Vol. 535 No. 1
123 Mr. Naughten asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of labour inspectors currently employed by her Department; the functions and responsibilities of these personnel; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12226/01]
The authorised number of labour inspectors in my Department is 17. By way of Government decision in December 1999, and in the context of the introduction of the national minimum wage in April 2000, seven extra inspectors were allocated to the labour inspectorate bringing the authorised number of Inspectors to 17. There are 14 of these inspectors in place currently. There are three vacancies due to career breaks and promotions.
The labour inspectorate of my Department has responsibility for the enforcement of all employment rights legislation. Such legislation covers a wide range of areas including: payment of wages, organisation of working time, covering areas such as holiday entitlements, rest periods, maximum working time and night work, safeguarding of employees rights on the transfer of undertakings, protection of young persons at work, minimum wage entitlements, provisions contained in employment regulation orders and registered employment agreements arising from industrial relations legislation.
All persons employed under a contract of employment within the State are entitled to the full protection of Irish employment rights legislation. Breaches of provisions contained in the legislation may come to the attention of my Department either by way of complaint by an individual employee or other concerned person or by routine inspections carried out by my Department's labour inspectorate. Allegations of breaches of employment legislation, such as excessive working hours and non-payment of national minimum wage or holiday pay, are thoroughly investigated by the labour inspectors of my Department. Where it appears that an employer has failed to comply with the legislation and irregularities are not resolved through the co-operation of the employer in question, the matter is referred to my legal advisers for consideration as to the institution of legal proceedings against the employer concerned.
Labour inspectors have powers to enter places of work, question employers and employees and examine records. Inspectors carry out night work as part of their normal conditions of service and that element of their duties is almost exclusively related to protection of young persons enforcement work. My Department's labour inspectorate operates objectively, fairly, impartially and without any differentiation with respect to nationality.
Question No. 124 answered with Question No. 121.
Question No. 125 answered with Question No. 112.
