Results 2,521-2,540 of 4,465 for speaker:Jim Walsh

Seanad: Employment Rights (2 Feb 2012)

Jim Walsh: I join the Cathaoirleach in welcoming the Minister of State, Deputy Perry, to the House. This motion has been prompted by the agency worker directive, which was adopted in 2008 and was to have been implemented by the end of December 2011. However, all Members recognise that the Irish economy is in a far different place now than it was in 2008. The Government has stated that jobs and...

Seanad: Employment Rights (2 Feb 2012)

Jim Walsh: I thank the Minister of State for his response and I note the qualitative analysis recognised the directive could have an adverse effect on employment, particularly in the absence of a derogation facility. Am I right to assume we do not have a derogation facility and therefore this will have an adverse effect on unemployment? Loss of employment could arise from the loss of future investment...

Seanad: Employment Rights (2 Feb 2012)

Jim Walsh: The analysis seems to confirm these fears. Why are we going beyond the intent of the directive which limits it to taking on someone today at a lower rate than he or she would have been paid five years ago? The Bill will mean such an employee must be paid the same as someone who was employed five years ago.

Seanad: Employment Rights (2 Feb 2012)

Jim Walsh: I thank the Acting Chairman for his indulgence. This is an important point. We speak about job creation and reducing VAT, but if we lose a significant number of jobs as a consequence of changing legislation, it means we must be cautious.

Seanad: Employment Rights (2 Feb 2012)

Jim Walsh: Yes.

Seanad: Employment Rights (2 Feb 2012)

Jim Walsh: Will we restrict it to this? We are going beyond-----

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Feb 2012)

Jim Walsh: I move that under No. 16 on the Order Paper, motion No. 6, be taken today. The motion is in the name of Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin Members, as well as Senators Mullen, Quinn, van Turnhout, McAleese and Mac Conghail. When I raised this matter on the Order of Business last week, I was asked to wait to hear what the Tánaiste had to say. The motion asks the Government to convey to the Holy...

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Feb 2012)

Jim Walsh: On 20 July the Taoiseach made comments in the Dáil with regard to the Vatican frustrating inquiries over the previous three years. These comments were unfounded but were not corrected. A second issue involved a quotation attributed to the Pope which dealt with an entirely different matter relating to the vocation of the theologian but was applied in a pejorative manner to the child abuse...

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Feb 2012)

Jim Walsh: He does not have a point of order.

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Feb 2012)

Jim Walsh: This not about a visit though.

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Feb 2012)

Jim Walsh: In that case the Senator should support the motion.

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Feb 2012)

Jim Walsh: Those on the Government side do not want it to happen.

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Feb 2012)

Jim Walsh: The Leader should do the Order of Business that way.

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Feb 2012)

Jim Walsh: With regard to the Leader's response, we are aware of the protocol and have respected it in the motion we wish to put before the House. I withdrew it last week in the hope we would have all round agreement. Even at this late stage, I appeal to Members to support this uncontroversial motion.

Seanad: Croke Park Agreement: Statements (9 Feb 2012)

Jim Walsh: I apologise for interrupting the Minister of State, but I would like to know if a copy of his speech is available.

Seanad: Croke Park Agreement: Statements (9 Feb 2012)

Jim Walsh: In 1997, there were 220,000 people in the public service, including pensioners.

Seanad: Croke Park Agreement: Statements (9 Feb 2012)

Jim Walsh: Pay and pensions.

Seanad: Croke Park Agreement: Statements (9 Feb 2012)

Jim Walsh: Does the Minister of State agree that the reduction of numbers has very little to do with the Croke Park agreement because it was already in train? Does he agree that unless there is a radical reduction in the cost of public service pay and pensions, we will find it impossible to extricate ourselves from our financial difficulty? In 2000, public service pay and pensions cost €8.6 billion....

Seanad: Croke Park Agreement: Statements (9 Feb 2012)

Jim Walsh: This is surely what we should be doing in the current crisis rather than imposing cuts on people with disabilities and on social welfare.

Seanad: Croke Park Agreement: Statements (9 Feb 2012)

Jim Walsh: The question I am asking the Minister of State-----