The environmental health officers, represented by the union IMPACT, are in dispute with the Department of Health. The impasse dates from January of this year and is having a negative effect in the tourism and services sector. All first applications for registration by Bord Fáilte of hotels, licensed restaurants, guest houses and cafés require prior sanction by the environental health officers under the hygiene regulations. People who are changing restaurants to licensed restaurants also require approval before they can be registered. Due to the dispute the environmental health officers do not undertake this work. Consequently, new businesses in the categories affected cannot operate legally, nor can they be registered in their appropriate categories. This is having a devastating effect on the individuals concerned and many of them are in severe financial difficulties as a result.
The dispute is detrimental to the maintenance of high standards in the delivery of services to tourists. It would be a pity if unscrupulous operators were to benefit from it. The fear has been expressed to me that some individuals may be able to seize this opportunity to gain registration by default and this must not be allowed to happen.
I understand some health boards have returned valid applications and fees to the applicants and advised them to resubmit them when the dispute has been settled. This is most unfair to those who are seeking in good faith to comply with the regulations, particularly in view of the fact that an attempt is not being made to settle the dispute.
The dispute is also creating difficulties for the operators of food stalls who need an annual licence. Are some of these people operating without the required licence? Since week end or late night inspections are not being carried out because of the dispute, there is a major question mark over the standards in this area. Events which have outdoor catering and are of more than one day's duration also need a permit. These have also fallen victim to the dispute. Many outdoor events play an important economic role in communities and require outdoor catering facilities to operate effectively. At this stage some of the major events are at an advanced stage of planning and the organisers need to be assured that potential hitches will be avoided.
The environmental health officers have traditionally advised business people in advance of making applications, yet this practice has ceased. Arising from the dispute, the environmental health officers are no longer checking private nursing homes. This is a matter of grave concern and requires an urgent response from the Minister.
The dispute arose this time last year when the officers declined to take on students to work with them for a time as part of their training. This action was discontinued and restructuring talks began but collapsed late last year. The union argued that officers' workload increased significantly since the last review in 1981, that the health boards are in receipt of a substantial income arising from their work and that this ought to be taken into account in determining their rate of remuneration.
I am informed that an arbitrator found against the officers early in 1994. Many in this House would not be surprised at the outcome if they knew who adjudicated on the matter. An attempt to break the logjam under option B of the Programme for Competitiveness and Work also appears to have failed. I understand negotiations are not under way at present. This is clearly the most serious aspect of a very important matter.
I call on the Minister to take immediate action to end the dispute while there is still a reasonable level of co-operation. The environmental health officers are currently co-operating in emergency situations. This dispute has already adversely affected many people. There is an onus on the Government to seek an early resolution and ensure that no further escalation occurs.