Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 November 2021
66. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the status of the Joint Labour Committee examination of the pay and working conditions of childcare professionals; and when he expects the steering group to publish its report. [48273/21]
View answerIn June of this year I made an Order establishing the Early Years’ Service Joint Labour Committee Establishment Order 2021. Following the making of the Order, I appointed a Chair and Deputy Chair to the JLC. This was done on the 8 July 2021.
In accordance with the Fifth Schedule to the Industrial Relations Act 1990, the Court is required to appoint such number of employer representatives as it thinks fit to the Joint Labour Committee who in the opinion of the Court represent employers in relation to whom the committee is to operate. The Court is further empowered to appoint an equal number of worker members who in the opinion of the Court represent workers in relation to whom the committee is to operate.
A Division of the Court is currently in the process of doing this.
The Steering Group comes under the remit of my colleague Minister Roderic O’Gorman and is chaired by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.
