Minister Killeen attends 95 ^th International Labour Conference

Minister for Labour Affairs Mr. Tony Killeen T.D attended the 95^th International Labour Conference in Geneva on 8^th and 9^th June 2006 on behalf of the Irish Government.

Ireland is currently a member of the ILO’s Governing Body for the three-year period ending in June 2008.

During his visit, the Minister addressed the Conference on the ILO Director General’s Activities Reports and the ILO’s Report “The End of Child Labour: Within Reach”.

Minister Killeen stressed that “Many of the issues referred to in the DG’s Activities Report feature in the current Social Partnership negotiations. The Social Partnership process has, in no small way, helped to build a consensual approach to economic and social development in Ireland over the past two decades”.

On “Ending Child Labour” the Minister highlighted that the Irish aid agency Trocaire had run a very effective Lenten Campaign on Child Labour earlier this year aimed at increasing the public’s awareness of this issue.

The Minister welcomed the fact that:

• the number of child labourers fell worldwide by 11% between 2000 and 2004,

• • the number of children and youths in hazardous work decreased by 26%, with the most pronounced drop in those aged 5-14 years old.

In response to the Reports call for the elimination of child labour in Africa, Minister Killeen indicated that the Irish Government donates over €40 million a year on education, mainly focused on Africa. He said: “The aim is to ensure access to education for all, as education is a key driver of change in reducing the factors which lead to child labour”.

“Ireland is currently reviewing our partnership programme with the ILO. Our aid programme is growing. We have the opportunity and willingness to provide additional support to the ILO’s efforts to eliminate child labour and exploitation in all its forms” he added.

Minister Killeen met with Mr. Juan Somavia, Director General of the ILO to discuss the issues that were topical in the Conference.

During the Conference, Minister Killeen also held a meeting with Mr. Jukka Takala, Head of the ILO’s Worker Safety Division and incoming Director of the European Commission’s European Agency for Health and Safety at Work to discuss health and safety matters insofar as Ireland and the Agency are concerned.

Minister Killeen also held bilateral meetings with Ms Patricia O’Donovan, Executive Director of the ILO’s Management and Administration Unit and with representatives of ICTU and IBEC attending the Conference on behalf of Irish workers and employers.

The Conference held a special discussion on the implementation by Ireland of Convention No. 159 Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Disabled Persons) which was ratified by Ireland in 1986. The Conference was given detailed presentations by Irish Government, employers and workers representatives on the Workway Project (www.workway.ie) which is overseen by Minister Killeen’s Department.

The Conference noted with satisfaction the information provided and highly commended the Irish Government’s approach to promoting the Convention at national and international levels, and asked the Government to continue providing information on measures adopted to promote employment in favour of persons with disabilities in the context of its national policy and international cooperation.

Minister Killeen welcomed this very positive feedback from the Committee and commended both ICTU and IBEC for their work on the Workway Project.

ENDS / LA 191

NOTE FOR EDITORS

The role of the International Labour Conference is to adopt and oversee compliance with international labour standards, establish the budget of the Organization, and elect members of the Governing Body. Since 1919, the Conference has served as a major international forum for debate on social and labour questions of worldwide importance.

The Conference is expected to draw more than 3,000 delegates including labour ministers and leaders of workers' and employers' organizations from most of the ILO's 178 member States. Each member country has the right to send four delegates to the Conference: two from government and one each representing workers and employers, each of whom may speak and vote independently.

ENDS