Description and Functions of the Authority
The Authority is the national body in Ireland with responsibility for securing the safety, health and welfare of all persons at work. It is a state-sponsored body, operating under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 and reporting to the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation (Minister for Labour Affairs and Public Service Transformation).
The Authority’s functions include the promotion of measures for the safety, health and welfare of all employees and employers throughout the state, the monitoring of compliance with the 2005 Act and enforcement, under statutory provisions, where non-compliance occurs.
The Authority provides advice and information on matters relating to safety, health and welfare at work and fosters national and localised co-operation on risk prevention between people and organisations that represent employees and employers.
The Authority’s work programme is led by its senior management team who act in line with Government policy, implementation strategy, measure and evaluate operational effectiveness on an ongoing basis and report quarterly to the Board.
The Authority currently has a headquarters office in Dublin with regional field offices in Waterford, Cork, Limerick, Galway, Sligo, Athlone and Kilkenny. The Kilkenny office is also the headquarters for the Chemicals Policy and Services division of the Authority. The Authority has secured offices in Kilkenny as an interim location for decentralisation pending completion of the Authority’s offices in Thomastown, Co Kilkenny.
6.1 Policy statement with regard to confidentiality and Freedom of Information
The Authority undertakes to hold any information provided to it by individuals or others on a confidential basis, subject to the Authority's obligations under law, including the Freedom of Information Acts.