Results 641-660 of 704 for speaker:John Kelly

Seanad: National Minimum Wage (Low Pay Commission) Bill 2015: Second Stage (27 May 2015)

John Kelly: I welcome the Minister of State and compliment him on this initiative. The Low Pay Commission will prioritise work and fairness as the economy improves. Employment is rising rapidly and unemployment is falling. As the Minister of State pointed out, more than 100,000 jobs have been created since the crisis, which is 3,300 jobs every month, and unemployment is now below 10%, at 9.9%....

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Jun 2015)

John Kelly: I seek a debate on the centralisation of services brought about by the previous Government. This is something we need to revisit as centralisation has proven to be a disaster over recent years. What was wrong with the operation of the medical card system under the health boards? There was nothing wrong with it and it worked very well. It is now a disaster. I know a mature student in...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Nursing Staff Recruitment (16 Jun 2015)

John Kelly: I welcome the Minister to the House. We have a serious problem within the nursing home sector in retaining and recruiting nursing staff. This has been brought about by the current Health Service Executive, HSE, recruitment plan drive. As we know, nursing homes are central to our health service and in one nursing home last October they had 12 nursing staff. Six of them have now left, two...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Nursing Staff Recruitment (16 Jun 2015)

John Kelly: I thank the Minister of State for his reply. The issue is the speed at which we deal with adaptations and visa applications and it is speed which is crucial for solving this problem. I appreciate the answer which has given me hope that something might be done by the end of the year but I remind the Minister of State that this is an urgent crisis, as we speak.

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Jun 2015)

John Kelly: It is not often that I find myself in total agreement with my colleagues from Fianna Fáil. On this occasion I certainly do.

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Jun 2015)

John Kelly: The new social welfare forms designed by the Department are showing a clear bias towards banks over post offices and should be scrapped. Our views have been made quite clear to the Minister for Social Protection. Senator O'Brien's recommendation that transition year students get CPR training is a brilliant idea. I ask the Leader that we make representations to the Minister for Education...

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Jul 2015)

John Kelly: Like others, I offer my sincere sympathies to all the families who lost loved ones in the Tunisian massacre and in particular to the families of Lorna Carty in Meath and Larry and Martina Hayes in Athlone. Martina hailed from Kiltoom in County Roscommon and was a namesake of my own having the maiden name of Kelly. I cannot imagine what the families are going through. On a separate note, I...

Seanad: Growing Tourism to 2025: Statements (1 Jul 2015)

John Kelly: I welcome the Minister to the House. Since the dip in tourism figures in 2010, we have seen the huge success of The Gathering, which continues to send out a ripple effect. For example, an event along the same lines is taking place in my own village this weekend, with 50 family members, 25 of them from America, coming together. Overseas visitor numbers are up 10.3% compared with the first...

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Jul 2015)

John Kelly: I support Senator Katherine Zappone's call for a review of the changes to the lone parent's allowance. I do not believe that initially this was meant to be a cut that would result in people losing money. The idea was to try to find more work for people but, unfortunately, situations will arise where people will lose money and they need to be addressed. I support Senator Paul Coghlan's...

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Jul 2015)

John Kelly: Last week we had welcome news in my county whereby a wind farm development proposed for Fourmilehouse in County Roscommon was refused planning permission. The reason it was refused was because of the impact it would have on a rare breed of swan. I read in today's newspaper that a proposed wind farm development in Doonbeg in County Clare was refused planning permission because of the impact...

Seanad: Conditions of Work: Motion (8 Jul 2015)

John Kelly: I wish to share my time with Senator Moloney - three minutes each. I welcome the Minister to the House. I also welcome this legislation and commend the Minister of State, Deputy Nash, on bringing it before the House. Due to the importance of the provisions, I trust there will be no delay in making it the law of the land before the summer recess. The Bill provides for the reinstatement of...

Seanad: Conditions of Work: Motion (8 Jul 2015)

John Kelly: The Labour Party is in government to fix a broken economy. As we rebuild our economy and society, it is essential that our renewed country is based on equality and fairness. The sustained increase in employment we have seen is most welcome, but we must work to ensure that we are creating jobs with decent wages and conditions. Central to protecting working conditions is a strong trade union...

Seanad: Conditions of Work: Motion (8 Jul 2015)

John Kelly: ----- and will address the issue of a living wage for employees. All in all, this package of industrial relations legislation is critical to best practice in the relationship between employers and employees for the future. I apologise for going over time.

Seanad: Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill 2015: Report Stage (14 Jul 2015)

John Kelly: I compliment the Minister of State. He had a good day today as he passed two Bills through the Seanad. This Bill is every bit as important as the National Minimum Wage (Low Pay Commission) Bill. The Minister of State is trying to ensure there is fairness in the workplace and that there is security of tenure for employees. The Bill is very welcome.

Seanad: One-Parent Family Payment: Motion (15 Jul 2015)

John Kelly: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. Unlike most Senators here today, I will not be talking about statistics or Scandinavian models, or whatever. I want to focus on one thing, which relates to what Senator Mooney said. I worked with lone parents as a community welfare officer for many a year and it is as simple as this. There is a lone parent, who has been getting the lone...

Seanad: One-Parent Family Payment: Motion (15 Jul 2015)

John Kelly: I do not think that when the Minister, Deputy Burton, initiated this two years ago she envisaged that people were going to lose money and it is acknowledged that many have gained money. Fianna Fáil is calling for the reversal of these changes, but that would mean the people who gained money would now lose money. That is not a good idea either. Some 4,000 or fewer people have suffered...

Seanad: One-Parent Family Payment: Motion (15 Jul 2015)

John Kelly: The only thing that will change anything is us influencing the Minister of State and the Minister to look realistically on this. I do not want to lose the Whip so that I will lose my power of trying to influence them.

Seanad: One-Parent Family Payment: Motion (15 Jul 2015)

John Kelly: Senator Leyden said once before that he knows these motions are only aspirational. It will not achieve anything. What is achieved will be achieved by Government parties on this side of the House trying to influence the Minister of State. I will certainly be one of them.

Seanad: One-Parent Family Payment: Motion (15 Jul 2015)

John Kelly: The Senator is justifying her own position.

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (16 Jul 2015)

John Kelly: For the first time ever.