Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising the issue of working conditions in the hospitality sector. I have seen a synopsis of the report and the Oireachtas briefing document that Dr. Curran provided to the committee. The research by Dr. Deirdre Curran of NUI Galway, Inside Out Hospitality: A Study of Working Conditions in the Hospitality Sector in Ireland, was undertaken during 2019 and published in the summer. I was very concerned to read of the working conditions reported by the 257 hospitality workers surveyed. I have asked departmental officials to consider the report's findings. I know the research may not be representative but it still should not be discounted. Earlier this month, it was discussed at a meeting of the Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport and Media.

As the House knows, Ireland has a robust set of employment rights that protects employees. All employers in all sectors carry the same obligations regarding compliance with employment rights. The Workplace Relations Commission, WRC, is the statutory body charged with promoting and enforcing compliance with the relevant employment law statutes in the State, while the Health and Safety Authority, HSA, has specific powers on issues relating to abuse, harassment and bullying. The HSA's workplace contact unit is available to receive reports on such matters by phone or email. In addition, complaints seeking redress may be referenced by an individual employee to the adjudication services of the WRC, which will hear the complaints and issue a direction or recommendation depending on the subject matter of the complaint.

The hospitality sector is subject to announced and unannounced inspections by WRC inspectors, including at night. In 2018, the sector comprised just under 20% of inspections. In 2019, which was the last full year of unrestricted inspection activity prior to the pandemic, the sector comprised almost 40% of all WRC inspections and visits. In this regard, 14,000 employees were directly impacted by the activity and it resulted in more than €640,000 in unpaid wages being identified and paid.

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