Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 26 May 1998

Vol. 491 No. 3

Written Answers. - Contract Workers.

Brian O'Shea

Ceist:

30 Mr. O'Shea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the total number in employment; the number of those who are contract workers as distinct from permanent full-time employees; her views in relation to contract workers; the proposals, if any, she has in relation to contract workers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12047/98]

Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Mr. T. Kitt)

The total number of workers in employment is 1.338 million. My Department has no statistics on the number of contract workers as distinct from permanent full-time employees. The term contract worker may be interpreted as referring to a number of different categories of workers, some of which are employees and some of which are self-employed.

In general, employees, that is persons who are employed under a contract of service or apprenticeship, including persons employed on fixed-term or fixed-purpose contracts come within the scope of employment protection legislation. The self-employed, that is persons working under a contract for services do not come within the scope of employment legislation as they are not employees.

Contract workers, whether self-employed or employed on fixed-term or fixed-purpose contracts, are a valuable asset to the economy where such work fulfils the wishes of both employers and employees to have flexible working arrangements. I am also aware, however, that a small minority of employers resort to such forms of working arrangements as a deliberate means of depriving their workers of their entitlement to certain protections under employment legislation and I would condemn this practice.

I understand, that, in the context of the Agreement on Social Policy annexed to the Treaty on European Union, consultations between the social partners at European level commenced in March last with a view to negotiating an agreement on fixed-term employment contracts. In the event of these negotiations leading to an agreement, such agreement may be implemented at Community level by a collective agreement, or, at the joint request of the signatory parties, by a Council decision on a proposal from the Commission. The possible introduction of legislation in this country on this issue will be considered in the light of developments at that stage.