Ruairí Quinn
Ceist:29 Mr. Quinn asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the recent work of the National Centre for Partnership; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14444/98]
Written Answers. - National Centre for Partnership.
Since I last briefed the House on 6 May, the work of the centre has been progressing.
In the private sector, the first of a series of seminars on partnership at enterprise level was held on 9 June at the Industry Centre, UCD. The seminar was well attended by employers, trade union and employee representatives and included presentations from the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, the Irish Business and Employers Confederation and the Irish Productivity Centre. Initial feedback on the seminar has been positive and similar seminars are planned for other regions over the course of this year.
In addition, a joint IBEC/ICTU project — Partnership in Action at Enterprise Level (PACT) under the EU ADAPT initiative — is about to commence. Under the project, eight teams are being established on a regional basis. Each team will be made up of management and employee representatives from selected companies, an IBEC executive and a trade union official. They will be assisted by facilitators and a research consultant. The teams will assess and survey their own needs and the needs of the companies involved in order to develop enterprise partnership. They will be given the training and development to satisfy those needs and to equip them to develop partnership in their enterprises. The objective is that the teams would act as catalysts and facilitators for other enterprises in their region. In addition, training tools will be prepared to support the dissemination of partnership which will build on the experience gained by the teams. The project will run to the end of 1999.
With regard to the public sector, as you are aware from my last briefing to the House, Civil Service Departments and offices are now putting their partnership committees in place, in accordance with the General Council Report No. 1331. In the wider public service, I want to see partnership structures in place as soon as possible in accordance with Partnership 2000. I have asked my Department and the centre to assist in this process.