I propose to take Questions Nos. 47, 48, 49 and 94 together.
As in any sector of employment, wage levels in the areas referred to by the Deputies are a matter for negotiation and agreement between employees and employers, and/or their representatives. Where disputes arise the services of the Labour Relations Commission and the Labour Court are available to the parties.
As I stated earlier in my response to a priority question, the Industrial Relations Acts, 1946-1990, provides that trade unions, or other organisations claiming to represent a category of workers may make application to the Labour Court for the establishment of a joint labour committee, known as a JLC.
The function of a JLC is to draw up proposals for fixing minimum rates of pay and conditions of employment for the workers involved. When proposals submitted by a joint Labour Committee are confirmed by the Labour Court, through the making of an Employment Regulation Order (ERO), they become statutory minimum pay and conditions of employment for the workers concerned.
There are already three JLCs in operation which impact on tourism-related employment, two cover the catering area and the third covers hotels. In the case of the hotels, JLC, Cork city, Dublin city and Dun Laoghaire are not included. I am informed that the SIPTU trade union has applied to the Labour Court for the establishment of a JLC for hotels in the Dublin and Dun Laoghaire areas. The Labour Court is to hold an inquiry on 3 April, 1997 into the application by SIPTU.
To date an ERO has not been ratified by the Labour Court in respect of the catering JLC for the Dublin and Dun Laoghaire areas.
EROs are enforced by the labour inspectorate of my Department. Routine inspections are undertaken to ensure that employers are complying with the terms of the EROs. In addition, inspectors pursue reported breaches of these EROs.