Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005

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Functions of Authority.

34.—(1) The general functions of the Authority are—

(a) to promote, encourage and foster the prevention of accidents, dangerous occurrences and personal injury at work in accordance with the relevant statutory provisions,

(b) to promote, encourage, foster and provide education and training in the safety, health and welfare of persons at work,

(c) to encourage and foster measures promoting the safety, health and welfare of persons at work,

(d) subject to subsection (2) and section 33 , to make adequate arrangements for the enforcement of the relevant statutory provisions,

(e) to monitor, evaluate and make recommendations to the Minister regarding implementation of and compliance with—

(i) the relevant statutory provisions, and

(ii) best practice relating to safety, health and welfare at work, and the review and maintenance of relevant records by employers,

(f) to promote, encourage and foster co-operation with and between persons or bodies of persons that represent employees and employers and any other persons or bodies of persons, as appropriate, as regards the prevention of risks to safety, health and welfare at work in accordance with the relevant statutory provisions,

(g) to make any arrangements that it considers appropriate for providing information and advice on matters relating to safety, health and welfare at work,

(h) to make any arrangements that it considers appropriate to conduct, commission, promote, support and evaluate research, surveys and studies on matters relating to the functions of the Authority and for this purpose—

(i) to foster and promote contacts and the exchange of information with other persons or bodies of persons involved in safety, health and welfare at work in and outside the State, and

(ii) as it considers appropriate, to publish in the form and manner that the Authority thinks fit, results arising out of such research, studies and surveys,

(i) in accordance with section 43 , to prepare and adopt a strategy statement and to monitor its implementation,

(j) in accordance with section 44 , to prepare and adopt a work programme,

(k) to comply with any directions in writing, whether general or particular, relating to its functions, that the Minister may from time to time give to the Authority,

(l) to give to the Minister any information relating to the performance of its functions that the Minister may from time to time require, and

(m) to perform any additional functions conferred on the Authority by order under section 35 .

(2) The Authority, subject to the approval of the Minister given with the consent of the Minister for Finance, may make agreements with—

(a) any Minister of the Government, or other person, for that Minister or person to perform on behalf of the Authority (with or without payment) any of its functions, or

(b) make agreements with any Minister of the Government for the Authority to perform on behalf of that Minister (with or without payment) any functions that may appropriately be performed by the Authority in connection with its functions under this Act.

(3) The Authority shall have all such powers as are necessary or expedient for the performance of its functions.

(4) The Authority may perform any of its functions through or by the Chief Executive or any other member of staff of the Authority duly authorised by the Authority to act in that behalf.