Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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108. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation her plans to introduce a sectoral employment order for workers in the early years preschool sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43902/17]

Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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The Industrial Relations (Amendment) Act of 2015 provides for a new statutory framework for establishing minimum rates of remuneration and other terms and conditions of employment for a specified type, class or group of workers.

In this context, the new framework sets down a mechanism whereby at the request, separately or jointly from organisations substantially representative of employers and/or of workers, the Labour Court can initiate a review of the pay and pension and sick pay entitlements of workers in a particular sector and, if it deems it appropriate, make a recommendation to the Minister on the matter. If the Minister is satisfied that the process provided for in the 2015 Act has been complied with by the Labour Court, he shall make the Order. Where such an order is made it will be known as a Sectoral Employment Order (SEO), will be binding across the sector to which it relates, and will be enforceable by the Workplace Relations Commission.

To-date five applications for SEOs have been made to the Labour Court under the new legislation. No application has yet been made on behalf of workers or employers in the early years pre-school Sector. Any application for this sector should follow the procedure set down in the 2015 Act for consideration by the Labour Court.