Results 701-720 of 3,356 for speaker:Feargal Quinn
- Seanad: Employees (Provision of Information and Consultation) Bill 2005: Committee Stage. (12 Oct 2005)
Feargal Quinn: I do not fully understand the Minister of State. My two points referred to private and public undertakings and not-for-profit organisations. Is it the Minister of State's intention that the Bill would apply in these two cases?
- Seanad: Employees (Provision of Information and Consultation) Bill 2005: Committee Stage. (12 Oct 2005)
Feargal Quinn: We need clarity. I thought the Minister of State would be quite clear and would provide a yes or no answer to my query. On the basis of what he said, I think the Bill would be improved by the amendment. I do not know why my colleagues in the House should not propose that this item should not be put off until Report Stage. I wait to hear the views of Senators White and Coghlan.
- Seanad: Employees (Provision of Information and Consultation) Bill 2005: Committee Stage. (12 Oct 2005)
Feargal Quinn: I am impressed by Senator O'Toole's attempted removal of the right of an employee to go to the courts. Obviously, he has had a change of heart from his traditional way of thinking but I wonder whether he is wise to do so. Is it not a constitutional right that an employee can go to court? I am not quite sure why the Senator proposes to remove this right from employees.
- Seanad: Employees (Provision of Information and Consultation) Bill 2005: Committee Stage. (12 Oct 2005)
Feargal Quinn: I move amendment No. 15: In page 6, lines 24 and 25, to delete subsection (1) and substitute the following new subsection: "6.â(1) Without prejudice to section 11, and subject to subsections (3) and (4), the employer shall arrange for the election or appointment of one or more than one employees' representative under this section.". This group of amendments has two purposes. First, there is...
- Seanad: Employees (Provision of Information and Consultation) Bill 2005: Committee Stage. (12 Oct 2005)
Feargal Quinn: I did not realise amendment No. 21 was to be included with the other amendments when I spoke earlier. This amendment, which was proposed by Senator White, would insert "in that employment" after "members" in page 6, subsection (3), line 34. This is rather like the Minister's amendment in that it is technical, and it should apply. Section 6(3) would then read: Without prejudice to section 11,...
- Seanad: Employees (Provision of Information and Consultation) Bill 2005: Committee Stage. (12 Oct 2005)
Feargal Quinn: On balance, it appears the Minister of State has got it right. Senator O'Toole referred to my concern about the process being cumbersome and bureaucratic. I agree that there is a danger of this happening. Some 75% of employees in the private sector are not represented by trade unions. Even in general elections, a large proportion of the population no longer vote. The voting tradition is less...
- Seanad: Employees (Provision of Information and Consultation) Bill 2005: Committee Stage. (12 Oct 2005)
Feargal Quinn: I, on the other hand, have a different view entirely to that expressed by Senator McDowell. Setting aside the rights of employees and employers, the amendment proposed is disproportionate and it should be rejected because it is counterproductive to the ethos that the Bill sets out to establish. We are not talking about negotiation. I am aware that I stated this previously and that I am...
- Seanad: Employees (Provision of Information and Consultation) Bill 2005: Committee Stage. (12 Oct 2005)
Feargal Quinn: If the Minister of State will reply to all of the amendments together, I wish to make one or two observations because we tabled a number of amendments.
- Seanad: Employees (Provision of Information and Consultation) Bill 2005: Committee Stage. (12 Oct 2005)
Feargal Quinn: I apologise, a Chathaoirligh, but I find it difficult to discuss a number of matters, which I understand may be related, together. Amendment No. 26, in the names of Senators White, Coghlan and me, seeks, in page 7, line 1, to replace the word "nominee" with the term "a nominated officer". When I looked at that first, I wondered why that needed to be done. The object of the amendment is simply...
- Seanad: Employees (Provision of Information and Consultation) Bill 2005: Committee Stage. (12 Oct 2005)
Feargal Quinn: I listened carefully to the Minister of State's comments about my suggestion of a nominated officer, rather than a nominee. I take his point that he has confidence in the Labour Court's ability to make an appointment. I ask the Minister of State to reflect on the 10% minimum requirement currently contained in section 7(1)(b). I am concerned about what will happen when 10% becomes 2% in the...
- Seanad: Employees (Provision of Information and Consultation) Bill 2005: Committee Stage. (12 Oct 2005)
Feargal Quinn: During the course of this debate I had grown to admire Senator McDowell in regard to almost everything he said and the cases he made. However, I fear he has lost it in this case. He made a very strong case earlier for subsidiarity and passing responsibility back to closer to where the action is. In this case I think he said he would eliminate approval of agreements by employee representatives...
- Seanad: Employees (Provision of Information and Consultation) Bill 2005: Committee Stage. (12 Oct 2005)
Feargal Quinn: I always have problems when dealing with many different amendments at the same time. I will discuss amendment No. 33.
- Seanad: Employees (Provision of Information and Consultation) Bill 2005: Committee Stage. (12 Oct 2005)
Feargal Quinn: They have not yet been dealt with.
- Seanad: Employees (Provision of Information and Consultation) Bill 2005: Committee Stage. (12 Oct 2005)
Feargal Quinn: Yes, but we must discuss amendments Nos. 36, 37, 47 and 69 at the same time.
- Seanad: Employees (Provision of Information and Consultation) Bill 2005: Committee Stage. (12 Oct 2005)
Feargal Quinn: I will discuss amendment No. 36 as the point has been made about amendments Nos. 33 and 34. Amendment No. 36 proposes that the term "an agreement" be deleted from section 9 and replaced with the word "agreements", while amendment No. 37 proposes the deletion of "exists" and the insertion of "exist". It is also proposed to insert, on page 9, line 17, after the term "employees", the phase...
- Seanad: Employees (Provision of Information and Consultation) Bill 2005: Committee Stage. (12 Oct 2005)
Feargal Quinn: I thank the Minister of State for his remarks. I would have preferred it if he had accepted the amendments immediately. If, however, his desire is to get the wording exactly right and introduce it on Report Stage, I must accept that.
- Seanad: Employees (Provision of Information and Consultation) Bill 2005: Committee Stage. (12 Oct 2005)
Feargal Quinn: I move amendment No. 34: In page 8, subsection (2)(d), line 9, after "employees" to insert "covered by that agreement". This is a technical amendment and has been addressed by the Minister of State's previous statement.
- Seanad: Employees (Provision of Information and Consultation) Bill 2005: Committee Stage. (12 Oct 2005)
Feargal Quinn: I move amendment No. 47: In page 10, subsection (1), line 18, to delete "Consultation Forum"' and substitute "Information and Consultation Forum internal structures, in accordance with Schedules 1 and 2,". I am unsure whether this amendment should have been discussed with amendment No. 33 as it deals with section 10 and is dependent on the Minister of State's expressed view on that section.
- Seanad: Employees (Provision of Information and Consultation) Bill 2005: Committee Stage. (12 Oct 2005)
Feargal Quinn: This amendment aims for more precision. The issue here is the internal structure of an information and consultation forum rather than the actual forum itself. It would be a healthy change and would lend clarity. Will the Minister of State consider the amendment?
- Seanad: Employees (Provision of Information and Consultation) Bill 2005: Committee Stage. (12 Oct 2005)
Feargal Quinn: I move amendment No. 48: In page 11, subsection (2), lines 1 and 2, to delete "collective representation" and substitute "to be informed and consulted through their representatives (as defined under this Act)". I hope no one minds my choice of words but this amendment aims to correct defective wording, as it strays a million miles from both the wording and the intent of the directive we are...