asked the Minister for Labour the number of unfair dismissals reported to his Department for the years 1986, 1987 and 1988.

Claims of unfair dismissal may be referred to Rights Commissioners or the Employment Appeals Tribunal under the Unfair Dismissals Act, 1977, or to the Rights Commissioners and the Labour Court under the Industrial Relations Act, 1969.

I have included the information on cases under the 1977 Act in a tabular statement. As regards cases under the 1969 Act, there is no breakdown in respect of cases referred to Rights Commissioners. Each annual report of the Labour Court, however, contains a full list of cases dealt with and the subject matter.

Cases referred under the Unfair Dismissals Act, 1977.