asked the Minister for Labour how many rulings by equality officers have been rejected or substantially amended on appeal to the Labour Court; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Equality Officers.
12.
The Equality officers have, to date, issued 17 recommendations under the Anti-Discriminations (Pay) Act, 1974. They have so far not dealt with any cases under the Employment Equality Act, 1977.
The Labour Court has heard nine appeals against the equality officers' recommendations in equal pay disputes and has made determinations in four or these nine cases. In two of these determinations the court has upheld the equality officer's recommendations and in the other two it has upheld the appeals. It has not yet made determinations in the other five cases.
The hearing and determination of appeals from recommendations of the equality officers is a statutory function of the Labour court by virtue of section 8 of the Anti-Discrimination (Pay) Act, 1974, and section 21 of the Employment Equality Act, 1977. There is provision whereby such determinations may be appealed to the High Court on a point of law.
As regards the last point of the Deputy's question, I would like to have longer experience of the operation of these procedures before making any comment.