Taoiseach vows to simplify employment legislation

Employment legislation must be reduced and simplified to make it more accessible to the general public, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern insisted today.

He said the system was in urgent need of an overhaul and that since the establishment of the Labour Court almost 60 years ago, structures had evolved in such an ad hoc way it was almost impossible to comprehend.

“There are now 25 Acts relating to employment rights and industrial relations, and eight bodies,” he said.

“This is to say nothing of amending legislation and the various Statutory Instruments.

“Whatever chance practitioners have of navigating their way around this maze, the average citizen has very little.”

He told the Labour Relations Commission symposium that reforms would include the reduction of the number of Acts, the simplification of the language and the provision of user-friendly guides.

Mr Ahern stressed the intention was not to reduce worker protections but to help the public to decode the system and to have a better understanding of their rights.

“It may not sound like very glamorous work, but it is very important,” he said. “Even putting in place an improved employment rights’ system, covering both rules and bodies, can make Ireland a better place in which to work and employ people.”

A review group examined the coherence of Ireland’s employment rights system last year.

A preliminary report has since been developed and the various employment rights bodies will now be consulted.

Mr Ahern said the Government was very conscious that the voluntarist aspect of the system was a particular strength, which should not be diminished.

“The Government looks forward to a successful outcome to this work,” he added.

“In the meantime I would urge people to renew their commitment to the existing employment relations system, and not to say or do anything that would undermine respect for its determinations.”

The eight bodies currently overseeing industrial relations are the Labour Court, the Rights Commissioner Service, the Conciliation Service of the LRC, the Employment Appeals Tribunal, the Equality Tribunal, the Employment Rights Enforcement Unit of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, the Equality Authority and the National Implementation Body.