Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Sections 43 and 46 were introduced on Report Stage in this House. Section 43 provides for an amendment to the definition of “Agriculture” in the Industrial Relations Act 1976, for the purposes of giving effect to the Labour Court recommendation on the scope of the agriculture JLC, arising from the 2013 review undertaken by the court of all existing joint labour committees.

In addition, section 46 amends the original establishment order for the agriculture JLC to reflect the new definition in section 43. However, there is a possibility that the new definition of "agriculture" may inadvertently be construed as including meat processing plants within the scope of the agriculture JLC. However, it was the clear intention of the Labour Court recommendation that the definition the scope the agriculture JLC and any ERO emerging from that committee would just cover workers on a farming establishment. Accordingly, an amendment to the definition of "agriculture" in section 43 is necessary to remove any doubt in this regard. A corresponding amendment to section 46, which itself amends the original establishment order for the agriculture JLC, is also required.

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