Eric Byrne (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 275: To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if it is envisaged that the community sector will be given the right to recognition for the purpose of collective bargaining. [23427/11]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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While Article 40 of the Irish Constitution guarantees the right of citizens to form associations and unions, it has been established in a number of legal cases that the constitutional guarantee of the freedom of association does not guarantee workers the right to have their union recognised for the purpose of collective bargaining. No differentiation is made in this regard between workers employed in the community sector and those employed in the private and public sectors.

I would recommend that voluntary and community organisations engage with their employees and the trade unions representing their employees on all aspects of good employment practice, including recruiting the right person, managing a diverse workplace, preparing model employment contracts or devising essential human resource management policies. The services of the Labour Relations Commission are available to management and to trade unions representing employees in the community and voluntary sector, just as they are available to those engaged in the public and private sectors, to help solve human resource related problems and improve performance, and to develop effective industrial relations practices, procedures and structures so as to best meet the needs of their respective organisations.