Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Amendments Nos. 40 and 46 are being introduced in aid of the Labour Court inspectors and will provide them with a statutory basis to use reasonable force where necessary in order to gain entry to premises connected with the employment of persons. In the vast majority of inspections the employer consents to the inspection and an inspector is not required to use force to gain entry. However, the inspection of certain time-sensitive matters would, in the absence of this power to use reasonable force, be frustrated where the employer, for example, locks and-or abandons the premises.

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