Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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87. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of WTE inspectors working in the Workplace Relations Commission in the years of 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form; and if this number will be further increased. [25250/23]

Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) is an independent, statutory body under the aegis of my Department, established on 1st October 2015 under the Workplace Relations Act 2015. The WRC’s primary functions include the inspection of employment law compliance, the provision of information on employment law, mediation, adjudication, conciliation, facilitation, and advisory services. WRC inspectors carry out inspections of employer records with a view to determining compliance with employment rights legislation.

In 2022, the number of sanctioned inspector positions with the WRC was increased from 60 to 70. The WRC is funded by the Exchequer through my Department and additional funding of €500,000 was allocated to the WRC’s pay budget, bringing the total allocation for the WRC in 2022 to €15,696,000. In 2023, the WRC has been allocated €16,833,000 in respect of pay and non-pay funding.

The complement of 70 inspectors represents an increase of 10 inspector posts since 2021 and my Department will keep staffing levels under ongoing review.To ask the Minister for Enterprise; Trade and Employment the number of WTE Inspectors working in the Workplace Relations Commission in the years of 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form; and if this number will be further increased.

My Department works closely with the WRC monitoring its resource requirements to ensure that it is adequately resourced to carry out its important work.

The attached Table 1 sets out the number of inspectors working in the WRC in the years 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023.

Table 1: Number of inspectors working in the WRC 2021, 2022, and to date in 2023: