Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2016, published 106th ILC session (2017)

Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No. 81) - Ireland (Ratification: 1951)

Articles 10 and 16 of the Convention. Sufficient number of labour inspectors and adequate coverage of workplaces by labour inspection. In its previous comment, the Committee noted that the number of labour inspectors working within the National Employment Rights Authority (NERA) had decreased from 132 in 2008 to 108 in 2010, and that the number of labour inspections, as a result of this reduction, had decreased from 8,859 in 2009 to 5,591 in 2011. The Committee notes the Government’s indication, in reply to the Committee’s request, that the reasons for this reduction are due to the moratorium introduced in 2009 on recruitment and promotion in the public sector. While the Committee notes that the Government has provided the requested information on the recruitment of labour inspectors with specific language skills, it also observes that no information has been provided on the current number of labour inspectors working within the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) and the Health and Safety Authority (HSA).

In its previous comment, the Committee also noted the Government’s reference to the identification of non-compliance risk areas as a measure to achieve improved coverage of workplaces by labour inspections. In this respect, the Committee welcomes the details provided by the Government on the factors for identifying high-risk sectors or workplaces including, among other things, statistics on previous compliance levels and those obtained from the tax and social security authorities; and sectors known for low payment levels, long working hours, precarious working conditions, or a high incidence of migrant workers. The Committee requests that the Government provide information on the human resources strategy pursued to achieve the satisfactory coverage of workplaces by labour inspections. The Committee also requests the Government to provide statistical information on the number of labour inspectors working at the WRC and the HSA, the inspection visits undertaken by these bodies (including the number of routine inspection visits, targeted inspection visits at high-risk sectors and workplaces and visits in response to a complaint), and the ratio of all workplaces covered by labour inspections.