Ms Tara Coogan:

To clarify, the Commission has made no such statement. It has raised a potential query with the Department concerning its transposition of the European works council directive. We are currently engaged in a confidential process. There would not be any statements of the kind in question. In fact, there are no findings of any issue.

The Senator is correct that there have been one or two complaints about access to some of the dispute resolution mechanisms, but it is incorrect to suggest there are no mechanisms for access to the Workplace Relations Commission. I understand one of the matters is being investigated and that a decision is anticipated shortly.

It is also incorrect to state complaints referred to the Workplace Relations Commission's inspectorate services are not being examined. I understand one of the matters is under investigation. I believe representatives of BEERG and others met members of this committee and have lobbied for legislative change, but that is not quite the same as saying the transposition of the directive is incorrect.

As I said, we are engaging. I have met representatives of the Commission and will be meeting them again next month to address their issues and explain our legal systems and context to them. As the matter progresses, we will deal with any issues that exist.

If the Commission identifies difficulties with the system, bearing in mind that our understanding is that we have transposed the directive correctly and certainly intended to do so, we will deal with them as they are identified.