I propose to take Questions Nos. 105 and 119 together.
Procedures to resolve industrial disputes in situations where collective bargaining arrangements are not in place were considered by a high level group established under Partnership 2000. The group comprised representatives from IBEC, the ICTU and various Departments and agencies and was chaired by the Department of the Taoiseach. It recommended a voluntary set of procedures and an amendment to the Industrial Relations Act 1946 to provide a new dispute settling power for the Labour Court. These recommendations were implemented through Statutory Instrument No. 145 of 2000 – the Industrial Relations Act 1990 (Code of Practice on Voluntary Dispute Resolution) (Declaration) Order 2000 – and the Industrial Relations (Amendment) Act 2001.
During the negotiations between the Government and the social partners on the new partnership programme, Sustaining Progress, the need to enhance the effectiveness of these procedures was agreed.
A number of measures, which will result in significant improvements to the existing procedures, will be put in place. These measures include the introduction of an overall timeframe targeting 26 weeks for processing cases under the code and the Act, with provision for a maximum of 34 weeks, where necessary. Effect will be given to these measures through amendments to the code and to the Act.