Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 17 June 2004
40 Mr. Ferris asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if IBEC, or representatives of IBEC, have raised the issue if trade union recognition with her since 1997; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17951/04]
View answer47 Mr. Morgan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, further to Question No. 56 of 13 May 2004, the details of the meeting which she held in June 1999 with representatives of a number of high-tech companies at which the issue of trade union recognition was on the agenda; the context in which trade union recognition was put on the agenda at that meeting; if she was asked by the representatives of the high-tech companies for any commitments regarding the non-introduction of trade-union recognition; if she made any commitments to those companies regarding the introduction of trade union recognition; the positions outlined by all parties present at the meeting regarding trade union recognition; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17954/04]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 40 and 47 together.
In my reply to Question no. 56 of 13 May 2004, I identified one meeting that I had in the past five years in which the issue of trade union recognition was raised in a substantive way. In the time available to me to answer Deputy Ferris's current question, I have not been able to examine all relevant records before 1999. I will continue to check my records, and I will contact the Deputy separately as soon as I have completed that search.
With regard to my meeting in June 1999 with representatives of several high-tech companies, that meeting was sought after the report of the high-level group on trade union recognition was finalised. The topic of trade union recognition was raised within the context of the recommendations of that report. The group had recommended procedures for dealing with disputes in employment where negotiation arrangements were not in place. Consultations by the high-level group with various interested parties on the implementation of the recommendations were ongoing at that time, and the high-tech company representatives were interested in how the Government, in consultation with the social partners, intended to give effect to the procedures. I advised them of the Government's commitment to maintaining the voluntary approach to industrial relations issues in line with the recommendations of the high-level group. The recommended procedures were subsequently given effect through the code of practice on voluntary dispute resolution and the Industrial Relations (Amendment) Act 2001.
