Ms ?ine Maher:

Regarding the work programme for the employment law review group, we are following a model has been laid out for the company law review group and the work it has done, as the Deputy correctly mentioned. The intention is that the work programme of the ELRG will likewise be set by the Minister in consultation with members of the group at least once every two years. That does not preclude events taking place that would enable the Minister to ask the ELRG to look into matters on a more ad hoc basis.

I could not really go into the specifics of the work programme without the policy decision by the Minister to establish the group in operation. However, the intention is that the ELRG will have a broad remit relating to employment, redundancy and insolvency law and that that would include the introduction of any new legislation in that space, any European or international developments, and any judgments of the court. There would be a degree of flexibility for the group to look at elements within the two-year period. Similar to the composition of the group itself and the nominations from the representative organisations, the Department would certainly welcome the views of this committee on items it may wish to have the ELRG consider when forming a work programme for the approval of the Minister.