Results 7,381-7,400 of 12,474 for speaker:Louise O'Reilly

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Pre-legislative Scrutiny of the General Scheme of the Employment Permits (Consolidation and Amendment) Bill 2019 (16 Feb 2021)

Louise O'Reilly: I get there are many groups and many people meeting but it strikes me that occupations are not coming off this list. There seems to be satisfaction at Department level that this list is what it is but no effort is being made to ensure the Department of Education is intervening to upskill people where those skills will be required. Certain skills needs will not be met. If a skills...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Pre-legislative Scrutiny of the General Scheme of the Employment Permits (Consolidation and Amendment) Bill 2019 (16 Feb 2021)

Louise O'Reilly: It strikes me there is work to be done if the skills exist and the shortfall to be met is small. I wish to ask about the suggestion that the labour market needs test be amended to take account of modern advertising methods and to deepen the involvement of the Department of Social Protection in that process to maximise the opportunities for residents and EEA jobseekers. It is important we...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Pre-legislative Scrutiny of the General Scheme of the Employment Permits (Consolidation and Amendment) Bill 2019 (16 Feb 2021)

Louise O'Reilly: I understand that but moving to regulation - I apologise for cutting across Ms Ward, I know it is awkward on Teams - effectively would move it out of the realm of the Oireachtas where it would benefit greatly from that level of scrutiny. It is not a massive item of legislation and would not take a great deal of time to draft. It is important we would have regular engagement on this because...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Pre-legislative Scrutiny of the General Scheme of the Employment Permits (Consolidation and Amendment) Bill 2019 (16 Feb 2021)

Louise O'Reilly: On the agrifood pilot, and I have some experience in this regard from the same place as Senator Gavan, it was stated that employers have an obligation concerning the protection of workers' rights and their minimum entitlements. In the context of enforcement, how many employers have been found to be in breach of the requirements in this area and what are the levels of associated penalties? I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Pre-legislative Scrutiny of the General Scheme of the Employment Permits (Consolidation and Amendment) Bill 2019 (16 Feb 2021)

Louise O'Reilly: No, I am talking about some of the most vulnerable workers in the State. This group of workers come here for very short periods in some cases and anyone who has worked as an organiser in the union movement will confirm that it is very difficult to organise them. They are very often frightened and conditions in which some of them work are horrendous, as we know from reports by the MRCI....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Pre-legislative Scrutiny of the General Scheme of the Employment Permits (Consolidation and Amendment) Bill 2019 (16 Feb 2021)

Louise O'Reilly: Absolutely, but I know Ms Ward will be well aware that the exploitation of workers was going on long before we ever heard of Covid-19. I would be very interested to have a look at that information. It strikes me as very unfortunate that the Department is not a little more curious about this issue. Given that we were going to have this discussion today about the necessity of updating the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Pre-legislative Scrutiny of the General Scheme of the Employment Permits (Consolidation and Amendment) Bill 2019 (16 Feb 2021)

Louise O'Reilly: I apologise for cutting across Ms Ward. When she states that employers undergo pre-employment checks, is it then the case that employers remain in the system once they pass those checks? Are those employers routinely checked afterwards in an unannounced fashion? We know that is the best way to find out if anything untoward is happening and that the rights of the workers are being protected...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Pre-legislative Scrutiny of the General Scheme of the Employment Permits (Consolidation and Amendment) Bill 2019 (16 Feb 2021)

Louise O'Reilly: I am aware the system in placed is breached on occasion. I know, from talking to the Migrant Rights Centre Ireland, MRCI, and others that the system is open to a level of abuse. As I have said, many employers are fine employers who do a good job and look after their workforce and there are some who are not. This scheme is probably like manna from heaven for those employers who are not, for...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Pre-legislative Scrutiny of the General Scheme of the Employment Permits (Consolidation and Amendment) Bill 2019 (16 Feb 2021)

Louise O'Reilly: How many employers are currently precluded for that five-year period?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Pre-legislative Scrutiny of the General Scheme of the Employment Permits (Consolidation and Amendment) Bill 2019 (16 Feb 2021)

Louise O'Reilly: Could Ms Ward give us an indication of the industries they are in? Ms Ward will be familiar with some of them.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Pre-legislative Scrutiny of the General Scheme of the Employment Permits (Consolidation and Amendment) Bill 2019 (16 Feb 2021)

Louise O'Reilly: The committee would benefit from hearing that information. In Ms Ward's experience, do breaches happen at the higher or lower end of the wage market? In my opinion and experience, breaches of this nature happen to low-paid workers. They happen to the most vulnerable workers whose first language is not English. It is fine if Ms Ward does not have information on the specific industry. I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Pre-legislative Scrutiny of the General Scheme of the Employment Permits (Consolidation and Amendment) Bill 2019 (16 Feb 2021)

Louise O'Reilly: The workers and their skills are absolutely essential. It is something that gets lost in the debate. I am sure Ms Ward will appreciate that it is extremely difficult for any workplace organiser to organise a union in these circumstances. I will not go through all of the reasons but Senator Gavan and I have personal experience of trying to do that. It is extremely tough. Clearly, if I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Pre-legislative Scrutiny of the General Scheme of the Employment Permits (Consolidation and Amendment) Bill 2019 (16 Feb 2021)

Louise O'Reilly: Is the information attached to the permit in English or in those 11 languages?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Pre-legislative Scrutiny of the General Scheme of the Employment Permits (Consolidation and Amendment) Bill 2019 (16 Feb 2021)

Louise O'Reilly: I can understand that but-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Pre-legislative Scrutiny of the General Scheme of the Employment Permits (Consolidation and Amendment) Bill 2019 (16 Feb 2021)

Louise O'Reilly: Ms Ward stated workers are directed to the WRC. Are they directed in English to the WRC?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Pre-legislative Scrutiny of the General Scheme of the Employment Permits (Consolidation and Amendment) Bill 2019 (16 Feb 2021)

Louise O'Reilly: Would they not find it tough to get to the WRC? I know the WRC has information in 11 languages but many workers do not have English as their first language and they are reading information in English. I will not get into how workers are kept separate in these places. However, they are not really being directed to the WRC if that information is not in a language that is easily understood....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Pre-legislative Scrutiny of the General Scheme of the Employment Permits (Consolidation and Amendment) Bill 2019 (16 Feb 2021)

Louise O'Reilly: This is my final point.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Pre-legislative Scrutiny of the General Scheme of the Employment Permits (Consolidation and Amendment) Bill 2019 (16 Feb 2021)

Louise O'Reilly: With the greatest of respect to Ms Ward, if it was not necessary, the WRC would not have that information available in 11 languages. It strikes me that it is necessary.

Insurance (Restriction on Differential Pricing and Profiling) Bill 2021: Second Stage [Private Members] (17 Feb 2021)

Louise O'Reilly: I commend my colleague, an Teachta Doherty, not only for this Bill but for the tireless work he has put in on this issue over recent years. I note that, in the Minister's contribution, he said that he has some concerns. It is very regrettable that the concerns he outlined were only for insurance companies and providers. Anyone watching this debate would prefer it if he had expressed even a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (17 Feb 2021)

Louise O'Reilly: 359. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the ASD unit for a school (details supplied); the date the first child will take up their place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7900/21]