Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The statement of Government priorities in July 2014 committed to conduct a study on the prevalence of zero-hour contracts among Irish employers and their impact on employees and make policy recommendations to Government on foot of the study. Following a competitive tendering process, a team from the University of Limerick was appointed in February 2015 to carry out a study into the prevalence of zero-hour contracts and low-hour contracts in the Irish economy and their impact on employees.

The study, published in November last year, found that zero-hour contracts, as defined within current Irish employment rights legislation, are not extensively used in Ireland. It found low working hours can arise in different forms in employment contracts, such as regular part-time contracts with fixed hours or a contract with if-and-when hours only or a hybrid of the two. If-and-when contracts are contracts where workers are not contractually required to make themselves available for work.

The UL report made a range of recommendations relating to contracts, hours of work and notice, minimum hours, how contracted hours should be determined, collective agreements, data gathering and wider contextual issues. The UL study was an independent study and the conclusions drawn and the recommendations made are those of UL. Therefore, it was essential for the various stakeholders who contributed to the study and any other interested parties who may not have had an opportunity to discuss their views with the University of Limerick during the data gathering period, to be given an opportunity to consider and respond to the report. To this end, I sought submissions from interested parties by way of a public consultation. That process concluded on 4 January 2016. That was the closing date for the receipt of submissions. As Deputies can imagine, the responses contain a variety of views, including for and against the findings and recommendations made by the University of Limerick. They will require careful consideration by my Department over the coming period. This will inform the policy response to be considered by Government arising from the study.

As I said at the committee yesterday, it is my intention, as per the Government agreement in November, to bring forward proposals to Government colleagues in the coming period.

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