Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 to 11, inclusive, together.

I met with representatives of IBEC and ICTU in July, when we discussed the budgetary situation and recent economic developments. In addition, there is ongoing engagement between each of the pillars of social partnership and officials in my Department on a range of issues. Indeed, I addressed the IBEC human resources leadership summit on 30 September. Deputies will also be aware that there is regular contact on issues of concern to the social partners through bilateral contacts and consultation structures across relevant Government Departments. The Government remains open to further appropriate discussions with all five of the social partner pillars under the ten year framework provided under Towards2016 and we believe that continued social dialogue will play an important role in maximising consensus during this period of economic instability.

In particular, the Government will be seeking the views of the social partners as we prepare a national reform programme as part of the EU 2020 process. Preliminary meetings have already taken place at official level to scope out the key areas of concern to each of the pillars and further discussions will take place over the coming months. I look forward to hearing the views of the social partners as that process develops.

Ireland has nine places on the European Economic and Social Committee, EESC, and our nominations are divided equally between the three constituent groups of the EESC, that is, employers, employees and what are known as various interests. The various interests group on the EESC comprises representatives of a wide variety of organisations, including non-governmental organisations, farmers organisations, co-operatives and non-profit associations and environmental organisations. The EESC is mandated to consider environmental issues and environmental sustainability is a key focus of European policy. Other countries have long had environmental organisation representatives among their nominees.

For the first time, Ireland's nominees to the various interests group of the EESC included a representative from the environmental pillar. This change reflects the decision which was taken by Government last year to create a fifth pillar of social partnership to represent environmental concerns and was not in response to representations received. The environmental pillar of social partnership consists of 27 organisations with a diverse range of interests. The environmental pillar selected an employee of BirdWatch Ireland as its nominee on the committee. She is a representative of the 27 organisations in the environmental pillar and environmental interests more generally. The environmental pillar representative will be able to draw on the combined capacity for economic, social and environmental research and analysis of the constituent members of the pillar and its secretariat.

The National Implementation Body, NIB, comprising Government, employer and union representatives, has played two valuable roles over recent years. First, it has exercised national level oversight of the industrial relations scene, assisting parties in actual or threatened disputes of national importance and providing a mechanism for ongoing review of trends in industrial relations in particular sectors. As part of this high-level role, it has also operated as a forum for dialogue between employers and trade unions on the broad status and conduct of industrial relations in the State.

Second, the NIB has sought to promote compliance with the terms of successive national agreements. While the operating context for such a role has changed, it is clear that engagement between Government, employers and trade unions in regard to particular industrial relations disputes can be beneficial to all parties and is in the public interest.

In recognition of that role, the Government agreed to participate with the procedures agreed between ICTU and IBEC under their Protocol for the Orderly Conduct of Industrial Relations and Local Bargaining in the Private Sector. This protocol provides for the continuation of tripartite engagement to oversee industrial peace and stability, and is to be reviewed by the parties at the end of 2010.

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