Written answers

Wednesday, 24 October 2007

Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment

Employment Rights

8:00 pm

Photo of Tommy BroughanTommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 92: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the progress made in the establishment of the Office of the Director of Employment Rights Compliance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25378/07]

Photo of Billy KelleherBilly Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Government is committed to delivering the key package of measures agreed under the chapter dealing with Employment Rights and Compliance in Towards 2016 In this regard the National Employment Rights Authority (NERA) has been established on an interim basis since February 2007. NERA has Department of Finance sanction for 141 staff, including an increased complement of 90 Labour Inspectors. An allocation of €8.553 million was provided under Vote 34 for the year 2007.

Three units which were formerly part of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, have been subsumed into NERA — the Employment Rights Information Unit, the Labour Inspectorate and the Prosecution / Enforcement Unit.

The Director of NERA was appointed and took up duty on 12 February 2007. The Director is supported in his role by a management team, including legal and accounting expertise, and administrative staff who are now in place.

Recruitment of the additional Inspectors is also progressing. The number of Inspectors has increased from 31 to 51 and interviews for a further 10 inspectors with specific language skills are scheduled for the 5th November.

Competitions for recruitment of the remaining 29 Inspectors have been advertised and it is proposed to hold interviews for these positions early in November. I am pleased with the progress made to date and I am confident that all 90 appointments will be made by end of 2007, in accordance with the commitment under Towards 2016.

As part of the Government decentralisation programme, NERA established its headquarters in Carlow at the end of July 2007. The Social Partnership Agreement "Towards 2016" also provided that the Labour Inspectorate, now part of NERA, would be established on a regional basis and in this regard, the new regional structure of the NERA Inspectorate is being progressed. In addition to Inspectors located in NERA headquarters in Carlow, regional offices of the Inspectorate will be located in Dublin, Cork, Shannon and Sligo. At this time, Inspectors are operating out of the NERA headquarters in Carlow, Dublin and temporary accommodation in Cork. In consultation with OPW, permanent premises have been identified in Cork and Sligo and leases are being finalised. In relation to Shannon, temporary accommodation has been identified and the permanent premises are currently under construction.

In line with the commitment under Towards 2016, joint investigation activity and exchange of information activity has commenced between Inspectors from NERA, the Revenue Commissioners and the Department of Social and Family Affairs. The necessary legislative provisions to enable the exchange of information between the three bodies came into effect on 30th March.

An information provision and public awareness campaign is being actively planned and a series of meetings with stakeholders has been undertaken to initiate structured dialogue between NERA and stakeholders.

The necessary legislation to give statutory authority to NERA is being progressed through the preparation of the Employment Law Compliance Bill which will be published this year. I am pleased with the progress made to date.

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