Minister Killeen Launches LRC Annual Report

The Minister for Labour Affairs, Mr. Tony Killeen T.D. today (Tuesday, 1^st of May 2007) launched the Annual Report of the Labour Relations Commission for 2006.

In launching the Report, the Minister commended the Board and staff of the Labour Relations Commission for their work during the year. “The Commission has committed its considerable experience, skill and knowledge to once again deliver a high quality and highly respected service to its many customers” he said. The Minister congratulated the Commission in maintaining its high rate of resolution of trade disputes – 81% of disputes referred to the Commission’s Conciliation Services Division were resolved at conciliation stage in 2006. He also noted that the Commission’s Advisory Service considerably increased the level of its activity during the year.

Minister Killeen remarked on the significant increase in the number of referrals to the Rights Commissioner Service of the Labour Relations Commission during the year – up 28% – a reflection on the increased number of people at work and the increasing levels of awareness relating to employment rights in recent times.

“I am committed to providing the additional resources to enable the Rights Commissioner Service to fulfil its role effectively,” the Minister said. “To this end, I will shortly appoint 5 additional rights commissioners as foreseen in the framework social partnership agreement “Towards 2016”. Further additional staff and other resources will, he said, also be allocated to ensure that the Rights Commissioner Service, and the Labour Relations Commission in general, is equipped to deal with the challenges ahead.

The Minister also said that the Exceptional Collective Redundancies Bill had already passed all stages in the Dáil and he hoped that the Bill would conclude its passage through the Seanad later in the afternoon.

ENDS/LA237