asked the Minister for Labour if a review of the Unfair Dismissals Act is in progress; the length the review is in progress; when it will be completed; and when it is intended to introduce amending legislation.

A review of the Unfair Dismissals Act, 1977, was commenced in my Department in 1982. The review necessitated a series of discussions with both sides of industry and other interests. The review also had regard to verious international developments in this area. It included consideration of a large number of proposals of a technical and complex nature.

This review has recently been completed and proposals for amending legislation are at present under consideration. The Minister for Labour intends to submit these proposals to Government within the next few weeks.

The Minister hopes to be in a position to introduce the amending Bill later this year.

Could the Minister of State indicate how soon legislative proposals will be before this House? Secondly, will he indicate if consultations have taken place with both sides of industry on a possible review or on alterations that may take place?

I will take the second part of the question first. The views of the social partners have been ascertained. The review in progress has taken account of the views of the FUE of Congress and of the Employment Appeals Tribunal as well as the views of other individuals and organisations who came forward to state their opinion. We have had regard to academic criticism of the present legislation, most notably the study by Dr. Mary Redmond. We have also taken into account international developments. With regard to the first part of the Deputy's question as to when it may come before the House, as I have indicated, the Minister for Labour hopes to be in a position to introduce an amending Bill later this year.

I did not ask about submissions. I asked if consultations had taken place with both sides of industry. Will the Minister of State say if consultations have taken place at ministerial level or at Minister of State level involving both sides of industry?

I cannot say that consultations at ministerial level have taken place at this stage. In the ordinary course of events when the Government had made their views known following a submission from the Department, consultations would then take place at ministerial level.

Is it the position that the views of the social partners are not being discussed by the Minister or the Minister of State?

At this stage we have been receiving the views of the various interested parties and on the basis of those views the Minister for Labour will shortly put before the Government proposals for amending legislation. When the Government clear the proposals there will, in the ordinary course of events, be a time-lag and during that period both social partners will be consulted either by the Minister or by myself.

It is Government by diktat.

The remaining questions will appear on next Tuesday's Order Paper.

With the permission of the Chair, I wish to raise on the Adjournment the fact that the Minister for Agriculture did not look for an exemption from the super-levy for farmers in the west of Ireland, as he promised when he visited Sligo last November.

The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.