Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 4 May 1993

Vol. 430 No. 2

Written Answers. - Labour Inspectorate.

Máirín Quill

Question:

148 Miss Quill asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there is only one inspector from his Department for the entire Munster area and that this man has an impossible task, made more difficult by the fact that he has to spend some days in Dublin each week; if his attention has been further drawn to the fact that results in urgent cases, which need urgent attention are being held up for months; the steps he will take to appoint additional staff to remedy the situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Enterprise and Employment (Mr. Quinn)

I assume that the Deputy's question refers to the Labour Inspectorate of my Department. The Labour Inspectorate are primarily engaged in the enforcement of employment regulation orders and registered employment agreements which specify minimum terms and conditions of employment in various sectors and industries. The Labour Inspectorate has a staff complement of ten inspectors and four administrative support staff.

The Munster area is currently serviced by five inspectors. One inspector is based full-time in Cork city and has responsibility for Cork city and county. That inspector does not have to travel to Dublin on a regular basis. The remainder of the inspectors are based in Dublin but four of them have specific responsibilities for inspections in the Munster area. The work of the inspectorate primarily involves routine inspections of premises to determine compliance with the relevant orders and agreements. However, where complaints of non-compliance with the provisions of those orders and agreements are received or where urgent cases involving legal time limits for prosecution arise, they are dealt with as a matter of priority. The question of the staffing levels in the inspectorate is currently under active consideration.