Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)

I agree with Deputies Morgan, Howlin and others that the introduction of regulations is urgent and constitutes the only means of achieving what we all seek in this regard. This is one of the reasons I held meetings on the matter today. I did considerable work on the issue recently, during which time we pinpointed the issues that could potentially cause difficulties. Now that we are aware of them, we will be able to make progress.

To return to the central point at issue, Deputy Howlin indicated that safety representatives have contacted him to express concerns about the amendment. While I understand their concerns, practitioners have made the point to me that, heretofore, our culture has to a large extent depended on safety officers. In the context of the legislation, we are trying to empower and encourage all workers to get involved in this area. It has come to my notice that the practice has been to have a glance annually at the safety statement, sign it off as updated and ignore significant changes made in the interim.

See this speech in context