Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 February 2005
86 Mr. Hayes asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if the implementation body examining the situation in An Post is likely to be in a position to examine in full the financial situation within the company; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3619/05]
View answer293 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if the implementation body examining the situation in An Post is likely to be in a position to examine in full the financial situation within the company; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3956/05]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 86 and 293 together.
The purpose of the national implementation body is to oversee the delivery of the industrial peace and stability provisions of national level social partnership agreements. The national implementation body does not seek in any way to duplicate or substitute for already well established industrial relations machinery but rather to provide a forum in which obstacles to participation in the existing processes can be overcome.
National implementation body involvement in the current difficulties in An Post follows a request from ICTU to determine whether An Post breached the partnership terms of Sustaining Progress in making its decision to reintegrate SDS into Letterpost. The national implementation body, as part of its determination, proposed that an independent facilitator be agreed to share the financial details and institute a process for information sharing.
Following the dispute in SDS last month which resulted in 64 workers being suspended by An Post management, the national implementation body issued a proposal aimed at averting widespread industrial action by the union. The proposal, accepted by both parties, provides for the disputed matters surrounding SDS reintegration to be examined in the Labour Court on 11 February. Furthermore, the national implementation body, as part of its proposal, provided for the issue of Sustaining Progress increases, for which the company invoked the inability to pay clause, to be heard by the Labour Court as a matter of priority.
As outlined above, the remit of the national implementation body clearly relates to overseeing the provisions of partnership agreements and, therefore, it would not be appropriate for the national implementation body to examine the financial situation within An Post.
