Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

502. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if her attention has been drawn to the widespread inconvenience caused to persons from counties Cavan and Monaghan who have hearings before the Workplace Relations Commission which are now held in County Sligo and were previously held in centres in both counties Cavan and Monaghan; if her attention has further been drawn to the fact that these hearings commence early in the morning and it is not possible to avail of public transport from areas such as Cavan and Monaghan to reach Sligo by 10.00 a.m.; if hearings will be held in future at local level as existed previously; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33612/16]

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

With effect from 1st October 2015, the activities of the Labour Relations Commission, the National Employment Rights Authority, the Equality Tribunal and the first instance functions of the Employment Appeals Tribunal and the Labour Court were merged into a new Body of First Instance, known as the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC). From 1st October 2015, all complaints fall to be referred to the WRC in the first instance, and on appeal, to the Labour Court.

The WRC’s core services include the provision of early resolution, mediation, conciliation, facilitation and advisory services, adjudication on employment and equality complaints, the monitoring of employment conditions to ensure the compliance and enforcement of employment rights legislation, the provision of information, and the processing of employment agency and protection of young persons (employment) licences.

The WRC is independent in the exercise of its quasi-judicial function and I have no direct involvement in its day to day operations.

I am informed that the WRC is working in conjunction with the Office of Public Works to identify offices/venues for possible use as hearing venues. The WRC is currently using the WRC Offices in Sligo as a venue following some investment in a hearing room.

The use of the Sligo WRC office as a hearing venue for Cavan/Monaghan cases may change in the context of developments across the regional WRC structure and having regard to other related factors such as case volume in different regions, development costs, adjudicator location, and transport links. A consolidation of the number of hearing venues across the country is an important part of the overall reform agenda.

I understand from the WRC that the regional venues for hearings are not set in stone and the venues will be reviewed in light of developments as the new structures continue to bed down.