asked the Minister for Labour if he will decentralise the conciliation services of the Labour Court on a regional basis.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Labour Court Conciliation Services.
18.
This question has been examined in consultation with the Labour Court. The conclusion reached was that the pattern of demand made on the conciliation service as between Dublin and other areas does not call for decentralisation.
Each industrial relations officer is allotted disputes in a designated provincial area in addition to disputes handled in Dublin. Each officer can thus become familiar with such matters as the employment patterns, working conditions and industrial relations problems of the area and can also establish a relationship with representatives of trade unions and employer organisations there. The officer travels to the assigned provincial area as occasion demands. I have had no complaint to establish that disputes outside Dublin have suffered as regards availability of conciliation service. However, should such a situation develop I shall of course review the matter.
Would the Minister not agree that there is much greater room among the labour relations institutions for what I would call preventative industrial relations and that this process would be facilitated by district labour commissions such as we have suggested and by regional offices of the Labour Court?
Regarding the first part of that question, I would not disagree with the Deputy when he says that preventative machinery would be very useful. That is an aspect of this area that I am considering at present. As to the content of this question, I have explained to the House my reasons for believing that the present system appears to be working satisfactorily. This is a system whereby an industrial relations officer is designated to a provincial area so that he can become acquainted with both sides in industry in the area. I am not aware of any delay of any consequence in IRO hearings in the provinces. For the Deputy's information I might add that of the disputes dealt with by the conciliation service in 1979 about 1,000 were in Dublin and about 600 were in the rest of the country.
I accept what the Minister says and would like to record our support for what the Labour Court are doing but would the Minister not accept that there is a prima facie case for having some of the labour court services regionalised in places such as Limerick where there seems to be some trouble and, perhaps, in Cork? Industrial relations could be improved greatly——
This is only argument. The question has been answered and there is no point in repeating it.
——by having an early warning system and also by facilitating the IRO in becoming more familiar with the various localities?
Question No. 19.
It is regrettable that such important questions are being rushed through.
I am not rushing through any questions.
I accept that.