Results 4,761-4,780 of 6,478 for speaker:Gerald Nash

Seanad: Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (7 Jul 2015)

Gerald Nash: Section 16 sets out a comprehensive and a challenging set of factors that the Labour Court has to take into account when making a recommendation to the Minister in respect of a sectoral employment order. Amendment No. 5 would add two further factors that the court would be required to take into account. I have given significant consideration to these criteria with Government colleagues. I...

Seanad: Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (7 Jul 2015)

Gerald Nash: It is as clear as the nose on my face that the legislation on sectoral employment orders seeks to ensure fairness and the same rate of remuneration. This is a requirement to reach an SEO or for an SEO to be made. That takes into account rates of pay and the fairness of rates of pay in a given sector. This architecture has been supported by the trade union movement, which has not found...

Seanad: Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (7 Jul 2015)

Gerald Nash: I am pleased to have the opportunity to respond to Senator Cullinane on this point. The Mandate trade union has not formally made the point to me about hours of work, but it has made the point, publicly and privately, that the utility of the collective bargaining legislation is clear in terms of potentially assisting the trade union in the context of the dispute to which Senator Cullinane...

Seanad: Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (7 Jul 2015)

Gerald Nash: It is an interesting point. Let me start with the Senator's reference to harmonious industrial relations, a principle with which those engaged in the sector will be familiar. The Minister of the day will need to be satisfied before signing an order that it will promote industrial peace and harmonious industrial relations. In the absence of the old REA system which was struck down by the...

Seanad: Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (7 Jul 2015)

Gerald Nash: Amendment No. 7 seeks to include a prohibition on the blacklisting of a worker in the anti-victimisation provisions in section 19 if workers are covered by an SEO. The blacklisting of persons, for whatever reason, is an abhorrent practice, particularly for those exercising their rights regarding their remuneration or terms of employment. If there is evidence that this is a widespread...

Seanad: Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (7 Jul 2015)

Gerald Nash: Amendment No. 9 seeks to provide a role for trade union officials in the enforcement of registered employment agreements, registered employment orders which are more correctly entitled sectoral employment orders and employment regulation orders. It would also provide for the Minister making regulations providing for a right of access for trade union officials to the workplace and employees....

Seanad: Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (7 Jul 2015)

Gerald Nash: Amendment No. 12 deals with the issue of access by retired persons to the industrial relation machinery of the State and provides for the insertion of a new section to the Bill providing that the Minister may by regulation provide for a mechanism to provide for representation by or on behalf of retired employees in regard to pensions matters. I fully appreciate the concerns of retired and...

Seanad: Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (7 Jul 2015)

Gerald Nash: I am pleased to have an opportunity to respond to Senator Cullinane who made some very important points. I am also pleased that he very responsibly pointed out the constraints and limitations in terms of the Constitution, because not everybody who is contributing to the debate acknowledges that. Senator Cullinane has widely acknowledged the point, not just today but regularly in his public...

Seanad: Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (7 Jul 2015)

Gerald Nash: Section 43, which was introduced on Report Stage of the Dáil, provides for an amendment to the definition of “Agriculture” in the Industrial Relations Act 1976, for the purposes of giving effect to the Labour Court recommendation on the scope of the agriculture JLC, arising from the 2013 review undertaken by the court of all existing joint labour committees. In addition,...

Topical Issue Debate: Job Creation (2 Jul 2015)

Gerald Nash: I thank the Deputy for his contribution to this debate on the ongoing work of the committee and his input into its report. The importance the Government is placing on the retail sector is reflected in the fact that there are 12 discrete actions in the 2015 Action Plan for Jobs designed to support recovery in the retail sector. They includes a commitment to review the recommendations made in...

Topical Issue Debate: Job Creation (2 Jul 2015)

Gerald Nash: I know that as a member of the Joint Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Kyne has a genuine interest in seeing a recovery in the retail sector and has made a strong contribution in that policy area. The retail sector is an important part of the social fabric of both rural and urban areas. The retail and wholesale sector employs more than 270,000 people and constitutes...

Topical Issue Debate: Job Losses (2 Jul 2015)

Gerald Nash: I will relay those concerns to the Minister and to the agencies concerned. I agree it is very important that our State agencies swing into action to support people in the difficult decisions they have to take and ensure they have the complete information they need to make an informed decision. I am not aware of the specifics about the claims department but I assure the Deputy I will relay...

Topical Issue Debate: Autism Support Services (2 Jul 2015)

Gerald Nash: As I said, I am taking this debate on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch. I will relay the concerns the Deputy raised to her. I understand she has been raising them for some time. I will repeat what I said. It is not satisfactory that Deputies are waiting an excessive period of time for information that should be available very quickly from the HSE which is an agency...

Topical Issue Debate: Job Losses (2 Jul 2015)

Gerald Nash: My Department has contacted other relevant agencies to seek a co-ordinated response by State bodies. I know that the Department of Social Protection has already been in touch with the company, with a view to arranging briefing sessions with employees. This will happen in a matter of days. They will be advised on the Intreo process, jobseeker's payments and redundancy entitlements, as well...

Topical Issue Debate: Autism Support Services (2 Jul 2015)

Gerald Nash: I thank Deputy Conway for raising this matter which I am taking on behalf of my colleague, the Minister of State with responsibility for primary and social care, Deputy Kathleen Lynch. I assure Deputy Conway that the Government is committed to the provision and development of services for children with special needs, including autism, and to improving access by those children to services...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: National Minimum Wage (Low Pay Commission) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (1 Jul 2015)

Gerald Nash: Section 4 sets out very clear objectives on a national minimum wage, which is designed to assist as many low-paid workers as is reasonably practicable, is set at a rate that is both fair and sustainable, is adjusted incrementally where adjustment is appropriate and over time is progressively increased, without creating any significant adverse consequences for employment or competitiveness. I...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: National Minimum Wage (Low Pay Commission) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (1 Jul 2015)

Gerald Nash: Section 5 sets out a very comprehensive and challenging set of factors that the commission must take into account every year in arriving at a recommendation on a rate of the national minimum wage. Amendment No. 2 seeks to add further objectives for the recommendation from the commission on the minimum hourly rate of pay, including reducing the incidence of low pay and supporting what is...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: National Minimum Wage (Low Pay Commission) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (1 Jul 2015)

Gerald Nash: I thank Deputy Keaveney for the amendment in the name of Deputy Calleary and I respect the manner in which the amendment has been tabled and its intent. The amendment would require the commission to research and recommend to the Minister each year national minimum wage rates of pay for youth and apprentice categories and research and recommend to the Minister national minimum wage rates of...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: National Minimum Wage (Low Pay Commission) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (1 Jul 2015)

Gerald Nash: It may very well be the case that the commission could explore this issue in time. As the Deputy will be aware, the system we are providing for the work programme of the Low Pay Commission will mean that the programme will be developed early each year, thus giving the commission the opportunity to consider that proposal and to understand what its mandate and work programme will be for any...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: National Minimum Wage (Low Pay Commission) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (1 Jul 2015)

Gerald Nash: I have addressed the issues around the living wage in the order in which they were presented. I do not intend to elaborate further on our position on the living wage as I addressed it sufficiently.