Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for their time on what is a really wet and windy morning. It is the first of what I hope are few to come.

I will focus on two specific areas. The first is the Workplace Relations Commission, WRC. We now have the lowest level of unemployment, essentially, since records began. The WRC is a vital component of workers' rights sitting in tandem with those going to work. In the ICTU submission, it was recommended that the resources for more effective enforcement of current employment law be increased and that the number of labour inspectors needed to be increased from the current 50. Under the last social partnership agreement, Towards 2016, a number of 90 was agreed. I ask this question because we now have more people in employment and by default, a corresponding increase is needed in those reconciliation and conciliation processes. However, at the same time, this entity is charged with examining and enforcing housing discrimination. How can 50 labour inspectors under the WRC possibly be in a position to meet the needs of all those additional employees?

Why has that number not increased? It is a very specific number. It is almost double the current number of inspectors. Why has that not happened?

Making a complaint is an onerous experience and is not something I have seen an employee do on a whim. It is very stressful. It can be a daunting experience. From the witnesses' experience, what is the average time from the complaint being made to the conclusion, including the initial waiting period? What other resources does the WRC need to expedite cases, outside of labour inspectors?

New processes are in place. We have an increase in employment. We have equality complaints. These are all new since that Towards 2016 target was put in place.