Vol. 550 No. 4
117 Mr. Penrose asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if the provisions of the Protection of Employees (Part-Time Work) Act, 2001 will operate retrospectively; if persons who were part-time employees for a number of years, prior to the coming into operation of the Act, will benefit from the legislation; and if she will make a statement on the matter [8755/02]
When the Protection of Employees (Part-Time Work) Bill, 2000, was passing through the Oireachtas, I indicated that – based on legal advice – it would not be possible to apply the provisions of the Bill retrospectively. Consequently, the benefits of the Protection of Employees (Part-Time Work) Act, 2001, apply from the date it came into operation, that is, 20 December 2001. Accordingly, persons who were part-time employees for a number of years prior to the coming into operation of the Act do not benefit under the legislation in respect of those years.
