Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As the Senator sought reassurance, I am absolutely aware of the importance of this directive. Its transposition is a priority for my Department.As I have stated, we will be taking the necessary steps to ensure transposition happens ahead of 15 November. It is fully our intention to meet that deadline. While my Department’s position is that no legislation is required to do that, legislative change may be considered as part of the development of our action plan on collective bargaining, which must be completed by the end of next year. Work has already begun on developing that plan. As part of the working group’s agenda, the social partners have provided my Department with proposals. That includes proposals from ICTU on protections and access for trade union officials in the workplace and we are now going to consult on those proposals. I believe the outcome of the forthcoming consultation process will help to guide the Department when it comes to developing the proposed actions which may be considered by the Government - or, indeed, the next Government - for inclusion in our action plan. Work is already under way. I met with a number of representatives of ICTU and the private sector unions in Congress House. Those discussions are happening. However, the really important thing is that the consultation is now going to happen, which gives us an additional piece of information when we go to the next stage.

Regarding Article 5 and the adequacy, I thank the Senator for tabling her Bill on that. It is something at which I will absolutely look.