Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)

I move amendment No. 39:

In page 14, to delete lines 16 to 18 and substitute the following:

"(a) recourse to the internal dispute resolution procedure (if any), used by the parties concerned and provided for in any agreement under sections 8, 9, 11 or 13, has failed to resolve the dispute, and".

This amendment is designed to ensure that all the internal mechanisms are utilised first, before one goes to the Labour Court. It helps to speed up the process and ensures that wherever a dispute is to be resolved, the internal mechanisms well established and currently in place are fully utilised before one goes to the expense of resorting to the Labour Court. That process takes time and resources and, like any other court proceedings, if matters can be kept from going there, that is helpful in reaching a decision and an earlier resolution.

See this speech in context