Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 55:

In page 53, to delete lines 26 to 31 and substitute the following:" "(1A) A person who immediately before the commencement of section 77 of the Workplace Relations Act 2014 stood appointed as deputy chairman shall, from such commencement, continue to be deputy chairman for the unexpired period of the term of his appointment subject to the same terms and conditions as applied to his appointment immediately before such commencement.".

These amendments are largely of a drafting nature intended to better effect the purpose of the section. It is proposed to substitute a new subsection (2) in section 4 of the Industrial Relations Act 1969 to enable the Minister to designate a particular deputy chairman to perform certain functions of the chairman when the position of chairman is vacant or otherwise in the absence of the chairman.

This is necessary to ensure that in such circumstances, those functions which, under statute, are currently reserved to the chairman alone can be performed when the position is vacant and in circumstances in which the incumbent chairman is unavailable for the time being due to absence. I am considering some further amendments to section 77 and will revert to these on Committee Stage in the Seanad.