Estimates bonus for Labour Inspectorate

THE strength of the Labour Inspectorate will be boosted three-fold to 90 inspectors as a result of additional funding secured by Enterprise Minister Micheál Martin in today’s Estimates.

A sum of €11.2 million will be provided to the Department in the Government’s spending allocation for 2007 to bolster employment rights compliance.

This sum will be in an addition to the €10 million already approved for employment rights, excluding the Employment Appeals Tribunal.

The additional funding will allow the employment of an extra 120 staff in this area, including 60 extra labour inspectors (the current complement is 30).

When the Irish Examiner-led covered the plight of GAMA’s Turkish employees in early 2004, it led to harsh criticism of the inspectorate’s resources.

At the time there were only 22 inspectors to safeguard the rights of 1.8m workers.

Following the GAMA scandal, the workforce was increased to 30.

According to Department sources, the new inspectors should all be in place by the summer of next year.

The additional funds will also allow the setting up of the Office of the Director of Employment Rights Compliance which will have powers to inspect and to impose fines of up to €250,000 for breaches of employment law.

The Irish Examiner also understands an extra €1m will be made available to promote literacy and other skills for the long-term unemployed.

Finance Minister Brian Cowen is expected to announce overall spending plans of between €55 billion and €60bn for next year.

Health Minister Mary Harney has already confirmed her funding will rise by at least €1bn to circa €14bn.

The Department of Education is also expected to receive significant additional funding to target special needs initiatives and educational disadvantage.

This year, more than €640m was set aside for special needs programmes, while €636m went towards combating disadvantage.

Mr Cowen will publish the Book of Estimates — an outline of the costs of running each department and office of State — at 3pm in Government Buildings.

The other ministers will then host press conferences to announce the resources their individual departments have been allocated and how they intend to spend that money.

The Estimates will then be debated and voted upon by the Dáil before the Budget in the first week of December.

Mr Cowen has said several times there will be no pre-election “spending spree”.