Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 113: To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the pressure he can bring to bear, to ensure the Labour Court recommendation that a company (details supplied) pay an ex-gratia payment of four week's per year to the former workers is actually implemented in view of the fact that they apparently have declined to observe it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17314/12]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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I understand that the Deputy's question concerns a dispute between the company and twenty employees in relation to a claim for enhanced redundancy terms in excess of the employees' statutory redundancy entitlement.

The Labour Court conducts hearings on trade disputes and issues recommendations setting out its opinion on the dispute and the terms on which it should be settled. The Labour Court is a court of last resort in the industrial relations process, and it is expected that the parties come to the process in good faith and consequently are prepared to give serious consideration to the Court's recommendation.

However, the system of industrial relations in Ireland is essentially voluntary in nature and recommendations of the Labour Court are not legally binding. Neither the Labour Court, nor I, can compel a company to comply with such recommendations. Ultimately, responsibility for the settlement of a trade dispute rests with the parties to the dispute.