Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 4 Feb 1997

Vol. 474 No. 3

Written Answers. - Implementation of Legislation.

Helen Keogh

Question:

35 Ms Keogh asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment the number of officers engaged in the enforcement of the Protection of Young Persons (Employment) Act, 1996; the number of prosecutions to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2913/97]

Minister for Enterprise and Employment (Mr. R. Bruton)

The enforcement of the Protection of Young Persons (Employment) Act, 1996, which came into operation on 2 January 1997, forms part of the duties of ten inspectors of the labour inspectorate of my Department. Such enforcement is effected through the investigation of complaints and through visits to workplaces by the inspectors as part of their routine enforcement of the various statutes for which they have responsibility.

In order to increase public awareness of the new legislation, the information unit and the employment rights section of my Department have distributed to schools, employers' organisations, unions and other interested parties, explanatory information on the new Act. This information included an explanatory booklet and a summary of the main rules on employing people under 18. As part of this publicity campaign the inspectors, in the run-up to the coming into operation of the new Act, outlined the new provisions directly in visits to over 1,000 employers. Due to the fact that the Act has only been in force since 2 January 1997, there have not been any prosecutions brought under this legislation to date.