Martin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)
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Question 51: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the proposals he has to curb the actions of employers and companies who consistently breach health and safety law. [31649/06]

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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In the last year the Oireachtas has enacted the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 which updates and amends the provisions of previous legislation. The Act is a result of the first major review of occupational health and safety since the 1980s which, inter alia, led to the setting-up of the Health and Safety Authority. The Act provides a modern legal framework to guarantee best international practice in regard to health and safety in the Irish workplace.

The primary focus in the Act is on prevention. It provides also for significantly increased fines and penalties to deter the minority who breach health and safety laws.

The administration and enforcement of occupational safety and health legislation, including the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 and related Regulations, is a day to day matter for the Health and Safety Authority. In this regard, the Authority has a range of enforcement measures available to it, to use as it deems appropriate and necessary, in accordance with the provisions of the 2005 Act.

I am confident that the updated, modern and comprehensive legislative base that I established through the 2005 Act and the wide range of Regulations made under it, including so far this year Work at Height, Noise, Vibration, Asbestos and Construction, as well as a number of Regulations under EU Directives, sets a sound foundation for implementing occupational safety, health and welfare standards. I am also confident that the Health and Safety Authority, through its targeted, prioritised and broadly based Programmes of Work, is applying the best approach to securing sustained improvements in workplace safety, health and welfare standards.