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The Committee notes the detailed information contained in the Government’s report.

2. Article 8 of the Convention. National legislation. The Committee notes with interest the adoption of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 2005, replacing the Act of 1989, ensuring the application of the Convention, including the Articles mentioned in its previous comments. It notes the Government’s statement that the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations, 1993, are to be replaced in the near future. The Committee hopes that the regulations issued under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 2005, will be adopted in the near future and asks the Government to provide a copy thereof once they have been adopted.

3. Article 11. Competent authority. The Committee notes that the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) continues to ensure the functions under this Article of the Convention. It notes that HSA has a three-year strategic plan, implemented each year by an annual programme at work and that the annual report contains an evaluation of the preceding years’ activities and that it can be consulted on www.hsa.ie.

4. Parts III and V of the report form. The Committee requests the Government to provide information with its next report on whether any court of law or other tribunal has given decisions involving questions of principle relating to the application of the Convention. It also asks the Government to provide a general appreciation of the manner in which the Convention is applied in Ireland, including extracts from inspection reports, the number of workers covered, disaggregated by gender if possible, the number and nature of the contraventions reported, and the number, nature and cause of the accidents reported.