Shortly after its establishment I wrote to the Labour Relations Commission suggesting a number of areas, including the question of dispute procedures, on which codes of practice might be prepared.
Arising from the recent dispute in the ESB, priority attention is being given to the preparation of a code of practice which will cover dispute procedures and the question of levels of cover to be provided in the event of disputes in essential services.
In drawing up the code, the Commission is required under the Industrial Relations Act, 1990, to consult ICTU, FIE and other interested bodies. On 7 June the Commission circulated to the various bodies concerned a discussion document covering a range of issues which might be included in the code of practice. The Commission has discussed the documents with the organisations concerned. On the basis of these consultations a final draft of the code will be drawn up and approved by the Commission. On receipt of the code from the Commission I will by order declare the code to be a code of practice for the purposes of the Industrial Relations Act, 1990.
