Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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201. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation further to the statement by the Taoiseach on the Order of Business on 5 March 2014 in relation to the Industrial Relations (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, if he will confirm whether the Bill will contain the fundamental right for employees to collective bargaining in the workplace. [12093/14]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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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 are 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.