asked the Minister for Labour his views on establishing a joint labour committee to deal with (1) Teamwork employees and (2) social employment scheme employees; if he will use his powers under the Industrial Relations Act, 1946 to ask the Labour Court to investigate the need for such joint labour committees; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Joint Labour Committees.
149.
The social employment scheme and Teamwork are manpower programmes which form part of the Government's drive to help the unemployed, in particular the long-term unemployed and young people leaving the educational system. They are also of considerable benefit to local communities through the provision of services and facilities which could not otherwise be made available.
Payments for participants in the two programmes are decided by me in the light of a number of considerations including rates of unemployment benefit and assistance, the expenditure constraints facing the Government and the need to ensure that as many people as possible can benefit from the programmes. In these circumstances, I do not consider that establishing such a committee for participants in manpower programmes is appropriate.
I should add that joint labour committees have only been established in 17 specific industrial-commercial sectors to date.