Vol. 564 No. 3
84 Mr. Hogan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the reasons that Ireland is in breach of EU Directive 99/70/EC; the action which has been taken to remedy the situation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9292/03]
On 28 June 1999 the European Council adopted Council Directive 1999/70/EC concerning the Framework Agreement on fixed-term work concluded by ETUC, UNICE and CEEP, the general cross-industry organisations at European level. However, ongoing work throughout 2001 on the Protection of Employees (Part-Time Work) Act 2001, which transposed into Irish law the provisions of Council Directive 97/ 81/ EC of 15 December 1997 concerning the framework agreement on part-time work concluded by UNICE, CEEP and the ETUC, delayed somewhat detailed consideration, with the social partners and relevant Departments, of the provisions of the transposing legislation. These consultations took place during 2002.
My Department has drawn up the heads of a Bill aimed at transposing this directive into Irish law and these heads are currently with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel to the Government for the drafting of an appropriate Bill. I hope to have the Protection of Employees (Fixed-Term Work) Bill 2003 published by the end of April and to have it enacted as soon as possible thereafter.
One of the main provisions of the proposed Bill is to provide that abuse arising from the use of successive fixed-term employment contracts will be outlawed and whereby the contracts of fixed-term employees will automatically become permanent after a certain amount of time and after a certain number of renewals of these contracts.
