21st February 2022
Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail, Damien English TD, has appointed a new Ordinary Member to the Board of the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC). The appointment of Ms. Judith Fitzgerald to the position of Ordinary Member of the Board means that the WRC Board is now complete in terms of its statutory capacity.
The appointment of Ms. Fitzgerald is made following an open recruitment campaign conducted by the Public Appointments Service (PAS).
The Chairman of the WRC Board is Dr. David Begg. Together with this appointment of Ms. Fitzgerald, the Ordinary Members of the WRC Board are Ms. Ethel Buckley, Ms. Virginija Petrauskaite, Mr. George Maybury, Mr. Stephen Driver, Ms. Sinead Gogan, Mr. Barry O’Brien and Mr. Brendan Mc Ginty.
Appointments to the Board of the WRC are statutory appointments under section 10 of the Workplace Relations Act 2015.
Commenting on today’s announcement, Minister English said
“I want to welcome Ms. Fitzgerald onto the WRC Board and wish her the very best in this new role. I’m confident her considerable experience and expertise will contribute enormously to the important work of the WRC and the vital role it plays in Irish society and for the economy in general.”
The Board of the WRC comprises a Chairperson and 8 Ordinary Members as provided for in the Workplace Relations Act 2015. The Board has two statutory functions, which are:
- To prepare, in consultation with the Director General of the WRC, an annual work programme for the forthcoming year for the approval of the Minister.
- In consultation with the Director General, to prepare and submit a three-year strategy statement to the Minister setting out the WRC’s planned strategy for the next three years.
Notes to editor
The Workplace Relations Act 2015 provides for the WRC Board to consist of eight ordinary members and a Chairman who shall be appointed by the Minister. The Act stipulates that appointments to the Board shall consist of four members representative of the interests of employees and employers (2 members each); one member to promote equality in the workplace and three members with experience and expertise in relation to workplace relations, resolution of disputes in the workplace, employment law or equality law.
The Chairman of the WRC Board is Dr. David Begg. Together with Ms. Fitzgerald the WRC Ordinary Members are Ms. Ethel Buckley, Ms. Virginija Petrauskaite, Mr. George Maybury, Mr. Stephen Driver, Ms. Sinead Gogan, Mr. Barry O’Brien and Mr. Brendan Mc Ginty.
With the appointment of Ms. Fitzgerald, the WRC Board is now complete in terms of its statutory capacity.
Judith Fitzgerald:
Ms. Fitzgerald is a legal professional qualifies as a solicitor in Ireland, England, and Wales. She has extensive experience in private practice and currently works a Legal Counsel for a multinational. Her areas of legal expertise includes commercial and intellectual property law, conveyancing, an civil litigation with a special interest in employment law including employee/employer relations, data protection and alternative dispute resolution. Prior to working as a legal professional, she managed a successful business in Cork and so she brings both commercial and practical business experience to the Board.
Core Services of the WRC:
The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) was established on 1 October 2015 under the Workplace Relations Act 2015. The WRC’s core services include the provision of early dispute resolution, mediation, conciliation, facilitation and advisory services, adjudication on complaints and disputes, the monitoring of employment conditions to ensure compliance with and (where necessary) enforcement of employment rights legislation, the provision of information, and the processing of employment agency and protection of young persons (employment) licenses.
The core mission of the WRC centers around the promotion and improvement of industrial and employment relations generally, and the maintenance of proper employment standards which, in turn, contributes significantly to the architecture of economic and social development and growth. In this regard, the collective and specialist services of the WRC play a vital role in contributing towards industrial peace, adjudicating on individual disputes, and monitoring and enforcing compliance with employment standards across the economy.
The main functions of the WRC:
- Promote the improvement of workplace relations, and the maintenance of good workplace relations
- Promote and encourage compliance with relevant employment legislation
- Provide guidance in relation to compliance with Codes of Practice
- Conduct reviews of, and monitor developments, in workplace relations generally
- Conduct or commission relevant research and provide advice, information, and the findings of research to Joint Labor Committees and Joint Industrial Councils
- Advise the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment in relation to the application of, and compliance with, relevant legislation, and
- Provide information to the public in relation to employment legislation (other than the Employment Equality Act)
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