Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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46. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the status of the development of Ireland's collective bargaining action plan; if the plan is on track to be completed and published by the end of 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57528/25]

Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Programme for Government contains the commitment to finalise an Action Plan on the promotion of Collective Bargaining by the end of 2025, in line with the EU Directive on Adequate Minimum Wages.

Under Article 4, the Directive aims to promote collective bargaining on wages in all Member States. Each Member State in which the collective bargaining coverage rate is less than a threshold of 80 % (as in the majority of member states, including Ireland) shall provide for a ‘framework of enabling conditions’ for collective bargaining and shall also establish an Action Plan to promote Collective Bargaining by end of 2025.

The European Commission Expert Group's Report on transposition of the Directive is clear that the design of the framework of enabling conditions and the content of the action plan is entirely up to Member States, in consultation with the social partners.

A technical working group was established in late 2023 with Department officials and the social partners to examine what will be considered for inclusion in Ireland’s action plan and this group has met regularly. The work of this group is essential in developing the content of the action plan.

I expect the action plan on collective bargaining to be published in November.