Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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76. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if an assessment of the increase of agency work and short-term contracts as opposed to full-time contracts across the economy has been made; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26437/18]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) commissioned the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) to conduct research into contingent employment in Ireland. Contingent employment generally describes an employment relationship that is non-permanent – that is employees on temporary contracts and freelancers. The ESRI presented its initial findings at a WRC seminar on the World of Work last February.

The main conclusion of the ESRI research presented at that time was that the incidence of contingent employment ranged between 8 and 9 percent of total employment between 1998 and 2005 before increasing to over 10 percent following the recession, then falling back towards its pre-recession level in 2016. I understand that the final report of the ESRI is due to be published shortly. Further, I note from the Central Statistics Office Labour Force Survey for Quarter 4 2017 that the increase in total employment of 66,800 in the year to Q4 2017 was represented by an increase in full-time employment of 90,000 (an increase of 5.4%) and a decrease in part-time employment of 23,300 (a decrease of 4.8%).

Good progress has been made in recent years in terms of our economic recovery, in creating new job opportunities, the majority of which are full-time positions. However, we must remember those people who, not by choice, are in less secure arrangements. In this respect, the Government is delivering on its Programme for Government commitment to strengthen the regulation of precarious work. The Employment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2017 is in response to this commitment. The Bill completed Committee Stage in the Dáil on 17th May and Report Stage is scheduled for 26^thand 27^thJune.