Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 November 2017
563. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to make changes in legislation that would give rights to employees (details supplied) in cases in which there is a status red weather alert in an area in order to prevent dangerous travel to work and to protect income for lost work resulting from such a weather alert; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48753/17]
View answerThe national response to Storm Ophelia was coordinated by my colleague, the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Eoghan Murphy T.D., and the National Emergency Coordination Committee. I understand that the response to Storm Ophelia is being reviewed and a report will be prepared which will be submitted to the Government Taskforce on Emergency Planning for its attention before being submitted for the approval of Government in January 2018.
In relation to Occupational Health and Safety, policy responsibility for that remains with my colleague the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation. It would be a policy matter for her Department on whether the Health, Safety and Welfare at Work Acts require amendment should severe weather events like this occur in the future.
My Department issued a notice in relation to whether employees had a statutory right to be paid in the event of severe weather events like 16 October last:https://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Do-employees-have-a-statutory-right-to-be-paid-for-non-attendance-at-work-due-to-severe-weather-conditions.aspx.
I have no plans to amend the Payment of Wages Acts at this time.
