Results 3,961-3,980 of 6,030 for speaker:Brendan Ryan

Seanad: Labour Services (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (2 Dec 2009)

Brendan Ryan: Amendments Nos. 3 and 4 are very similar and I do not intend to press them.

Seanad: Labour Services (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (2 Dec 2009)

Brendan Ryan: No, as it is the same point.

Seanad: Labour Services (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (2 Dec 2009)

Brendan Ryan: I move amendment No. 5: In page 10, to delete lines 26 to 31. This is essentially the same point and I anticipate the same response. I do not intend to press it.

Seanad: Labour Services (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (2 Dec 2009)

Brendan Ryan: I move amendment No. 6: In page 11, line 39, to delete "chairman" and substitute "chairperson". This amendment inserts gender-neutral language in line with modern drafting. The Minister should accept it but I anticipate that he will not. I am interested in his comments to justify anything other than accepting the amendment.

Seanad: Labour Services (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (2 Dec 2009)

Brendan Ryan: I move amendment No. 7: In page 11, line 40, to delete "10 ordinary members (including" and substitute the following: "8 ordinary members (including a worker director and". This amendment seeks to reduce the size of the board and include one worker director. There is scope to reduce the board further in this case and business can be done more effectively and efficiently with a smaller board....

Seanad: Labour Services (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (2 Dec 2009)

Brendan Ryan: The Minister of State indicated in his response that the objective of the legislation was, more or less, to bring FÁS into line with other agencies and he has attempted to differentiate between agencies and semi-State bodies. I am not sure I understand the rationale or reason for that. It makes sense to have worker directors and it is beyond me why it makes sense to have worker directors...

Seanad: Labour Services (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (2 Dec 2009)

Brendan Ryan: The tradition in Ireland in terms of worker directors has been that there has been a strong association between the worker director and the unions. However, the case we are putting in the amendment does not concern the unions as such, rather the concept of the worker being elected to the board and becoming a director. The Minister of State suggested that because the director general will be...

Seanad: Labour Services (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (2 Dec 2009)

Brendan Ryan: I move amendment No. 9: In page 12, line 2, after "Minister,", where it firstly occurs, to insert the following: "with the approval of a committee of Dáil Éireann nominated for the purpose". The amendment would provide for Oireachtas scrutiny of the appointment of members of the FÁS board. It would stipulate this should be done with the approval of a committee of Dáil Éireann nominated...

Seanad: Labour Services (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (2 Dec 2009)

Brendan Ryan: I welcome much of what the Minister of State said. We agree that we want the best people willing to serve on the board of FÁS and a series of other agencies. While we are talking about FÁS today, should we be talking about another agency tomorrow we would propose the same principle on the need for in-house approval. The Minister of State indicated a departure, whereby positions on the...

Seanad: Labour Services (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (2 Dec 2009)

Brendan Ryan: I wish to be associated with the comments of Senator John Paul Phelan. I welcome the Bill, as I did on Second Stage. It is necessary legislation but it could have been improved if the Minister of State had accepted some of our amendments and that is a loss to the legislation. Hopefully, it will serve its purpose. I recognise the great work done by the thousands of people who work in FÁS...

Seanad: Criminal Procedure Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (8 Dec 2009)

Brendan Ryan: I second the amendment.

Seanad: Criminal Procedure Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (8 Dec 2009)

Brendan Ryan: I second the amendment.

Seanad: Consumer Protection (Gift Vouchers) Bill 2009: Second Stage (9 Dec 2009)

Brendan Ryan: I welcome the Minister of State to consider the Bill. I am pleased to bring the Consumer Protection (Gift Vouchers) Bill 2009 before the House on behalf of the Labour Party. The Bill extends the definition of prohibitive commercial practices in section 55 of the Consumer Protection Act 2007. The Bill adds a new paragraph to the list of prohibited commercial practices. Under the Bill it...

Seanad: Consumer Protection (Gift Vouchers) Bill 2009: Second Stage (9 Dec 2009)

Brendan Ryan: I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive statements at the opening of the debate and its conclusion. There was some criticism yesterday concerning the timing of the Bill which I will address. This Bill was due for discussion two weeks ago, as the officials and the Minister of State may be aware. On that occasion the Labour Party ceded its time to the Leader to allow for a...

Seanad: Consumer Protection (Gift Vouchers) Bill 2009: Second Stage (9 Dec 2009)

Brendan Ryan: I thank the Minister of State again for his comprehensive response to the Bill. He cited the need for EU approval for it because if such legislation were enacted in Ireland, it might not be compatible with EU legislation. However, our legal advice was that approval could be sought post-enactment, not necessarily at the time of publication. Our advice is that this is either not an issue or,...

Seanad: Companies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2009 [Seanad Bill Amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (18 Dec 2009)

Brendan Ryan: I welcome the Minister of State back to the House to deal with this Bill which started its life in this House. I have consulted my colleague, Deputy Penrose, on the matters discussed yesterday. We do not have any issues with these provisions. I wish the Bill well and hope it is successful in dealing with the issues.

Seanad: Companies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2009 [Seanad Bill Amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (18 Dec 2009)

Brendan Ryan: I wish to add my good wishes to those uttered by the previous Senators. I wish the Minister of State well with the Bill and I thank his Department officials for the work they put into it. When it was introduced here it was a short Bill, but following the addressing of issues that emerged during its passage through both House, it is now a much longer Bill. I wish the Minister of State every...

Seanad: Employment and Competitiveness: Statements (21 Jan 2010)

Brendan Ryan: I, too, welcome the Tánaiste to discuss this important topic. I apologise for not being present earlier but it was in the interests of hearing everything she had to say. I was about to leave my office when she stood up and I said to myself it was better to wait and listen to everything she had to say rather than leave and miss a few minutes of her contribution. I want to focus on the issue...

Seanad: School Accommodation (28 Jan 2010)

Brendan Ryan: I want to address an issue which is causing grave concern to the parents, staff, teachers and, most importantly, pupils of St. Oliver Plunkett national school, Malahide. A new school building is badly needed because it is now 15 years since the school applied for permanent accommodation. In 1998 it was told a new building was needed. In 1999 it was directed to rent portacabins. Because it...

Seanad: School Accommodation (28 Jan 2010)

Brendan Ryan: I thank the Minister of State for his response. I am doing what I can as a public representative for the area to look after the interests of the Minister of State's own children and I am sure he will be happy to hear that. I know the Minister of State is unable to give any indication of the timeframe for the project but I ask if he is optimistic there might be some progress this year. He...