Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Question 143: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of labour inspectors currently employed by the Labour Inspectorate of his Department; the number of labour inspectors currently available for assignment on normal duties; the number of labour inspectors currently in training following recruitment; the status of the recruitment campaign to increase the labour inspectorate to 90 inspectors; if he expects all 59 additional labour inspectors to be employed by the second quarter of 2007, as indicated in his previous statements to the Houses of the Oireachtas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8334/07]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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As indicated in my replies to Parliamentary Questions Number 84 of 15 November 2006 and 146, 154 and 168 of 31 January, 2007, the number of Labour Inspectors will be progressively increased from 31 at present to 90 by end-2007 with the expectation that assignments will be made from the second quarter of 2007. The necessary arrangements and selection processes to meet this objective are being progressed at present. Intensive and detailed training will be delivered to new inspectors both on assignment and following initial work experience.

Towards 2016 provides for the regionalisation of the Labour Inspectorate. In this regard, my colleague, the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Micheál Martin, announced on 11th February this year that regional offices for the Labour Inspectorate would be established in Dublin, Carlow, Cork, Shannon and Sligo. These locations, and the numbers of labour inspectors and support staff to be assigned to each location, have been selected on the basis of, among other matters, population, labour force and the gateways designated under the National Spatial Strategy. The locations have regard also to facilitating future joint investigation unit operations with the Office of the Revenue Commissioners and the Department of Social and Family Affairs, as provided under Towards 2016.