Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

I must reject the Deputy's assertion that neither I nor my Department are committed to this issue. It appears as though the Deputy had made up his mind in that regard before asking the question or hearing the reply. For example, our contribution to the social partnership talks in respect of labour law compliance has been strong. If one considers health and safety, within the past year my colleague, the Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Killeen, has finalised and brought into law a substantial new consolidated Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, which contains extremely significant obligations for employers regarding their responsibilities. In terms of company law, the Department is very committed to the Office of Director of Corporate Enforcement, which comes under the aegis of my Department. The establishment of this office is a recent development. Hence, there is no evidence at all to suggest a reluctance on the part of my Department to deal with the issue of the hidden economy.

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