Results 221-240 of 7,652 for speaker:Joanna Tuffy

Seanad: Employment Permits Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (1 Apr 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: Yes.

Seanad: Employment Permits Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (1 Apr 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: This is a new offence. Are we saying that someone who employed a person without a permit before now was guilty of a serious offence? I do not necessarily think they were and I am surprised that the Government believes they were. I have no problem with this new offence being created, I am merely pointing out that the penalty is heavy-handed. There is no contradiction in me, as a Labour Party...

Seanad: Employment Permits Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (1 Apr 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: Employers have hired people without permits, but they did not necessarily set out to exploit them. I would have thought the Government knew that.

Seanad: Employment Permits Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (1 Apr 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: I will withdraw it at this stage and resubmit it. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. Government amendment No. 5: In page 4, subsection (3)(b), line 13, to delete "the offence is" and substitute "the offence is an offence consisting of". Amendment agreed to. Government amendment No. 6: In page 4, subsection (3)(b), line 14, to delete "or to" and substitute "or". Amendment agreed to. Government...

Seanad: Employment Permits Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (1 Apr 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: I move amendment No. 10: In page 6, subsection (1)(b), line 10, to delete "Treaty" and substitute "Act". We believe that the proper terminology is "Act of accession" not "Treaty of accession". I would like to hear the Minister of State's comments on that point.

Seanad: Employment Permits Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (1 Apr 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: I move amendment No. 11: In page 6, subsection (2), line 14, after "Slovak Republic" to insert "and any other state which, after the passing of this Act, becomes party to an instrument whereby it accedes to membership of the European Union". The purpose of this amendment is to allow any state to enjoy the advantages of the provisions of this Bill, which, after the passing of this Act, becomes...

Seanad: Employment Permits Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (1 Apr 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: The Minister of State and the Government are being overly cautious in rejecting my amendment. Our concern should be that people from the accession countries may not come here to work. This problem could face employers in the future. The Government should listen more intently to what employers say on the issue of work permits. I intend to table an amendment on Report Stage which will propose...

Seanad: Employment Permits Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (1 Apr 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: I move amendment No. 12: In page 6, subsection (3), line 16, after "a" to insert "significant". My colleagues and I believe there should be some limit to the parameters under which the Minister can impose permit requirements. I would be interested to hear the Minister of State's comments on this amendment.

Seanad: Employment Permits Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (1 Apr 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: I do not know what the war in Iraq has to do with this. It is a red herring. While it is an important issue, it is not relevant to the Bill. Having regard to what the Senator said, I wonder if we are afraid of the accession countries. I met two Latvian parliamentarians at an event I attended yesterday and they would model themselves on Ireland. Latvia is ambitious and wants to be confident...

Seanad: Employment Permits Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (1 Apr 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: There is a good deal of confusion in the Government about the state of the economy.

Seanad: Employment Permits Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (1 Apr 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: Do we regret the passing of the referendum on the Nice treaty?

Seanad: Employment Permits Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (1 Apr 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: It is a positive move to allow the people concerned to work here and contribute to our lives. I hope we will do likewise in their countries. We are already contributing to their economies in terms of investment. Senator Leyden's fears are unfounded. I disagree with what he said.

Seanad: Employment Permits Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (1 Apr 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: That is ridiculous.

Seanad: Employment Permits Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (1 Apr 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: I move amendment No. 2: In page 4, to delete lines 13 to 16. This amendment deletes the penalty on indictment of up to ten years' imprisonment or a €250,000 fine for an employer employing a non-national without a work permit. I agree with the Government move to make it illegal to employ a non-national without a work permit and to bring in a penalty, but this penalty is heavy-handed. The...

Seanad: Employment Permits Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (1 Apr 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: On a point of order, that is not in the amendment.

Seanad: Employment Permits Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (1 Apr 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: On a point of order, the amendment proposes to delete one of the penalties. It would not interfere with the offence or the smaller penalty but delete the greater penalty. It does not propose to reward employers who employ people without a permit.

Seanad: Employment Permits Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (1 Apr 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: The proposal relates to part of the section.

Seanad: Employment Permits Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (1 Apr 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: I move amendment No. 3: In page 6, line 14, after "Slovak Republic" to insert "and any other state which, after the passing of this Act, becomes party to an instrument whereby it accedes to membership of the European Union". I have reintroduced the amendment because I still believe it would be better to have a framework under which citizens of future accession countries would be allowed to...

Seanad: Employment Permits Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (1 Apr 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: One never knows.

Seanad: Employment Permits Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (1 Apr 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: I move amendment No. 4: In page 6, to delete lines 15 to 28. The purpose of this amendment is to delete subsections (3), (4) and (5) of section 3. I welcome the Government's move to allow people from the accession countries to come here and obtain employment without work permits from 2004. The subsections I wish to delete are unnecessary. I returned to the country this afternoon, having been...