Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The Government is committed to the reform of the State's existing workplace relations services. The system that developed during the past 80 years has become unwieldy and complex and is no longer fit for purpose. There was universal acceptance of the need for a root and branch reform of the existing structures. The Minister's objective is to deliver a world-class workplace relations service which is simple to use, independent, effective, impartial, cost effective and provides for workable means of redress and enforcement within a reasonable period. A new two-tier workplace relations structure, comprising two statutorily independent bodies to replace the current five, will be established. There will be a new single body of first instance - to be called the workplace relations commission - and a separate appeals body which will effectively be an expanded Labour Court.

A significant amount of work has been completed on the preparation of the legislation which will give statutory effect to the new structures and associated processes. The draft scheme of the workplace relations Bill has been approved by the Government for priority drafting. The Office of the Parliamentary Counsel has assigned resources to ensure the earliest possible publication of the Bill and drafting is under way. The Minister's intention is to publish the Bill as early as possible during the spring-summer Dáil session, with a view to the new structures being put in place during this year. The legislation will provide for the services of the Equality Tribunal, the National Employment Rights Authority, the Labour Relations Commission and the first instance functions of the Employment Appeals Tribunal to come together within the remit of the workplace relations commission. The appellate functions of the Employment Appeals Tribunal will be amalgamated into a reconfigured Labour Court.

Significant progress has also been achieved to date, in advance of the enabling legislation, in so far as the technological, structural, administrative and staffing changes required are concerned to underpin the workplace relations reform programme, including the following measures which have already been put in place: the transfer of the Equality Tribunal to the Department, to be part of the workplace relations commission; a single contact portal; an e-complaint facility; a staffing and structures plan; a new workplace relations website; an early resolution service; adjudicator training and recruitment plans; and enhanced technologies and processes, including the publication of a request for tender for a customer relationship management solution.

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