Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 166: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will report on progress to date in expanding the labour inspectorate. [37764/06]

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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The existing staff complement of the Labour Inspectorate of the Department comprises 31 Inspectors and some 7 administrative support staff.

The Social Partnership Agreement "Towards 2016" provides for the establishment of an Office of the Director for Employment Rights Compliance (ODERC) which, in addition to the provision of employment rights information and the prosecution of offences, will also have responsibility for the Labour Inspectorate. The number of Labour Inspectors under this Office will be progressively increased from 31 to 90 by end-2007, as part of the initiative to increase the staffing resources of the Employment Rights Bodies generally.

My Department is in consultation with the Department of Finance in relation to the filling of the new Labour Inspector positions. I expect that the necessary arrangements and selection processes can be progressed between now and end year with a view to assignments being made from the second quarter of 2007.