Vol. 472 No. 2
142 Mr. Bree asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment if he will give a breakdown of the total costs relating to the organising of the regional seminar entitled The Way Forward for Competitiveness - the New Model for Partnership in the Workplace, held in Sligo on Monday, 18 November 1996; the number of invitations issued in respect of the conference; and the total number of people, other than speakers and organisers, who attended the conference. [22868/96]
The Government's agreed policy statement, A Government of Renewal, is committed to giving full encouragement to the development of partnership at all levels of Irish economic and social life and in particular to employers and trade unions to work together in modernising and updating labour relations practices to achieve world class manufacturing status for companies.
Accordingly, the unit for partnership in enterprise, which was established in my Department, has commenced a series of regional seminars based on these themes, the most recent of which was held in Sligo.
It is not possible at this stage to state the definitive cost of the seminar at Sligo, however, a figure of £1,500 in direct costs has been budgeted for the event. The seminar was notified beforehand to approximately 200 individuals and organisations in the local area.
Those in attendance expressed satisfaction with the event, and in particular with the presentations from local enterprises. I am satisfied that the seminar, through those participating and the local press and broadcast media, achieved its primary aim of raising awareness in the area of the benefits of the partnership approach in the workplace.
