Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 4 to 8, inclusive, together.

At the social partnership plenary meeting on 15 February 2008, the Government invited the social partners to participate in a formal review of Towards 2016, as provided for under the agreement. Given that the terms of the pay agreement for the private sector expired in March, the review process includes negotiations on a new pay round. The Irish Congress of Trade Unions held a special delegate conference on 17 April that authorised its participation in the negotiations, which then commenced on 24 April. The social partnership steering group is overseeing the review of the overall agreement. There have been several steering group meetings to date, the latest of which took place on 11 June, as well as bilateral engagements within individual social partnership pillars. These discussions will continue over the coming period.

Discussions are also underway with the parties to the pay agreement. To date, 17 meetings have taken place. These meetings included discussions on the economic scenario; a review of progress made to date on implementing Towards 2016 commitments in the area of employment rights and compliance and pensions; the regulation of employment agencies and agency workers; the legislative framework; workplace learning, education and upskilling; public sector renewal; and pay and related issues. These issues will be the subject of ongoing discussion over the coming weeks and a series of further meetings is scheduled to take place this week. In addition, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment has arranged bilateral meetings with the social partners to discuss the Employment Law Compliance Bill 2008.

In setting out the priorities of my Government in the Dáil, I emphasised there is an urgency in the parties to the pay terms moving towards an agreement, since the conclusion of an appropriate agreement would support the strength and confidence of the economy in an uncertain world.

I am looking forward to working with the social partners to chart a course for the period ahead which is in line with our shared objectives, a course which reflects the realities of the situation in which we find ourselves and which enhances rather than diminishes our capacity to secure jobs and living standards for tomorrow, and for the long term.

In keeping with my wish to engage actively and constructively with the social partners, I was pleased to address the IMPACT 2008 biennial conference on 16 May. In the course of my address, I spoke about the ongoing social partnership talks, the benefits that have accrued under Towards 2016, public sector reform, decentralisation, the forum on the health sector and the referendum on the Lisbon treaty.

I addressed the annual president's dinner of IBEC on 25 June, at which I stressed the valued of the partnership process at a time of international economic difficulty. In line with long established practice the current negotiations are being conducted by officials from the relevant Departments, led by the Secretary General of my Department. The negotiations are overseen by Ministers led by myself and I am briefed in detail on their progress. As on all previous occasions the talks process can involve members of Government, including myself, when it is considered that this would be helpful. I expect such engagement to take place, as appropriate, over the coming weeks.

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