Bill to improve paid sick leave to come before Cabinet

Leo Varadkar has previously said that the bill was part of the 'pandemic dividend'

Leo Varadkar will bring the Sick Leave Bill 2022 to Cabinet for approval. The bill would entitle every worker to paid leave on a phased basis.

A bill that will give employees the right to up to 10 days' paid sick leave will be brought to Cabinet on Tuesday.

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar will bring the Sick Leave Bill 2022 to Cabinet for approval. The bill would entitle every worker to paid leave on a phased basis, starting with three days per year in 2022, rising to five in 2023 and seven in 2024, before employers would be liable to pay for 10 days in 2025.

Mr Varadkar has previously said that the bill was part of the "pandemic dividend".

“It’s not right that people feel forced to go to work when they are sick and it’s not good for public health,” he said at the time.

Cabinet is also set to sign off on the Judicial Appointments Commission Bill, being brought by Justice Minister Helen McEntee. Ms McEntee received Cabinet approval to publish the general scheme of the bill in 2020 in the wake of controversy over the appointment of former attorney general Seamus Woulfe to the Supreme Court.

Currently, judges lodge expressions of interest to the Government if they are seeking a promotion. Those who are not judges must apply to the Judicial Appointments Advisory Board, which assesses their suitability for judicial appointment.

The Judicial Appointments Commission is envisaged to replace both processes and will contain a 4-4 split between members of the judiciary and lay appointees — one from the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission and three appointed through the Public Appointments Service.

Childcare

Children's Minister Roderic O'Gorman will bring a memo on childcare regarding a review of the operating model for the sector in Ireland, looking at the administrative infrastructure and setting out proposals for reform.

Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien will also bring a memo to Cabinet which will streamline the process for making retrospective environmental impact assessments in the planning process.

Transport Minister Eamon Ryan will bring a proposal to offer supports to travel agents.

Cabinet will also be given an update on the State's response to the Ukraine crisis with Mr O'Brien set to receive approval to expand the local authority voids scheme to free up additional vacant homes to house Ukrainian refugees.