Employment Appeals Tribunal.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 February 2008

Thursday, 7 February 2008

Ceisteanna (52)

Leo Varadkar

Ceist:

49 Deputy Leo Varadkar asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment further to his reply to Question Parliamentary No. 110 of 8 November 2007, the procedure that will be put in place to ensure that any possible relationship between a witness and a member of the Employment Appeals Tribunal is identified at the outset, in view of the fact that a full list of witnesses is available from the outset; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3964/08]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Deputy Billy Kelleher)

The Employment Appeals Tribunal is an independent semi-judicial body. The proceedings of the Tribunal are carried out in as informal manner as possible. To this end there is no requirement on a party to submit a list of witnesses before a hearing.

I understand that when members of the Tribunal receive papers in advance of a hearing their procedure is to examine the names of the parties and if they are aware of a relationship with any of the parties they would advise the Tribunal Secretariat and ask to be replaced on the hearing.