Results 1,521-1,540 of 6,431 for speaker:Gerald Nash

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: EU Programmes (15 Apr 2015)

Gerald Nash: The new EaSI programme 2014-2020, managed by the European Commission and totalling EUR 919 million, consists of three axes which build on previous EU programmes, namely PROGRESS, EURES and Progress Microfinance. Under EaSI,Progress Microfinance has become Microfinance and Social Entrepreneurship.Organisations that can apply for funding under the Microfinance and Social Entrepreneurship axis...

Leaders' Questions (16 Apr 2015)

Gerald Nash: The ones Sinn Féin bought into.

Leaders' Questions (16 Apr 2015)

Gerald Nash: The kids in west Belfast would recognise it. The worst deprivation levels in the UK and Northern Ireland are in West Belfast.

Leaders' Questions (16 Apr 2015)

Gerald Nash: We will be ruined.

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Unfair Dismissals (21 Apr 2015)

Gerald Nash: The Deputy will understand that I cannot provide legal advice in relation to the law applying to any particular situation, or the interpretation of legislation. Independent legal advice should be sought if an individual has concerns about a specific employment situation. The Unfair Dismissals Acts 1977 to 2007 lay down criteria by which the fairness or otherwise of dismissals are...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Rights (21 Apr 2015)

Gerald Nash: As the Deputy will appreciate, neither I, nor any of my Cabinet colleagues, can provide legal advice or an interpretation of the law and its application in relation to individual circumstances.Apart from public sector employees, where certain statutory retirement ages may apply, there is no statutory retirement age for employees in Irish legislation. A contract of employment will generally...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Pension Provisions (28 Apr 2015)

Gerald Nash: I fully appreciate the concerns of retired and deferred members of pension schemes whose schemes are being restructured, particularly where such restructuring may impact on existing or potential pension benefits. In this regard, the question of pensioner groups having access to the State’s industrial relations machinery in pursuing pension scheme grievances is an issue to which...

Spring Economic Statement (Resumed) (29 Apr 2015)

Gerald Nash: There are 125 new jobs today.

Spring Economic Statement (Resumed) (29 Apr 2015)

Gerald Nash: I do; I will be there tomorrow.

Spring Economic Statement (Resumed) (29 Apr 2015)

Gerald Nash: It is pretty clear from the contributions that have been made in the House yesterday and today and form some of the media coverage around the spring statement that the Opposition parties plainly do not like it. In fact, it is clear they would rather debate anything else. However, I believe it is not so much its content they dislike as its purpose and what it says about where our country is...

Spring Economic Statement (Resumed) (29 Apr 2015)

Gerald Nash: Citizens of this republic should be very afraid of any advice proffered by the man who leads a party which is, in Northern Ireland, sacking 20,000 public servants, including council workers, teachers, nurses and slashing social welfare on foot of the Westminster Agreement to which it signed up just before Christmas. His party has said a lot but done very little in Northern Ireland to protect...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Low Pay (6 May 2015)

Gerald Nash: The Living Wage concept is grounded in the idea that a person’s wage should be sufficient to maintain a safe, decent standard of living. At an individual level the resources required to achieve a minimum essential standard of living is very dependent on family circumstances and thus the interaction of individual earnings with household income and supports such as Child Benefit, Family...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Rights (6 May 2015)

Gerald Nash: Ireland has a robust body of employment law, encompassing a comprehensive range of employment rights together with both civil and criminal remedies to ensure that individuals can vindicate their rights. This body of law is underpinned by a proactive labour inspectorate. Further, the Workplace Relations Bill 2014, when enacted, will deliver a significantly streamlined workplace relations...

Topical Issues: National Minimum Wage (7 May 2015)

Gerald Nash: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. I note that he referred to the recent OECD paper entitled "Minimum wages after the crisis: Making them pay". This is a very interesting cross-OECD report which clearly illustrates that adjustments to the national minimum wage take place within the context of tax and social transfer policies as well as the broader earnings, employment and...

Topical Issues: National Minimum Wage (7 May 2015)

Gerald Nash: The Cabinet approved my draft Bill to place the Low Pay Commission on a statutory footing. When I publish the Bill in the coming days, Deputy Maloney will be interested to see one of its key provisions is a legal requirement that the Low Pay Commission produce a report on, or before, 15 July each year. There is a compelling reason for providing in primary legislation that the report be...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Nursing Staff Remuneration (12 May 2015)

Gerald Nash: The establishment of a Low Pay Commission is one of the key commitments in the Statement of Government Priorities agreed in July last. The National Minimum Wage (Low Pay Commission) Bill that provides for the establishment of the Commission on a statutory basis will be published this week with enactment to follow as expeditiously as possible thereafter. The principal function of the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Waste Management Regulations (13 May 2015)

Gerald Nash: There are approximately 100 registered household kerbside waste collection companies operating in Ireland and there are approximately 3,000 waste collection permits currently extant. The industry employs almost 6,000 people directly while the indirect labour figure is less clear. Given the number of companies competing for business in the household kerbside waste collection sector, the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Waste Management Regulations (13 May 2015)

Gerald Nash: The HSA, an agency under the aegis of the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, decided to undertake a focused campaign of inspection and engagement with the players in the waste management sector last year. The aim was to ensure that there were improved standards of performance in the industry and a renewed focus on workplace health and safety due to the issues of which the Deputy...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Waste Management Regulations (13 May 2015)

Gerald Nash: Under the legislation re-establishing joint labour committees, JLCs, it is not a matter for the Minister to dictate whether there should be a JLC or another wage setting mechanism. It is a matter for the Labour Court to examine the need for a particular type of wage setting mechanism in a sector. I am always anxious to ensure that there are proper standards in every industry. Last year,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Employment Rights (13 May 2015)

Gerald Nash: In accordance with the statement of Government priorities from the Tánaiste and Taoiseach last July, last February I commissioned the University of Limerick, UL, to carry out a study into the prevalence of zero-hour and low-hour contracts and the impact of such contracts on employees. The appointment of UL follows a competitive tendering process. The key objectives of the study are to...