Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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71. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if his attention has been drawn to the recent European Parliament report (details supplied) and the opinions on the deterioration of the working conditions of many frontline and essential workers during the pandemic. [18628/22]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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The short report emphasises the importance of social dialogue between employees and employers and their respective bodies. The report suggests that some essential workplaces - particularly in residential care and meat processing - saw deterioration in their working conditions during the pandemic. The report suggests that this was largely due to the fact that such workplaces lacked union recognition and calls for compulsory trade union recognition and the creation of new Joint Labour Committees for such sectors.

My clear view is that collective bargaining is an important element of ensuring industrial relations stability in Ireland. This stability comes from a voluntarist system where the State does not seek to impose a solution on the parties to a dispute but will, where appropriate, assist them in arriving at a solution. Should a group of employees and employers wish to establish JLCs for any sector for the purposes of engaging in collective bargaining, I trust the Labour Court will consider the matter and, where appropriate, issue establishment orders.