Michael Moynihan
Question:29 Mr. Moynihan asked the Minister for Labour the number of inspectors available within his Department to monitor the Joint Labour Committee for grocery workers; and if he has any plans to increase the numbers.
Written Answers. - Joint Labour Committee.
The current staff complement in the Labour Inspectorate Section of my Department is ten inspectors and four administrative support staff.
The Labour Inspectorate is responsible for the enforcement of all Employment Regulation Orders drawn up by the Joint Labour Committees. Enforcement is carried out through routine inspections and investigation of complaints. In 1991, the Labour Inspectorate carried out 5,551 inspections under the various EROs representing a 21 per cent increase over the level of inspections undertaken in 1990. In addition, the Labour Inspectorate collected £279,723 in 1991 in respect of arrears of wages owing to workers covered by the EROs. This figure represents an 85 per cent increase over the level of arrears collected in 1990.
It is the policy of my Department to ensure that the statutory minimum wages and conditions set out in the EROs are effectively enforced. As part of its continuing efforts to improve efficiency of enforcement, the Department is currently completing a major computerisation project on the work of the Labour Inspectorate. When the computerised system is operative, later this year, it will lead to the maintenance of computerised records on all employments covered by the EROs and will enable more effective and efficient enforcement of the orders. I am at present reviewing the operations of the Labour Inspectorate in the context of the new JLC for grocery workers and will take whatever action is deemed necessary to ensure the effective enforcement of the new ERO in the retail grocery sector.