Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Question 23: 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. [15464/07]

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Under the National Social Partnership Agreement "Towards 2016", the commitment to staffing of the Labour Inspectorate is "to progressively increase the number of Labour Inspectors from 31 to 90 by end-2007". The necessary arrangements and selection processes to recruit the additional Inspectors are well advanced, including arrangements for the recruitment of ten Labour Inspectors with specialist language skills. There are now 38 Inspectors employed by the Labour Inspectorate, seven of whom are in training following their appointment to the Labour Inspectorate on 16 April last. The total staff complement of NERA is currently 83.

In accordance with the commitment given in Towards 2016, it is expected that the remaining 52 Labour Inspectors will be in place by end-2007.