CALLS for a referendum on banning Sunday trading were rejected yesterday by the Minister of State for Labour affairs, Ms Eithne Fitzgerald.
While she had sympathy with those seeking a ban on Sunday trading, she said, a referendum would be counterproductive if it delayed the introduction of new legislative protections for employees.
She was speaking at the committee stage of the Organisation of Working Time Bill, 1996, which implements the EU directive on working hours.
Section 14 of the Bill provides that an employee required to work on Sunday should be entitled to an additional premium payment, which may consist of a bonus payment, time off in lieu, or a combination of both.
The Bill also provides that every employee is entitled to one day off a week, which must be Sunday unless otherwise specified in the employee's contract. Thus, voluntary Sunday working is protected by the Bill.
Proposing a referendum on banning Sunday trading, Mr Paschal Mooney (FF) said the Bill did not go far enough. He expressed concern at the growing number of British shopping chains trading here on Sunday. He suggested that such multinational operators had a "hidden agenda", which is to put domestic retailers out of business. He said it was important that the people were asked directly whether the practice should be allowed to continue.
Mr Donie Cassidy (FF) criticised multinational traders for attempting to change traditional shopping patterns. He added that the ban on Sunday trading should apply to multinationals only and not the small family run businesses.