Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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61. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of WRC inspections and investigations that have taken place to date in 2017 within the horse racing industry with particular regard to stable and stud staff; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22659/17]

Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Inspectors of the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) carry out inspections of employer records with a view to determining compliance with employment rights and employment permits legislation.

The WRC’s work programme for 2017 makes specific provision for a compliance and enforcement campaign within the equine sector generally, including the horse racing industry. Inspections under this campaign will check compliance with, among other requirements, national minimum wage rates, employment permit obligations and working hours provisions including those relating to rest breaks, leave, public holiday and Sunday work entitlements.

Other WRC initiatives in the equine sector include an awareness and education programme in tandem with stakeholder engagement with the overall objective of achieving employment rights compliance. I am advised by the WRC that planning and scoping arrangements for this campaign have been completed and that inspection appointment letters have issued to those employers who will be inspected under the initial phase of the campaign. It is expected, therefore, that the majority of inspections will rollout from next week onwards. However, 9 inspections have already been undertaken in 2017.

Employees who feel that they are not receiving their statutory employment rights entitlements may make a complaint through the WRC’s website at www.workplacerelations.ie. Complaints are, depending on their nature and the legislation involved, dealt with by investigation by inspectors or referred by the Director General for adjudication by Adjudication Officers.