Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 21 November 2012
110. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will detail the number of cases taken under Employees (Information and Consultation) Act 2006 that have been processed by the Labour Court and the Labour Relations Commission since 2006 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51689/12]
View answerThe purpose of the Employees (Provision of Information and Consultation) Act 2006, which implements EU Directive 2002/14/EC of the 11 March 2002, is to provide for the establishment of a general framework setting out minimum requirements for the right to information and consultation of employees in undertakings with at least 50 employees. It provides a general right to information and consultation for employees from their employer on matters which directly affect them.
The Act also transposes into Irish law an optional provision of EU Council Directive 2001/23/EC of 12 March 2001 dealing with the safeguarding of employees’ rights in the event of transfers of undertakings, businesses, or parts of undertakings or businesses.
The Act provides employees, in undertakings with at least 50 employees, with a general right to information and consultation from their employers. The intention behind the Act is to ensure that information and consultation is provided by employers systematically so that employees are able to acquire an informed understanding of the challenges faced by the business.
The Act came into operation on 24 July 2006. Since then 135 cases have been received under the Act by the Labour Relations Commission. 7 referrals have been made under the Act to the Labour Court.
