Young people working late at night, trying to juggle studies with paid employment, have featured prominently in the media in recent days. On many visits to schools in my constituency, teachers and principals have raised this issue with me and their concerns are well founded. The practice of young people turning up for class an hour or two late, or sometimes not at all, because they were working the previous night is not acceptable.
We know all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, and that is particularly pertinent for young people who are developing, growing, and trying to achieve exam results which will ensure them decent employment prospects as adults. On the "Marian Finucane" radio show last Monday, there was an interview with a young exam student who was in class from 9 a.m., rushed to work at 4 p.m., and returned home at 10 p.m. to eat dinner and do some homework. This hectic regime is not only extremely damaging to his education prospects but has health implications.
Some students cannot get up in time for school because of the late hours worked the previous evening, and countless others may as well not be there because they are so worn out from late night work that they cannot learn. Work experience can be extremely beneficial but it should not interfere with their studies. Work experience in transition year, weekend work, and summer jobs are all important in developing a work ethic among young people, preparing second level students for adult life, and giving them a measure of financial independence. Limited suitable employment, carried out during these times when it will not interfere with their schooling, should be encouraged and supported. In 1996 the House introduced important legislation which set down clear guidelines on the number of hours a young person can work. That Act, the Protection of Young Persons (Employment) Act, 1996, restricts night work to a time limit for young people. Those aged 14 to 15 cannot work beyond 8 p.m. and those aged 16 to 17 cannot work beyond 10 p.m. The Act also provides for regular rest periods for workers under 18 years of age. Each employer who employs young people must display a summary of the Act in the workplace and furnish young employees with a copy of it, but I wonder how many do that?
While these provisions are worthwhile, a large number of employers do not comply with them. Inspections under the Act take place only during regular office hours and only 11 inspectors are responsible for enforcing this and a host of other legislation. The figures prove the problem. In the first ten months of last year 667 inspections took place under the Act compared to 1,194 in the previous year. More inspections are urgently required. This means more inspectors are required and it is up to the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to see they are appointed.
As our workforce expands, there is an urgent need to ensure this area is properly regulated. We owe it to our young people to remove the pressures on them to work long hours, which would be detrimental to their health and education. There is a responsibility on schools to ensure their pupils are made aware of the Act and are encouraged to report any transgressions.