Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Question 216: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will amend his reply of 24 February 2005 to questions regarding increasing the powers and number of labour inspectors, in view of the recent report by inspectors and of the string of recent cases of abuse of workers' rights; if he will continue to maintain that the current slow augmentation of the labour inspectorate's resources and the failure to increase its powers are adequate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12453/05]

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I do not consider that my replies of 24 February need to be amended, as the investigation of the labour inspectorate into a particular company in the construction sector was ongoing. The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment did not receive the report of the labour inspectorate until 6 April.

Since the Minister received the report he has been active with the management of the company and the workers, and has kept the Oireachtas abreast of developments.

An additional 11 staff for the labour inspectorate have been announced. They will place a specific emphasis on sectors where migrant workers are concentrated. This significant increase, 50%, will allow the inspectorate to do a great deal more of what it does best — ensuring compliance with the law and ensuring workers get their entitlements. Additional staff are appointed to the labour inspectorate on foot of developments in the workplace. With the introduction of the national minimum wage in 1997, the existing ten labour inspectors were augmented by a further seven. Subsequently, the grade level of the inspectors was increased from clerical officer to executive officer. A further four inspectors were appointed on foot of the mid-term review of Sustaining Progress last June, and, as I have said, an additional 11 inspectors will be appointed. As the House can see, those increases in resources are in direct response to identified needs and interaction with the social partners.

Arising from the mid-term review of Sustaining Progress agreed by all parties in June 2004, the inspectorate was asked to draw up a discussion document on the mandate and resourcing of the labour inspectorate for the social partnership process. The discussion document is not prescriptive; rather it seeks to present the arguments for and against an extensive range of issues impacting on the mandate and associated resourcing of the labour inspectorate and its linked business units. A spectrum of possible models for compliance checking and enforcement have been identified and were presented for discussion. The purpose of their inclusion is primarily to stimulate debate and signal that fundamental changes in approach should be considered. Some views have been received from the social partners, while others are awaited.