Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 171: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will provide details of the Office for Employment Rights Compliance; the number of staff to be assigned to this office; the location where this office will be headquartered; the manner in which the work of this office will be distinguished from that of the Labour Inspectorate; the formal procedures to be put in place for liaison between this office and the other relevant agencies under his Department's control; the funding to be allocated to this office; if this office will be established by legislation or by regulation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25175/06]

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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The Social Partnership Agreement, Towards 2016, sets out a number of commitments with regard to employment standards and compliance including a commitment to establish an Office of the Director of Employment Rights Compliance. The Office will be established through the enactment of primary legislation and will be led by a Director at senior management level together with administrative support staff and a complement of 90 Inspectors/Authorised Officers. While the Office will retain a presence in Dublin it is anticipated that there will be a regionalised structure with the headquarters located outside of the capital.

The legislation establishing the new Office will also address a variety of issues in the area of Employment Rights Compliance including a move towards greater accessibility for employees to redress via the Rights Commissioner Services. In that context it will be a matter for the new Director to develop a range of policies and procedures reflecting the changed landscape for employment rights enforcement. With a fivefold increase in the number of Inspectors/Authorised Officers since this Government introduced the National Minimum Wage in 2000, the implementation of a regionalised structure, and a specific budget being provided for the development and delivery of a structured and targeted programme of information provision, education and awareness of employment rights obligations and entitlements, the new Office will be exceptionally well equipped to very quickly and effectively establish its presence.

On the matter of formal procedures for liaison, again, informed by the detail of the new legislation that is to be enacted, this will be a matter for the new Director.