Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Independent)
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122. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation further to Parliamentary Question No. 229 of 10 December 2013, when the Bill reforming the law on employees' right to engage in collective bargaining under the Industrial Relations (Amendment) Act 2001 will be introduced; if a regulatory impact assessment will be published in advance of publication of this Bill; if he will confirm that the Bill will continue to respect Ireland’s voluntarist system of industrial relations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10318/14]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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In my reply of 10 December 2013, I indicated that discussions with stakeholders on the programme for Government commitment to reform the current law on employees' right to engage in collective bargaining (the Industrial Relations (Amendment) Act 2001), so as to ensure compliance by the State with recent judgments of the European Court of Human Rights were ongoing. While these discussions have yet to conclude, I hope to be in a position to bring forward legislative proposals in the near future.

It has been the consistent policy of successive Irish Governments to promote collective bargaining through the laws of this country and through the development of an institutional framework supportive of a voluntary system of industrial relations that is premised upon freedom of contract and freedom of association. I am certain that the existing legislative provisions in this area can be improved and secured while respecting Ireland’s voluntarist system of industrial relations. Any legislative proposals that emerge following the discussions with stakeholders will be the subject of a Regulatory Impact Assessment.