Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)

Amendment No. 56 seeks to delete to delete section 15(2), which provides that the court can appoint a mediator. However, amendment No. 55 will achieve this, if accepted.

Amendment No. 57 states:

In page 12, subsection (2), line 46, after "dispute." to insert the following:

"Where a system of direct involvement operates only, the referral to the Labour Court may be from one or more than one employee after the internal dispute resolution procedure (if any) usually used by the parties concerned has failed to resolve the dispute.".

Government amendment No. 55 also provides for this interim step involving the Labour Relations Commission. It might meet the requirements of those who proposed amendment No. 57.

Amendment No. 58 follows from amendment No. 56, which seeks to delete subsection (2), which is to be replaced by the new subsection provided in amendment No. 55.

Amendment No. 59 follows from amendments Nos. 56 and 58. It has the effect of removing the reference to "one or more employees" and refers to "disputes between an employer and a trade union or excepted body". I do not propose to accept this amendment either. Amendment No. 60 follows from amendments Nos. 56 to 59. The same applies to this amendment.

Amendment No. 61 proposes, in page 13, subsection (6)(b), line 30, to delete "a" and substitute "any". It seeks to ensure the subsection does not contradict the procedure set out in subsections (3) and (5). We have discussed this with the Parliamentary Counsel who has advised that an alternative wording may be required. The deletion of "a" and its replacement by "any" may not be sufficient in this instance. I will return to this matter on Report Stage, if that is acceptable to Senator Quinn. I will ascribe the amendment to the Senator — he should not worry.