Collective bargaining and whistleblowing legislation
Mary Lou McDonald seeks timetables for collective bargaining and protected disclosures legislation, while the Taoiseach says both that legislation and the industrial relations Bill are expected in the next session.
In the course of Taoiseach's Questions today the Taoiseach was asked about collective bargaining rights and legislation to underpin these rights in the State. I would like a precise timetable as to when the legislation will be published and when it might be enacted.
We had thought the whistleblowers legislation, which is the Protected Disclosures Bill, would be enacted before the Christmas recess but there seems to be some delay. Will the Taoiseach set out the timetable for the legislation?
Today the Taoiseach launched his medium-term economic plan amid some fanfare. Will he tell us whether there will be time allowed for scrutiny and debate of this economic plan?
Comment on this
The economic plan is a medium-term structure as far as 2020. It was not delivered with any excessive fanfare. It was a normal presentation at the Government press centre. I recall when there were some very flash operations in various parts of the city by various Governments. The Protected Disclosures Bill is finished in the Seanad and is awaiting Second Stage in the Dáil. It will be in the next session I expect. The industrial relations Bill will be dealt with in the next session in so far as the programme for Government is concerned. As I stated to Deputy Martin, the other one is at the start of the next session.