BEERG Newsletter - EWCs: Irish parliamentary committee to consider legislation

Readers of this newsletter will be familiar with the issues surrounding the Irish Transnational Information and Consultation of Employees Act, 1996, which transposes the EU EWC Directive into Irish law. 

In particular, there is concern around the absence of the Regulations which would activate the disputes procedures for which the law provides, and a further concern that the law does not take account of the mediation services provided by the Workplace Relations Commission.

BEERG has now learned that the Dáil’s (Irish parliament) Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment has decided to look into the issue as a result of a written complaint from SIPTU, the largest trade union in the country. If the Committee goes ahead with an examination of the legislation, it is possible that BEERG may be invited to meet with committee. 

We have written to the committee to draw its attention to the letter we sent recently to the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, pointing out that we would welcome the publication of the necessary Regulations, which should include the option of mediation before a reference to the Labour Court. 

With the European Commission also pressing the Minister to amend the legislation, it is possible that we will see changes in the months ahead.