New regulations signed yesterday will increase the number of hours people aged 16 and 17 can work in licensed premises.
A code of practice for the employment of young people in pubs and hotels was also agreed between the Government, trade unions, vintners' associations and hotels.
The Minister of State for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Mr Tom Kitt, who signed the regulations, said that, taken as a package, the regulations and code of practice "place the employment of young people firmly in the context that education comes first".
Under the new regulations, young people can work in licensed premises until 11 p.m. rather than the current 10 p.m. The later finishing time applies when there is no school the next day, and provided the employee does not start before 7 a.m. the following day. They will be allowed to carry out general duties, but cannot serve alcohol from behind a bar or for off-licence sales.
At a press conference announcing the new rules and code of practice, Mr Kitt said he had no doubts the code would "provide the necessary comfort factor to employers in the trade, to young persons working in licensed premises, to their parents or guardians as well as to school authorities and teachers alike".
The Minister said changing to a later finishing time was a practical measure, reflecting the change in licensing hours. He stressed, however, that the late working time was only agreed when the code of practice was also put in place.
The regulations also allow 16and 17-year-old bar apprentices to work until midnight provided they are supervised by an adult, but not before 8 a.m. the next day.
Employing young people will be allowed provided the employer has regard to the code of practice for the employment of young people in licensed premises. The code has a "quasi-legal" status, and the Minister said when deciding to pursue legal action, the Department would take into account non-compliance with the code.
The code includes provisions such as written consent of parents or guardians before employing the young person; provision for study leave without having to work excessive hours in the run-up to exams, and a guarantee that the student's job is protected; and procedures to deal with bullying, sexual harassment and equality issues.
Mr Kitt said he did not believe 16 and 17-year-olds should be excluded from working in pubs and hotels. Licensed premises were part and parcel of Irish society and young people should not be excluded from such work, he said, provided they were working in properly-run premises.
He called on parents, guardians and teachers to report any infringements of the regulations or the code of practice and said everyone had a moral obligation to play their part in ensuring that the code became the norm.
