Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 92: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment when she will publish legislation to address employee representation at work which was promised by June 2009 under the Review of Towards 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41071/09]

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 95: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment when it is intended to publish anti-victimisation legislation, designed to protect those workers that choose to join a trade union and which was promised by March 2009 under the Review of Towards 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41070/09]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 92 and 95 together.

The Towards 2016 Review and Transitional Agreement 2008-2009 (paras 9.1 — 9.3) provides for the establishment of a review process which would consider the legal and other steps necessary to enable the employee representation mechanisms that had been established under previous agreements — and in legislation — to operate as they had been intended. The Agreement (para 9.4) also commits the Government to bringing forward legislative proposals to prohibit the victimisation of trade union members and to prohibit the incentivisation of persons not to be members of a trade union.

With a view to progressing work on both commitments, a Review Group — chaired by the Secretary General of the Department of the Taoiseach and on which my Department; the Department of Finance; trade unions; and employers are represented — has been put in place to examine the issues under both commitments.

Two informal meetings of the Group have taken place to date — on 14th September and 13th October, 2009 — and position papers have been submitted by the employer and trade union representatives on the issues requiring the Group's consideration.

I understand that the Group's work will now focus on the issues raised in these position papers and that further engagement between the parties is anticipated over the coming weeks. The Group has not set a date for the completion of its activities.