Seanad debates

Wednesday, 5 December 2018

Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) (Amendment) Bill 2018: Committee Stage

 

10:30 am

Photo of David NorrisDavid Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

What the Minister of State said was all fine and emollient, but he mentioned registered employment agreements. As far as I understand, however, there is no requirement for employers to engage in this process at all because it is not mandatory and, therefore, it does not form a central part of the argument.

The Department of Education and Skills has consulted widely with the owners, but despite requests from the teachers, it has never had a meeting or engaged in consultation with them. This is despite the teachers contacting the former Minister, Deputy Bruton, in an attempt to discuss the matter in which we are engaged, namely, the terms and conditions of work. That Minister turned them down on the basis that the businesses are private, for-profit enterprises. He said that employment law issues should be taken to the Workplace Relations Commission but, as has been effectively pointed out, people in precarious employment are not prepared to appeal to the commission because it is too dangerous for them and they will lose their jobs.

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