Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)

This amendment, which I proposed on Committee Stage, was forwarded to me by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions. The ICTU wants consultation through a consultative mechanism that involves all employees. I am informed that the definition of "consultation" is inconsistent with the definition in article 2 of the directive in so far as it conceives of direct consultation between employer and employee. This is the Minister's proposal. However, the directive involves the consultation between employees' representatives and the employer. This may seem a small point but it is important. The Minister's proposal could cut out the representative role of trade unions. It is important not to circumvent the intention of the directive which is to allow a consultation mechanism between employees' representatives and the employer as opposed to the employer and individuals or groups of employees. Has the Minister had a chance to reflect on this since Committee Stage?

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