Léim ar aghaidh chuig an bpríomhábhar
Gnáthamharc

Health and Safety

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 July 2021

Tuesday, 6 July 2021

Ceisteanna (105)

Mary Lou McDonald

Ceist:

105. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if his attention has been drawn to a recent workplace fatality at a shipping company (details supplied) in Dublin Port which follows an earlier workplace fatality for which the same company pleaded guilty for failing to manage and conduct its undertaking and an investigation by the Health and Safety Authority concluded that all the appropriate safety measures were not in place at the time of the incident; if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that further to this latest fatality, the company has refused to meet with its employees trade union representatives to discuss health and safety in their workplace and other related matters; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a request from the employees trade union representatives to meet with him also remains outstanding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36461/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

My office has been made aware of a workplace fatality in Dublin Port, however, as the Deputy will appreciate, details and reports of inspections and investigations are an operational matter for the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) and is not something that I can comment upon. The HSA has confirmed that this investigation is ongoing rather than having been concluded, the Authority does not comment on inspections and/or investigations concerning individual employers or workplaces.

Ireland’s system of industrial relations is, essentially, voluntary in nature and responsibility for the resolution of industrial disputes between employers and workers, rests in the first instance with the employer, the workers and their representatives. I would encourage employers and worker representatives including Trade Unions to fully engage with each other on any issues of concern in the workplace especially issues around workplace health and safety.

The State does provide the industrial relations dispute settlement mechanisms i.e. the Workplace Relations Commission and the Labour Court, to support Parties in their efforts to resolve differences which arise in the workplace from time to time. I would urge all parties to engage constructively with the State's industrial relations machinery in order to resolve any issues in dispute where such issues are not resolved at a local level.

For the Deputy’s information, it should be noted that following a request, the HSA recently met with trade union representatives, during which matters regarding health and safety in docks was raised and discussed.

Barr
Roinn