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

A huge amount of change has taken place and it is a credit to the people working in this area. We are merging five bodies into two and there has been huge support from those involved in simplifying the process. Some 30 forms have been reduced down to one and an online application procedure has been developed. A pilot early resolution procedure is available so that cases which can be resolved without going to hearing can be drawn aside thereby avoiding the long wait for a hearing. The delays in getting a hearing before a rights commissioner are being reduced and there is now a very quick turnaround.

Deputy Pringle is right when he says there is a legacy delay at the Employment Appeals Tribunal, but those waiting times are also being reduced. It is true that there will be a legacy delay after we set up the WRC and there will be a period to work through those legacy cases. We are making provision to plan that as effectively as we can to minimise delay. Some of the cases are highly complex. They have been referred to the courts and been adjourned and so on. This is a difficult process but we believe that the new process will be much more effective. We are working through the backlog as effectively as we can.

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