Cecilia Keaveney
Question:53 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Health the steps, if any, which are being taken to deal with the ongoing difficulties in resolving the terms and conditions of the environmental health department. [17424/96]
Written Answers. - Environmental Health Officers.
Limerick East): IMPACT, on behalf of environmental health officers, withdrew from negotiations which were being pursued under Clause 2 (iii)-Annex 1 of the Programme for Competitiveness and Work and pursued industrial action in the form of a work to rule with effect from 15 January 1996.
A meeting was held on 25 June 1996 between management and union, under the auspices of the Local Government Staff Negotiations Board. On Wednesday 26 June 1996 I personally met IMPACT and a delegation of environmental health officers to explore whether the provisions of the joint Government/ICTU statement of 15 May 1996 could usefully be applied to resolving the current impasse in the negotiations.
On 5 July 1996, with the assistance of a facilitator from the Labour Relations Commission, an informal meeting took place between management and the union. This meeting was of considerable assistance to both sides and as a result negotiations are continuing.
In view of the complexity of these negotiations it would be inappropriate for me to comment further at this point.