asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce when he expects that the new legislation on manpower policy will be published; when it will come before Dáil Éireann; and if this legislation will include provision for redundancy payments and for retraining and reabsorption of redundant workers.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Manpower Policy.
52.
I hope to be in a position to circulate the text of a Bill dealing with industrial training and retraining in about a month's time and the Second Stage of the Bill will be taken in the Dáil as soon as possible after circulation.
I cannot say yet when it will be possible to circulate the text of the Bill dealing with redundancy payments. The position is that an outline scheme for such payments was submitted some time ago for consideration by the Manpower Advisory Committee which is comprised of representatives of the Federated Union of Employers and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions under the chairmanship of an officer of my Department. The drafting of the necessary legislation cannot be initiated until the committee has finished its consideration of the scheme.
Does the Parliamentary Secretary not agree that the redundancy aspect of the manpower policy is the most important? It is disconcerting to hear that he has no proposals yet for bringing in legislation for that purpose. Can he say what has given rise to the undue delay in bringing forward proposals in regard to redundancy in particular, having regard to our commitments to free trade and to the reports of the committees on industrial organisation which are concerned about redundancy? Can he say why he is not in a position to introduce these proposals?
I do not accept all the implications in the Deputy's supplementary question. I agree that it is a chronological priority and I can assure him and the House that I am doing everything possible to expedite the matter. I hope that the consultations will be completed in a matter of weeks rather than months.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary satisfied that the people involved in drawing up those proposals are dealing with the task in a reasonable manner? He did indicate earlier to Deputy Dunne that some of these people could not find time to attend meetings. Is that the position?
I should hate to give that impression to the House because the men involved are extremely busy. It is a very detailed discussion and it has been so all along for the past two years or so. The next fortnight or so should see the completion of the discussions by the Committee on the principles involved.