Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)
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Question 89: To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation when he intends to introduce legislation to reinstate joint labour committees to underpin a new system of protection for workers in services sectors such as retail, hotels, cleaners and security. [37990/11]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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On 26 July 2011 the Government agreed a package of radical reforms to the Joint Labour Committee and Registered Employment Agreement wage setting mechanisms. The reform proposals deal with recommendations made and issues raised in the Independent Report on the JLC/REA systems (Duffy/Walsh report) as well as the outcome of the July 2011 High Court ruling in the Grace Fried Chicken constitutional challenge.

The proposed measures will provide for the retention of the JLC and REA systems, subject to the reforms that are required to place them on a more secure legal and constitutional footing. They will also reinstate a robust system of protection for workers in these sectors in the aftermath of the High Court ruling.

Heads of a Bill to give effect to the reform proposals have been agreed by Government and drafting of that legislation is in preparation. It is my intention to have a Bill ready to introduce to the Oireachtas at the earliest possible opportunity this term.