In the five year period from 1995 to 1999 a total of 35 cases were referred by the labour inspectorate of my Department to the Chief State Solicitor's Office to have prosecutions initiated against employers for offences under the 1946 Industrial Relations Act. There were 11 cases in 1995, eight in 1996, four in 1997, three in 1998 and nine in 1999. The majority of these cases involved multiple offences under the Act, including the offence of failure to pay statutory minimum rates of pay as specified in employment regulation orders made under and in accordance with the Act.
In the same period 37 cases were referred by the labour inspectorate to the Chief State Solicitor's Office for the institution of legal proceedings against employers for offences under the Industrial Relations Acts, 1969 and 1990. A further 40 cases involving offences under these Acts are at present in the course of preparation for referral by the labour inspectorate to the Chief State Solicitor's Office for initiation of legal proceedings against the employers involved.
I am satisfied that the Industrial Relations Acts are being properly policed. In 1999 4,611 visits to employers' premises were carried out by the labour inspectors to check for compliance with the Acts and a similar inspection rate can be expected in the present year.
The Deputy will also wish to be aware that the labour inspectorate of my Department is being augmented by the addition of seven extra inspectors being appointed in the context of the implementation of the national minimum wage and who will also be engaged in implementing the full range of employment legislation generally.