Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 December 2004
80 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he intends to publish the report of the review group on the employment rights bodies; if he will report on the main recommendations in the report; if he intends to implement these recommendations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33747/04]
View answerOn foot of an undertaking in An Agreed Programme for Government to "review the functions of the Employment Rights Bodies", a review group was established in September 2003, to examine the coherence and user-friendliness of procedures operating in the area of employment rights compliance.
Membership of the review group consisted of personnel from the bodies covered by the review and representatives of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. Written submissions were received from various parties, including the social partners and the bodies covered by the review.
The review group found that while the current employment rights adjudication and enforcement system has served employers, workers and their representatives well over the years, it is a system that has now become overly complex and is considered to be working in a less than optimal fashion. The review group has proposed some changes in both the configuration and remit of the bodies concerned, together with a suggested programme of administrative and procedural reform.
Before formulating definitive proposals in this area I have recently requested that some further consultation be undertaken in relation to the report and its recommendations with the employment rights bodies concerned and the social partners. This exercise, which I expect to be completed before the end of the year, does not seek to replicate the work of the review group but will build on it. I expect to be in a position to indicate the way forward early in the new year and I would then expect to make the report available on my Department's website.
