Written answers

Tuesday, 19 January 2010

Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment

National Minimum Wage

9:00 pm

Photo of Finian McGrathFinian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 174: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will support a matter (details supplied). [48331/09]

Photo of Dara CallearyDara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The matter referred to in the Deputy's question is a call from the Restaurant Association of Ireland for the abolition of the Joint Labour Committee (JLC) system and the reduction in the minimum wage in the Catering sector to €8.65 per hour. The Government is committed to upholding the arrangements for the making of the Employment Regulation Orders under the Joint Labour Committee (JLC) system. The Government has undertaken to provide for the modernisation of the existing system through the implementation of a series of measures, including the introduction of new legislation. This commitment is being met within the framework of the Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill 2009 which has recently passed all stages in the Seanad.

It is the parties represented on a JLC that are best placed to address the impact of the economic crisis on employment levels and the viability of services in the relevant sector. This shared capacity for co-operation has already been demonstrated by the employer and trade union interest in the catering sector when agreement was reached in 2009 to fix a uniform set of terms and conditions in the sector, including the harmonisation of the Sunday premium to time plus one third.

I intend to bring forward proposals to include in the Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill 2009 a provision providing for the inclusion of an inability to pay provision in future Employment Regulation Orders. I consider such a provision to be necessary in order to reconcile the current demands of both trade unions and employers through continuing to modernise and streamline the JLC system, while also alleviating the pressures that employers facing financial difficulty currently experience. The final details of this provision have still to be settled and I intend to introduce an amendment to the Bill in the Dáil to give effect to this objective.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.