Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 14 Dec 1999

Vol. 512 No. 6

Written Answers. - Employment Agencies.

David Stanton

Question:

90 Mr. Stanton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of applications in each of the past three years for licenses to operate employment agencies; the number granted; the number refused; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26711/99]

David Stanton

Question:

91 Mr. Stanton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of licensed employment agencies; the way in which the activities of these employment agencies are monitored and regulated; the number of complaints, if any, received with regard to employment agencies in the past two years; the action, if any, taken as a result; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26712/99]

Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Mr. T. Kitt)

I propose to take Question Nos. 90 and 91 together.

Under the terms of the Employment Agencies Act 1971, a person shall not carry on the business of an employment agency except under and in accordance with a licence under that Act. On foot of applications received in 1997, in 1998 and in 1999 to end November for the grant of licences to operate the business of employment agency, the total number of licences issued in those years were, respectively, 277, 329 and 400. All licences issued under the Act have a validity period of one year at the end of which, subject to continued adherence by the licensees to the relevant governing conditions, they are renewed upon application. No applications were refused in any of the years 1997, 1998 or to date in 1999.

The primary instrument by which employment agency activity is monitored-regulated is the licensing scheme itself. Licences are issued to applicants only when they have fulfilled, to the full satisfaction of my Department, the relevant governing conditions as laid down by the 1971 Act and by regulations made thereunder. These conditions are designed, in the main, to ensure that only persons who are of good character and who carry on employment agency business from premises which are suitable for that purpose are granted licences.

In assessing applications my Department operates a policy of strict adherence to all of the licensing criteria. Monitoring activity also involves the checking of daily newspapers to ensure that employment agencies which advertise are licensed in accordance with the Act. While no formalised system for the tracking of statistics on complaints is in place, I point out that the effect of this monitoring by my Department, is, as the figures show, resulting in ever increasing numbers of employment agencies operating in compliance with the Act.