Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 December 2004
196 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his plans to put measures in place to improve the health of the workforce and to prevent accidents in the workplace in view of the fact that 1,286,100 days were lost due to accidents and illnesses in the workplace in 2003. [33127/04]
View answerThis Government's commitment to ensuring appropriate standards of health and safety in Irish workplaces is manifested in the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Bill 2004, which is currently before the House. The Bill when enacted will update, repeal and replace the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 1989 and will provide a modern legal framework to guarantee best international practice in regard to health and safety in Irish workplaces.
The Bill aims at striking an appropriate balance between imposing duties, encouraging better consultation at workplace level on occupational safety and health matters, providing for an improved focus on better prevention systems and practices and the possible application of increased fines and penalties, where warranted. Enactment of the Bill will provide the means to continue the downward trend in the rate of accidents in the Irish workplace which has reduced from 1,499 accidents per 100,000 workers in 1992 to 738 per 100,000 workers in 2003, against a background of a rising workforce, [Source: occupational injury claims — Department of Social and Family Affairs]. The Health and Safety Authority is the State body charged with overall responsibility for administration, enforcement and promotion of workplace safety and health and I will continue to work closely with the authority in advancing its broadly based prevention programmes, like for example its prevention strategy, published this year covering the various aspects of administration, advice, information, promotion and enforcement in this critical aspect of employment and workplace activity.
