Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 18 Feb 1998

Vol. 487 No. 4

Written Answers. - Jobs Protection Unit.

Ruairí Quinn

Ceist:

20 Mr. Quinn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment when the proposed jobs protection unit will be established in her Department; and when she will be in a position to announce measures to ensure provision of adequate information and consultation for employees. [4085/98]

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Miss Harney)

The Protection of Employment Act, 1977, imposes certain obligations on employers who are proposing to create collective redundancies, to consult the employees' representatives at the earliest opportunity and, in any event, at least 30 days before the first redundancy takes effect. In the light of the manner of some recent announcements by companies of collective redundancies, I am, at present, reviewing the legislation in conjunction with the social partners with a view to appropriate measures being taken to address any gaps which may exist in the notification and consultation process.

There is a competitiveness and employment protection unit within my Department, which provides advice and guidance to a wide range of companies in addition to ensuring, as far as possible, that firms in difficulty are identified in time to enable corrective action to be taken. The early identification of firms in difficulty is very much dependent on the willingness of such firms to make information available to the Department or the industrial development agencies. I am currently reviewing the early warning system to identify emerging competitiveness difficulties in companies.