Emmet Stagg
Question:17 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Labour if he has any plans to codify the existing range of protective legislation into a single Workers' Rights Act in 1990; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Workers' Rights Act.
In general, protective legislation in this country lays down minimum standards which are determined after consultation with the social partners. Each piece of labour legislation has its own separate objectives and for this reason, as well as the fact that the introduction of a consolidation Act would involve a large scale administrative resource cost, which could not be justified, I do not plan to translate the existing range of legislation into a single Act. I will, of course, continue to review and update the existing legislation as appropriate, in consultation with both the FIE and ICTU. In the review of employment equality legislation, I intend to consolidate the two Acts concerned.
Would the Minister not agree that it is now extremely difficult for workers to establish their rights under labour legislation due to the nature of the many Bills covering labour legislation? Can I take it that the Industrial Relations Bill is the only labour legislation we will have this year?
There is a Department of Labour booklet which covers all the main points of the various pieces of labour legislation. I have to give credit to Deputy Quinn who initiated the compilation of that booklet, which was published during my time in office, which is a very simple guide written in layman's English.
A number of reviews of legislation are being carried out at present and this legislation will be further improved or complicated, depending on the way you look at it, after the various directives under the Social Charter have been implemented. Most of our legislation will be improved from the point of view of workers as soon as the various Directives arising from the Social Charter are implemented. In 1990, five measures will be put through the House, the first of which will be taken next week.