Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

35. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the current position of her Department on zero-hour contracts; the action she is taking to eliminate zero-hour contracts and to ensure stable conditions of work for workers here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32891/16]

Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

My colleague, Minister Mitchell O’Connor, and I intend bringing forward proposals in this area for consideration by Government. In this respect, work is well advanced on developing a policy response to the University of Limerick (UL) study on zero hour contracts and low hour contracts. It should be remembered that the UL study found that zero hour contracts, as defined within current Irish employment rights legislation, are not extensively used in Ireland. It found low working hours can arise in different forms in employment contracts.

The policy response is being informed by the UL study itself and also the extensive material and practical examples provided by respondents to the public consultation conducted by my Department. Our proposals will address the issue of workers on low hour contracts who consistently work more hours each week but whose contracts do not reflect the reality of their hours. The proposals will also seek to ensure that employees are better informed about the nature of their employment arrangements and their core terms and conditions at an early stage in their employment. Furthermore, I intend to include provisions aimed particularly at low-paid, more vulnerable workers.

My Department is currently engaged in a dialogue process with ICTU and IBEC to secure broad agreement before proposals are finalised. This work is being progressed as expeditiously as possible.