Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 134: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will ensure that hotels, such as a hotel (details supplied) in Dublin 1, do not lay off their long-term Irish workers for long periods of time; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19147/09]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I do not have any powers to direct a private company in relation to staff lay offs, nor would it be appropriate for the Government to intervene in the operation of enterprises in this way. Naturally, all companies must act within the laws governing employment of workers and the State's industrial relations machinery is available to those who wish to resolve disputes arising in an orderly way.

However, responsibility for the resolution of industrial disputes is a matter for the parties themselves. The State provides the industrial relations dispute settlement machinery free of charge to assist this process, which, in line with the general principles of industrial relations in Ireland, is voluntarist in nature. The system of industrial relations in Ireland is designed to help and support parties in their efforts to resolve their differences, rather than imposing an extensive set of legislative conditions on parties to an industrial dispute.

The experience and expertise of those providing the State's dispute resolution services offer the best avenue for resolving the differences between disputing parties. Where the parties make full use of these procedures, the evidence shows that a very high percentage of disputes are resolved through the conciliation process.