Vol. 529 No. 4
45 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if her attention has been drawn to the recent report published by the Institute for Public Administration showing that men and women here work longer hours than the European Union norm; if she has any plans to secure a reduction in the working week; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3013/01]
I assume the report that the Deputy is referring to is Balancing Work and Family Life, which was co-ordinated by the Institute of Public Administration and launched by my colleague, the Mini ster for Social, Community and Family Affairs, Deputy Dermot Ahern, on 4 December 2000.
The Organisation of Working Time Act, 1997, (No. 20 of 1997) implemented Council Directive 93/104/EEC of 23 November 1993 concerning certain aspects of the organisation of working time. The Act provides that an employee may work no more than an average of 48 hours per week averaged generally over four months. If an employer breaches this provision of the Act, it would be open to his or her employees to refer the matter to the Rights Commissioner Service of the Labour Relations Commission for redress.
As this Act transposed an EU directive, I have no plans to amend the Act to provide for a shorter maximum working week.
I might point out that the figures in the report for weekly hours worked in Ireland, page 35 of the report, are below the average maximum weekly hours provided for in the Organisation of Working Time Act, 1997.
