Dublin Bay North constituents invited to have their say to shape future on a new social contract in online event

Fine Gael wants to hear the views of people in Dublin Bay North on how to strengthen protections in the workplace in an online event with Minister for Business, Employment and Retail, Damien English, TD, and Chairman of the Fine Gael Parliamentary Party, Richard Bruton, TD.

Deputy Bruton, who represents Dublin Bay North, and Minister English are encouraging constituents to register online and take part in a discussion on major reforms which are under active consideration. The event takes place on Thursday, May 6^th, at 8pm.

This is the seventh meeting in a series of online events taking place under the brand “Shape Your Future” which is being organised by Fine Gael.

The party would like to hear the views of members of the public on a range of issues and encourage engagement between them and their local representatives.

Speaking ahead of the event, Deputy Bruton said: “The pandemic has upturned our world and caused us to look afresh at how we work. We have had to think about what jobs are essential, about new sources of insecurity, about the need for new skills, about working from home. We must ask what this all means for future policies in the workplace:

• Can we better protect workers through Sick Pay? A Living Wage?
• Should we change the way employers and trade unions engage?
• What rules should there be around remote working?
• Should earn as you learn be more widely adopted for new entrants and over your working life?
• What changes do we need to make in the care of children?

“As technology disrupts traditional workplaces, people need to be supported to cope, adapt their skills, balance life and work, deal with insecurity. Our economy is throwing up imbalances, and it serves neither the interests of enterprise or workers to ignore them.

“This is the opportunity to have your say on the shape of a new social contract,” Deputy Bruton said.

People can take part in the event, which takes place on May 6^th at 2021, by registering their details through Fine Gael’s dedicated website at https://www.finegael.ie/shapeyourfuture/dublinbaynorth/

Minister English added: “The purpose of this online event is to listen to the views of people who are adapting to big changes in the workplace and to inform them of the work underway.

“We recently published Ireland’s first National Remote Work Strategy, which sets out plans to strengthen the rights and responsibilities of employers and employees, to provide the infrastructure to work remotely. It also sets out clear guidance on how people can be empowered to work remotely from the office.

“We have also initiated consultation on a wide range of reforms in the workplace. This includes the public consultation on the right to request remote work. Work has also begun on examining how Ireland can move towards a living wage, which the Programme for Government is committed to.

“In April, the Tánaiste signed a new Code of Practice giving all employees the Right to Disconnect, which provides practical guidance and best practice to employers, employees and their representatives in relation to the Right to Disconnect.

“I would encourage people in Dublin Bay North to sign up to the event and we look forward to engaging with them,” Minster English concluded.