Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)

What was the legal impediment to enacting these regulations under the old Act, as originally intended and notified to the House? Presumably the parliamentary adviser who made such notification had no difficulty with that legal process. Does the Minister of State share my deep concern at the dramatic increase in fatalities in the workplace, given that nine people were killed in the construction industry in the first four months of this year as opposed to 15 in all of last year, and in the workplace generally 27 died in the first four months of this year, which is a 40% increase on last year? Since the regulations have been pending for 18 months, will the Minister of State give a specific deadline, not further consultation, on when the regulations will be implemented and when will the additional labour force inspectors be in place to enforce them?

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