Functions of the Irish Labour Relations Commission and Labour Court

The Functions of the Labour Relations Commission in Ireland.

· To provide a conciliation service. Conciliation is a procedure by which parties in dispute can meet to sort out their difficulties with the help of a third party

· To offer guidance on codes of practice but only after consultation with union and employer organisations such as ICTU and IBEC. The codes of practice are not enforceable, but they can be taken into account by an equality officer or a rights commissioner in deciding an issue.
· Nominates Rights Commissioners

· Appoints Equality Officers and Staff

· To provide an industrial relations advisory service. The Commission offers advice to employers and unions on industrial relations practice in general or in a particular employment. · Industrial Relations Research – Monitors developments in industrial relations matters.

· Assists Joint Labour Committies/Joint Industrial Councils

2005 – Equality issues have become the responsibility of the Department of Justice Equality and Law Reform and not the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment.

The Labour Court (LC)
· The Labour Court investigates industrial disputes and issues recommendations for their settlement.
· In general all disputes must first go through the Conciliation service of the LRC. The Labour Court may only investigate a dispute if it receives a report from the LRC that nothing more can be done by the LRC to resolve the dispute. The LRC must waive its function of conciliation.
· Due to the principle of free collective bargaining the Labour Court’s recommendations are generally not legally binding