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Dáil
‹ Order of Business

Collective bargaining and free GP care

Summary

Gerry Adams asks about legislation on collective bargaining and the Government’s promised free GP care; the Taoiseach provides updates on both measures.

Tá dhá cheist agam maidir le reachtaíocht atá forógraithe. On the Government's commitment to legislate for the right of workers to engage in collective bargaining in order that we might be in compliance with the recent judgment handed down by the European Court of Human Rights, will the Taoiseach indicate both the status of the relevant Bill and when he expects it to be published?

The Government gave a clear commitment that it would provide free GP care for all citizens, commencing with claimants of free drugs under the long-term illness scheme, during its first year in office. Obviously, that deadline was missed. It appears that the commitment to which I refer was formally dropped in May. Will the Taoiseach provide an update on the progress that has been made on the Government's commitment to provide free GP care?

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Enda Kenny The Taoiseach Fine Gael

The Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy White, has done extensive work in respect of this issue. He informed me yesterday that he expects to bring his proposals before the Cabinet sub-committee in the next week or two. I will keep the Deputy informed of the position.

On the question of collective bargaining, I would refer the Deputy to the statement issued by the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation when he spoke at the 102nd International Labour Conference in Geneva. He said: "It has been the consistent policy of successive Irish Governments to promote collective bargaining through the development of an institutional framework supportive of voluntary system of industrial relations". In the context of the programme for Government commitment, the Minister has written to all social dialogue participants in terms of reviewing collective bargaining against the backdrop of industrial relations legislation. Submissions have been received and discussions have been taking place between stakeholders' representatives and Department officials. The Minister expects to be in a position to conclude that consultation process shortly and to report to Government in the autumn on the outcome of that process and what proposals to improve the volunteerist system of industrial relations might be brought forward in 2013. He went on to say that he is happy that satisfactory arrangements can be put in place that will reconcile Ireland's constitutional, social and economic traditions and international obligations while at the same time ensuring the success in building Ireland's domestic jobs-base and in continuing to attract overseas investment into the country.

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