Tom Kitt
Question:511 Mr. T. Kitt asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment the number of meetings held by the Advisory Group on Partnership in Enterprises since its inception. [19362/96]
Written Answers. - Advisory Group on Partnership in Enterprises.
Tom Kitt
Question:512 Mr. T. Kitt asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment the members of the Advisory Group on Partnership in Enterprises; their expertise; and the organisations they represent. [19363/96]
Tom Kitt
Question:513 Mr. T. Kitt asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment the number of models of partnership the Advisory Group on Partnership in Enterprises has designed; the number of these models that have been publicised; and the number of enterprises that have introduced employee involvement arrangement, world class manufacturing or total quality management programmes, as a result of the work of the advisory group. [19364/96]
Tom Kitt
Question:514 Mr. T. Kitt asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment the number of social and eco audits that have been undertaken as a result of the work of the Advisory Group on Partnership in Enterprises in view of the statement made when setting up the advisory group; the new programmes, if any, that FAS has developed; and the numbers that have participated in these programmes. [19365/96]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 511 to 514, inclusive, together.
The Advisory Group on Partnership and Change in the Workplace, which was established last March in my Department under the chairmanship of the Minister of State with responsibility for Labour Affairs, has formally met on three occasions. The Minister has also conferred with members of the group on an individual basis. The group comprises the social partners, the industrial agencies and experts in the areas of industrial relations and manufacturing operations. The organisations represented are Forfás, IDA Ireland, Forbairt, the Labour Relations Commission, the Irish Business and Employers Confederation and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions.
In conjunction with the Unit for Partnership in Enterprise — also established in my Department last March — the advisory group is focusing on the identification of obstacles to the achievement of change in work organisation, the formulation of models of partnership in the workplace which could be translated into individual firms and the consideration of initiatives to stimulate greater participation.
In the context of these initiatives to encourage the development of partnership at the level of the enterprise, the Irish Productivity Centre secured approval in April 1995 for a £1.15 million project —"New Forms of Work Organisation"— under the European Social Fund. The project, which is now under way, includes: development of an assessment model on the need and potential for change; application of new forms of work in at least ten enterprises and dissemination of the experience gained so that enterprises generally can learn and benefit from the project.
The question of social and eco audits is not a matter for the advisory group. However, I understand from my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, that the EU Environmental Management and Audit Scheme, EMAS, was established in Ireland during 1995. EMAS is now being actively promoted with a key role being played by the national competent authority, the National Accreditation Board. Any further questions in this regard should properly be addressed to the Minister for the Environment. The unit is examining training needs as part of its ongoing work.