Vol. 472 No. 3
84 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Health if he will report on the ongoing work to rule of environmental health inspectors; the negotiations, if any, taking place in this regard; when this dispute will end; and if he will list the areas in tourism and other areas where this dispute is having a serious and detrimental effect on business life. [23341/96]
Limerick East): I am very much aware of the current difficulties being experienced in the tourism industry as a result of the ongoing work to rule. Details of the specific areas where the dispute is having effect are a matter for the Minister for Tourism and Trade.
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.
Efforts to resolve the impasse continued on an informal basis culminating in a formal meeting under the auspices of the Local Government Staff Negotiations Board on 25 June 1996. On Wednesday 26 June 1996 I personally met with IMPACT and a delegation of environmental health officers to explore whether or not 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, other than to say that I am very hopeful of a mutually satisfactory outcome in the very near future which will ease the current difficulties being experienced.
