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Irish Independent
6 days ago
- Business
- Irish Independent
New workers' rights laws mean Joint Labour Committee system ‘not fit for purpose', Ibec says
In a submission to a government department, Ibec is critical of the Joint Labour Committee system. These committees, which include employer and union representatives, set legally binding employment conditions and rates of pay for workers in sectors including childcare, contract cleaning and security. The employer group claimed that significant legislation on workers' rights recently means it is difficult to find an incentive for employers to participate. Ibec said these laws include statutory sick pay, extra leave, and minimum-wage increases while legislation is pending on pension auto-enrolment and surrogacy leave. It made the submission to a recent Department of Enterprise public consultation on the promotion of collective bargaining. Collective bargaining involves talks between employer and union representatives on behalf of groups of workers on their terms and conditions. Under an EU directive, each member state in which collective bargaining coverage is less than 80pc must come up with an action plan to promote collective bargaining by the end of the year. 'Ibec is of the view that the Joint Labour Committee structure, as it currently operates, is not fit for purpose in the modern workplace,' its submission said. It said 'employment regulation orders' drawn up by these committees are not collective agreements. As a result, it said they will be of 'limited value' to any action plan on collective bargaining that Ireland produces. It said it has become increasingly difficult to identify traditional areas of collective negotiation that are not regulated by statute. ADVERTISEMENT 'In the last five years, we have seen a significant legislative-driven agenda resulting in the introduction of statutory sick pay, the extension of statutory leaves, introduction of new statutory leaves, increases in minimum wage, with further implementation or legislation pending on auto-enrolment for pensions and further leaves such as surrogacy leave, to name but a few,' it said. It said the intent of the Joint Labour Committee system is to regulate pay and conditions of employment. 'If statute already does so, Ibec submits that it is difficult to identify an incentive for employers to participate in the operation of Joint Labour Committees.' However, it said action is required to strengthen the capacity of the social partners to engage in collective bargaining on wage setting in individual workplaces. It said dedicating funding to training will help promote collective bargaining. It welcomed a government commitment to 'unlock' the National Training Fund, which will have a surplus near €2bn this year. 'We believe that the provision of collective bargaining training should focus on those employee and employer representatives in companies which are already engaged in collective bargaining or have agreements in place to recognise a union,' it said. It said it believes that a 'good faith engagement' process involving a single meeting between an employer and union may play a role in Ireland's action plan to promote collective bargaining. However, after this it said an employer could continue to hold their position 'not to recognise a union'. The employer representative group said it does not believe that a statutory entitlement to trade union access to the workplace should be introduced. It said providing for a right of access to workplaces, whether physical or digital, would raise significant constitutional, legal and security issues.
Irish Post
25-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Post
Government announces dedicated unit to support Ireland's 'vital' small businesses
THE IRISH GOVERNMENT has announced the establishment of a new unit to support Ireland's small businesses, which provide 'vital employment and economic benefit across the country'. The Small Business Unit will ensure the needs and issues of small businesses have a dedicated focus within the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and across government. As well as helping small businesses access grants and support, the unit's remit will also include implementing Ireland's SME Test. Announced last year, the test seeks to ensure small businesses are given due consideration when new policies are introduced so that they are not disproportionately impacted by regulations. 'Economic benefit' Announcing the establishment of the dedicated unit, Peter Burke, Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, emphasised the importance of SMEs to the Irish economy. "Small businesses employ two thirds of our population and keep our local communities and economies vibrant and strong," he said. "Government must recognise this, and ensure we are providing the support that SMEs need to run their businesses successfully and continue to provide vital employment and economic benefit across the country." He added: "Since my appointment as Minister I have put small businesses front and centre of my priorities. "The Programme for Government sets out clearly how the needs of small businesses must have a dedicated focus and are recognised and acknowledged across government. "The Small Business Unit will focus on rigorously implementing the SME Test, to ensure the perspectives of small businesses are considered across government before new legislation or regulation is introduced. "The unit will oversee the simplification of information and access to grants and supports for businesses though the National Enterprise Hub. "It will also ensure the Local Enterprise Offices are properly resourced to help small businesses." SME turnover SMEs accounted for 99.8 per cent of all enterprises and 69.2 per cent of persons employed, according to the most recent CSO statistics on these businesses in Ireland. More than two-fifths (41.5 per cent) of total turnover and 34.8 per cent of Gross Value Added (GVA) was attributed to these SMEs. The establishment of the Small Business Unit comes after the government agreed last month to expedite the development of the Action Plan for Competitiveness and Productivity. The plan is intended to cover areas critical to Ireland's economic performance, including industrial policy, regulatory burden reduction, infrastructure, energy, trade and innovation. See More: Peter Burke, SME
Irish Examiner
23-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Government announces new Small Business Unit to oversee access to grants
A new dedicated Small Business Unit based in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment will oversee access to grants and supports for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). SMEs - those businesses employing less than 250 people - account for 99.8% of all enterprises and 69.2% of persons employed according to the CSO. Enterprise, tourism and employment minister Peter Burke said the Small Business Unit will ensure the perspectives of small businesses are considered across Government before new legislation or regulation is introduced. It will also ensure the local enterprise offices are properly resourced to help small businesses, he said. 'Small businesses employ two thirds of our population and keep our local communities and economies vibrant and strong. Government must recognise this, and ensure we are providing the support that SMEs need to run their businesses successfully and continue to provide vital employment and economic benefit across the country," Mr Burke said. The move is part of the Programme for Government commitments.
Business Post
09-05-2025
- Business
- Business Post
How Irish water companies are capitalising on crisis-ridden privatised English sector
companies How Irish water companies are capitalising on crisis-ridden privatised English sector Dominic McGrath 15:46 Niamh Smyth, junior minister at the Department of Enterprise, at the Winchburgh Wastewater Treatment Plant, which was delivered by Cork firm EPS. Picture: Enterprise Ireland Business Post subscribers can read: • Which Irish companies are playing a key role in the UK water industry • Why the challenges facing water companies offer an opportunity to some Irish firms • Some of the projects Irish companies have been working on News UK Water LATEST NEWS 15:59 Live News: US Postal Service reports $3.3bn loss; Vespa maker Piaggio's revenue falls to €370.7m 15:46 How Irish water companies are capitalising on crisis-ridden privatised English sector 15:45 Construction media founder warns of challenges facing UK builders 15:27 Tipperary businessman Declan Kelly joins David Beckham and Gary Neville to buy Salford City FC 14:15 Dominic McGrath: Why UK's fudged trade deal with Trump is a bad omen for Ireland and the EU 14:00 Checking In: The Clooney-approved Ballyfin Demesne offers a divine retreat like no other
RTÉ News
05-05-2025
- Business
- RTÉ News
Enterprise Minister to urge agencies to cut red tape for SMEs
Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke is to meet with the heads of 19 agencies and offices under his remit today to instruct them to reflect on their processes and the obligations they put on small businesses. They will be called on to significantly simplify their policies, slash red tape and make any forms or statutory applications much more accessible, reducing and eliminating unnecessary steps. The agency heads will be told that only vital information should be asked for, proportionate to the size of the business and risk involved, for example, when it comes to applying for a grant or renewing a business license. The Government has previously announced an "SME test", whereby State bodies are mandated to do a risk assessment to ensure any new measures do not have a disproportionate impact on SMEs, and mitigation measures put in place if they do. The agencies will now be asked to display how they have reviewed and simplified their regulations each year in a separate section of their annual reports. Mr Burke has written to agency CEOs, after reviewing some of their processes, which he thinks are too excessive and off-putting for SMEs. The Department of Enterprise has the most agencies of any department under its remit, including Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland, the Company Registration Office, the Health and Safety Authority, the Workplace Relations Commission, and the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, all of which have a significant reach into the SME sector and influence on Irish businesses. Last week, Mr Burke met with the General Secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) Owen Reidy amid claims by unions that the Government is backsliding on workers' rights. Mr Reidy said that delays relating to the living wage, sick pay and pension auto-enrolment were disgraceful and warned that it could result in industrial unrest. Amid concerns about high business costs, a plan to replace the minimum wage with a new living wage has been delayed by three years to 2029, and a decision on whether to abolish youth sub-minimum rates has been deferred. A plan to increase workers' statutory sick leave from five to seven days has been paused, and the start of pension auto-enrolment has been moved from September 2025 to January 2026.
