Mattie McGrath backs tips bill to protect hospitality workers
Mattie McGrath spoke in support of legislation to protect tips and service charges for hospitality and service workers, welcoming the bill and saluting staff across hospitality, taxi, transport and other sectors. He said the measure should root out employers who take tips or service charges owed to employees and confirmed that, on behalf of the Royal Independent Group, he supports its passage.
Legislation and support
McGrath welcomed the bill on tipping practices and endorsed its aim to ensure tips given in good faith are passed on to frontline and back‑of‑house staff. He stated that the legislation should target unscrupulous employers while allowing the goodwill between most employers and employees to continue.
Praise for hospitality staff
He paid tribute to workers across the sector, mentioning receptionists, kitchen and house staff, bar staff and others often unseen by customers. McGrath recounted positive personal experiences with staff, including service at the Martello in Bray, describing them as exemplary, kind and caring.
Concerns about employer behaviour
McGrath recalled a local restaurant campaign where staff were allegedly mistreated despite investment in the premises, saying such incidents show the need for protections. He emphasised that most employers do pass on tips, but that the bill should address the minority who do not.
Enforcement and practical challenges
He noted practical difficulties in dealing with cached or unpassed tips and observed that electronic transactions may be easier to trace. McGrath referenced the WRC as an existing route for complaints but described that process as unwieldy and slow.
Appeal for respect and goodwill
Beyond regulation, McGrath urged mutual respect between employers and employees, saying that respect given by employers is often reciprocated by staff. He expressed hope the bill’s passage would change unscrupulous behaviour while preserving positive employer‑employee relationships.
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I too want to speak on this piece of legislation and it is welcome and I want to salute all the workers in hospitality and across many other range of services as well. Maybe some wouldn't be as visible in taxi industry and transport and indeed across the whole spectrum. They have had it hard a couple of years and we all appreciate that. But this bill regarding the tips for people, tips are always given in good faith by people and I won't say it's an Irish thing but it is an Irish thing because it's voluntary and most employers do pass it on and most employers do look after their employees and you know there are a number of employers ourselves so there are lots and lots of employers that do have good relationships with employees and look after them kindly and it's important and it's important that this legislation would root out the employers who would dream of or imagine of taking tips or indeed service charges that are rightfully entitled to the workers who look after us, the front line and indeed back house which I think few of us never recognise, of course the receptionists and you know the chefs and people that we don't really see and most institutions share and I know the tips with them and could I say while most of my time that I am in hospitality is when I'm in at work in here in this capital city and all the many institutions I've stayed in, I've met only the wonderful best of people that look after me, I'm only speaking for myself and others but myself I can speak for and they've been looking after. At the present I've stayed in the Martello in Bray and staff there are exemplary and kind, caring and helpful in every way and I want to thank them for that because there's no place like home as we know and it's like home from home and that's from the receptionist right to the kitchen staff and to the house staff and bar staff and everybody else. So it's very important that campaign that was done a few years ago from a restaurant down the street here had to be campaigned and when we look at the money that was spent in doing up that premises and revamping it and whatever and then to see that unsavoury treatment of staff and look it happened but I'm glad that I know people brought forward private motions here. I know it's difficult challenging times for employers but as I said when people decide to give a tip it must be passed on. The difficulty is I suppose in where if cached tips are kept and not passed on how do you deal with them? It's not dealt with in this field of electronic, yes you can trace them and maybe deal with them. I mentioned that it has been made at the WRC and all of that but we need to go down that road. It's a very unwieldy and very slow process. I suppose maybe it has to happen but I prefer that goodwill would prevail and respect and I suppose respect both ways. If the employer gives respect they get it back in spatefuls from the employees. So as I said on behalf of the Royal Independent Group we are supporting this legislation and hopefully its passage will make a change to the employers that are unscrupulous and behave in a bad way. And that the ordinary employers and the staff have that relationship that they have fostered will continue. Remarkable.
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