Rabbitte queries labour inspector figures

There were heated exchanges between Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and Labour leader Pat Rabbitte over the number of labour inspectors employed by the State.

Mr Rabbitte insisted there were only 31 labour inspectors covering a workforce of two million people. Mr Ahern insisted that what he had said last week was the case. "We are employing 90 inspectors."

When the Labour leader again challenged the figure, Mr Ahern said: "If Deputy Rabbitte really wants to be helpful, he could put a word in with a few of his party members who are actively involved in the public service unions and who could help us to deal with some of the difficulties in the filling of the 90 posts because there are some restrictions. We will have 90 inspectors, as promised in Towards 2016."

Mr Rabbitte also claimed that all the commitments regarding the new enforcement agency, which was to be established to ensure work standards were being complied with, had not been implemented.

"On the bottom rung of the ladder workers are being displaced blatantly and for no other reason than some employers find it possible to exploit non-national workers who are afraid to join trade unions or put their heads up and are willing to work additional hours and for the national minimum wage or less than it. The commitments entered into in Towards 2016 have not been implemented."

Mr Ahern said the Towards 2016 programme was launched formally only a few weeks ago, but Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Micheál Martin and his department had set up a separate unit to engage with the social partners and move on legislation to address issues in a number of areas. He said there were now a number of important protections for employees.

Mr Ahern said the Government must bring forward legislation to deal with a number of areas covered by Towards 2016, but he did not know the dates for those Bills.

Mr Rabbitte referred to Tuesday's RTÉ Prime Time programme which had assessed the performance of Irish Ferries since it displaced its Irish workforce and took on cheaper labour. It had shown that 48 Irish staff, retained by agreement at the time, had been driven out as a matter of policy by the company's management and only four workers were left.

Mr Rabbitte said the necessary legislation to deal with such a situation would not be brought forward in the lifetime of the Dáil. "Nothing is being done about it and this phenomenon continues."

Mr Ahern said: "Deputy Rabbitte is wrong as usual. The legislation has already been passed by the Government, will be published shortly and will deal with these issues.

"The Minister has just told me Jack O'Connor [president of Siptu] who briefed Deputy Rabbitte on these issues, is in direct consultation with him. Mr O'Connor sought that consultation before we published the Bill." Mr Rabbitte said that they had both talked to Mr O'Connor.

Mr Ahern said: "When he telephoned Deputy Rabbitte, he forgot to say he sought consultation and that is the reason the Bill has not been published. I am sure he will say that to the deputy in the next telephone call."