Employment Rights

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 January 2012

Thursday, 26 January 2012

Questions (102)

Dominic Hannigan

Question:

99 Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of employees of Eircom who once had civil servant status when the company was owned and operated by the Department of Posts and Telegraph then Telecom Eireann and now Eircom; if they are in a position to move back into the public service if their original contract was a public sector one; the provisions he made for these workers when Eircom was privatised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4673/12]

Written answers

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Deputy Brendan Howlin)

The Postal and Telecommunications Services Act 1983 provided for the establishment of Bord Telecom Éireann and An Post. The Act provided for both companies to accept into employment on the vesting day every person who immediately before the vesting day was a member of the staff of the Department of Posts and Telegraphs and was so designated by the Minister for employment by the companies.

The Act also provided that staff who transferred to either company would not, while in the service of the company, receive a lesser scale of pay or be brought to less beneficial conditions of service than the scale of pay to which he/she was entitled and the conditions of service to which he/she was subject immediately before the vesting day. The Act does not provide for the appointment of such staff to other public service posts.