questions around it. It needs a little bit more tightening-up and a little bit more work. I would be quite happy to assist Deputy Lawlor in that way. The other side that I see goes back to isolation and loneliness. Many people who start off working in this country, in particular people who have come to this country, do not have an entire network behind them and do not have groups of friends. Tremendous things have happened in small companies and big companies where people have got involved in local societies and GAA clubs. At Boston Scientific in my constituency, we see the number of external clubs it is involved with and the fundraising and charity work it does. We have to be sensible about how working in a big workplace, or even a small workplace, can benefit people and not just through being mentored in the workplace.

Sentiment score: 0.20