Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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20. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the reason the remit for a study to carry out a report on zero-hour contracts was limited to a consideration of contracts for under eight hours; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28670/15]

Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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In preparing the Request for Tender for the Zero Hours and Low Hours Study, it emerged that there is no commonly used definition of low hours work, or indeed a common understanding of what constitutes a Zero Hours Contract. This is evidenced by the difficulties which have been encountered in the UK in compiling official data on the prevalence of Zero Hours Contracts. The 8 hour contracts specified in the Request for Tender appeared, from the limited literature available on the subject and from anecdotal evidence, to represent a typical low hours contract. It is not being treated as a limit in the context of the study underway.

In fact, the lack of a common understanding as to what constitutes Zero Hours and Low Hours Contracts was a key driver behind this Government's decision, set out in the July 2014 Statement of Priorities, to commission a study into the prevalence of such contracts and their impact on employees.

As the Deputy is aware, I commissioned the University of Limerick to undertake the Study following a competitive tendering process. The study has a broad scope, covering both the public and private sectors, with a particular focus on the retail, hospitality, education and health sectors. It will fill the gap in knowledge that currently exists in terms of the hard data and information that is available concerning the prevalence of zero hour and low hour contracts in the Irish economy. The study will examine how such contracts operate in practice and assess the advantages and disadvantages from the perspective of employer and employee. It will also assess the current employment rights legislation as it applies to employees on such contracts, and consider recent developments in other jurisdictions, including the UK in particular. The findings will enable me to make any evidence-based policy recommendations to Government considered necessary on foot of the study.

A key element of the study has been stakeholder involvement, as specified in the Request for Tender. I was especially keen to ensure that a wide range of stakeholders would be canvassed to contribute to the study, so as to ensure that a full picture of what constitutes “low hours” in reality will emerge. Without in any way pre-empting the outcome of the study, I am confident that this approach will ensure that the study will provide us with a meaningful picture of low hours contracts “on the ground” which will not be limited by the figure of eight hours specified in the Tender document.

The Deputy will appreciate that I cannot anticipate the outcome of the study, which I expect will be completed shortly, or the Government's consideration of same.