Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 30 Jan 2002

Vol. 547 No. 1

Written Answers. - Dignity in the Workplace Charter.

Jan O'Sullivan

Ceist:

95 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the efforts which have been made to circulate the Dignity in the Workplace Charter; the methods which individual Departments have been advised to use to promote their areas of responsibility; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1080/02]

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

The Dignity in the Workplace Charter originates from a recommendation of the task force on the prevention of workplace bullying. The Health and Safety Authority, in its role as the central co-ordinating State agency overseeing the implementation of the task force recommendations, is responsible for the distribution of the Dignity in the Workplace Charter. While the adoption of the charter is not a statutory requirement on an employer, I have been informed by the authority that, to date, they have distributed over 10,000 copies of the charter. The authority anticipates that the high level of demand for copies of the charter will continue for the foreseeable future.

Significantly, the charter has been endorsed by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, the Irish Business and Employers Confederation and the Construction Industry Federation. Each of these organisations is supporting the charter by promoting its adoption by their constituent members and facilitating its distribution among their members. This endorsement gives the charter much impact and credibility not least because of the wide spectrum of interests which these organisations collectively represent. The charter is also available for, and equally applicable to, enterprises which are not associated with any of the above organisations.

While I have no statutory role or function in relation to advising individual Departments on the methods to be used to promote their areas of responsibility, I have, in view of my initiative in setting up the task force on the prevention of workplace bullying, asked the Health and Safety Authority, as the central co-ordinating State agency, to ensure that all Departments and State agencies have been circulated with copies of the charter.