Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

No, I will not. I am not going to oppose it. The legal advice I received is that it is not adequate. Both Fine Gael and the Labour Party agree that the JLC system should be reformed. The decision of the High Court in striking down and declaring unconstitutional the situation that existed meant that it became unconstitutional from the moment the details of the judgment were announced by the judge. That has required real analysis by the Government.

Emergency legislation was commented upon but the position is that the Minister for Enterprise, Jobs and Innovation will bring back to Cabinet a comprehensive response to the judicial decision in respect of the joint labour committees and employment regulation order system being unconstitutional. This affects a considerable number of people with existing employment protection under contracts of employment. It is not a case of coming back in the winter, as mentioned by the Deputy, but rather priority being accorded to this response, which must be adequate, comprehensive and dealt with as early as possible in the autumn session by the Minister for Enterprise, Jobs and Innovation.

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