The Gazette 1995

A P R IL 1 9 95

GAZETTE

B O O K

R E V I E W S

stated in the section on the Minimum Notice and Terms of Employment Act, 1973 that reference should be made to the Terms of Employment (Information) Act, 1994. It may be slightly misleading as there is no clear statement stating that the original sections of the 1973 Act providing for the statement on terms and conditions of employment have now been repealed by the 1994 Act. However these minor points do not take away from the authors' good work. Section Two in providing a summary of the Joint Labour Committees is no mean feat - most people do not have a Relations Act, 1946, JLCs provide for minimum rates of pay and conditions of employment for employees working in certain industries and services, for example the Law Clerks JLC. This section is really a wealth of information and makes fascinating reading for anybody who has an interest in labour history. In the age of CD ROM how many people know that employees working in the aerated waters, brush and broom, provender milling, shirtmaking, handkerchief and household piece goods and womens' clothing and millinery industries either exist or are entitled to minimum terms and conditions of employment. Any lawyer who may have to deal with queries on terms and conditions of employment in such industries and services must have a copy of this book. Finally this book is recommended as a useful vade mecum on employment queries and it is extremely good value. The authors are to be complimented and should make sure that they keep this text up to date with future editions in this increasingly complex and growing area of law. clue what they are. Originally established under the Industrial

the law as stated must be checked to ascertain its compatibility with Irish Law.

Chitty on Con t r ac ts (Twenty Seventh Edition)

Ronan Baird

Published by Sweet and Maxwell (RRP STG £225.00) General Editor: A. G. Guest CBE QC MA FBA. The latest edition of this well known English textbook updates all the relevant legislation and case law since the last publication in 1989. It is published in two volumes. The first is entitled "General Principles", the second "Specific Contracts". Volume 1 has an excellent introduction covering aspects such as the nature and classification of contracts and includes a new section on the relationship between Contract and Tort. The volume then proceeds on a logical path to deal in great detail with all the various aspects of a contract. It follows on with a consideration of remedies for breach of contract and restitution and concludes with a discussion on conflict of laws, a section which has been completely re- written to take account of the Rome Convention on the law applicable to contractual obligations, which has been implemented in the United Kingdom by the Contracts (Applicable Law) Act 1990. Volume 2 deals with various specific forms of contracts. It opens with a detailed chapter on agency. The areas of carriage by air and land are also examined. The topic of employment contracts is given comprehensive treatment as are the areas of restrictive agreements, completion and the sale of goods. In conclusion, this is a fine publication which would prove a valuable asset on any lawyer's bookshelf. However, it must be noted that this is an English textbook and

Your Rights At Work

By Eddie Higgins and Nuala Keher, Institute of Public Administration, Dublin, 1994, 240pp., pback, £4.99. Your Rights at Work is divided into three parts. Part One covers the various employment law statutes, Part Two provides a comprehensive section on Joint Labour Committees and Part Three provides a listing of useful addresses and a glossary of industrial relations terms. Up to date summaries of the various employment law statutes are provided to include the Terms of Employment (Information) Act, 1994 which has the requirement for detailed statements of terms and conditions of employment to be given to employees. Some of the summaries are particularly useful, for example the authors under the Payment of Wages Act, 1991 which prohibits non-agreed deductions from wages (inter alia), have actually given examples of the computation of awards under the Act; the safety legislation is also well done with a summary listing of requirements for a safety committee depending on the size of the firm. If one was to criticise this section of the book it would be on the basis that the authors appear to have a slight hesitation in stating that certain legislation is repealed e.g. there is a reference under the Industrial Relations Act 1990 that the Trade Disputes Act, 1906 and the Amendment Act of 1982 are

'associated' with the 1990 Act. This is untrue as both the 1906 and 1982 Acts were repealed by the 1990 Act. It is

Frances Meenan

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