Results 1,981-2,000 of 6,030 for speaker:Brendan Ryan

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2010)

Brendan Ryan: Although we are considering amendments Nos. 2 and 3 together, the Minister's response seemed to refer only to amendment No. 2. Dealing directly with the landlord and cutting out the tenant-landlord relationship removes the potential for landlord-tenant contact which sometimes results in pressure to pay additional moneys over and above the value of the rent supplement payable for various...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2010)

Brendan Ryan: I thank the Minister in that regard. On amendment No. 2, I accept his commitment to examine these various matters and incremental change in the future. Does the Minister have the power to implement this incremental change by way of statutory instrument or ministerial order rather than having to introduce new legislation every six months?

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2010)

Brendan Ryan: Is it the Minister's intention to publish that list?

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2010)

Brendan Ryan: No. I will not press it based on commitments given by the Minister.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2010)

Brendan Ryan: I move amendment No. 4: In page 13, between lines 34 and 35, to insert the following subsection: "(4) A payment of rent supplement under the Principal Act shall be suspended where the Minister has reasonable grounds to believe that the tenant has engaged in anti-social activity.".

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2010)

Brendan Ryan: In tabling these amendments, we are not seeking perfection. We are not suggesting by any means that what they propose are the right answers and the one and only way to deal with this problem. My objective in tabling them is to seek a commitment from the Minister to come back on the next Stage with an amendment to improve the position or, as he has done today, to make a commitment to examine...

Seanad: Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Bill 2010: Report and Final Stages (9 Dec 2010)

Brendan Ryan: I move amendment No. 6: In page 31, between lines 14 and 15, to insert the following: 30.—A postal service provider that operates a post box or similar access point shall not close the post box or similar access point (other than for a temporary purpose) without the consent, by reserved function, of the local authority in which the post box or similar access point is situate.".

Seanad: Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Bill 2010: Report and Final Stages (9 Dec 2010)

Brendan Ryan: I also welcome the Government amendment, which improves the legislation somewhat. It effectively includes trade unions without referring to them as such. I have a concern, although I am unsure whether Senator O'Toole shares it. The amendment reads "organisations representative of employees" rather than "organisations representing employees". I am not sure what the other interpretations of...

Seanad: Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Bill 2010: Report and Final Stages (9 Dec 2010)

Brendan Ryan: I move amendment No. 2: In page 21, to delete lines 18 to 23 and substitute the following: "(a) the terms and conditions, excluding those specifying the amount of the charges, in accordance with which a postal service user may avail of the postal services concerned, and". Our proposal is to delete sections 19(2)(a) and 19(2)(b) and include the amendment as proposed here. Basically, this...

Seanad: Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Bill 2010: Report and Final Stages (9 Dec 2010)

Brendan Ryan: I move amendment No. 5: In page 31, between lines 14 and 15, to insert the following: "30.—A postal service provider that operates a post office shall not close the post office (other than for a temporary purpose) without the consent, by reserved function, of the local authority in which the post office is situate." The amendments attempt to limit the closure of post offices and post boxes,...

Seanad: Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Bill 2010: Report and Final Stages (9 Dec 2010)

Brendan Ryan: I asked the Minister of State to concede that she would go back to the Minister to see if something else could be done. I do not necessarily accept the Minister of State's point that the post office only closes when An Post cannot get an alternative operator. The evidence I have received is to the contrary, but I will not argue that now because I have not got specific examples. However, I...

Seanad: Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Bill 2010: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Dec 2010)

Brendan Ryan: I agree with previous speakers that this section should be withdrawn. It is the promotion of competition gone mad. I certainly am surprised to see such a provision in a Bill that is being promoted by a Green Party Minister. If one considers, for example, the opening of the electricity market in the past, at least then the electricity networks were in separate ownership and the associated...

Seanad: Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Bill 2010: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Dec 2010)

Brendan Ryan: Not this measure.

Seanad: Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Bill 2010: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Dec 2010)

Brendan Ryan: I move amendment No. 32: In page 30, before section 30, but in Chapter 4, to insert the following new section: 30.—A postal service provider that operates a post office shall not close the post office (other than for a temporary purpose) without the consent, by reserved function, of the local authority in which the post office is situate. This is a proposal to insert a new section entitled...

Seanad: Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Bill 2010: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Dec 2010)

Brendan Ryan: Senators on all sides are aware of the social damage caused by the closure of the post offices. It is not an issue we should leave to commercial interests. We should take a stand on this by asking for some control beyond commercial interests. The Minister should reflect on these amendments. I will not press them today but I will resubmit them on Report Stage and I hope the Minister will...

Seanad: Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Bill 2010: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Dec 2010)

Brendan Ryan: In response to amendment No. 22 and the necessary clarifying amendments Nos. 23, 24 and 26 the Minister indicated it would not be good for An Post. It is its position that this would be the correct thing to do. Therefore, I do not accept the Minister's argument.

Seanad: Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Bill 2010: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Dec 2010)

Brendan Ryan: I move amendment No. 22: In page 25, line 19, to delete "overall limit = (Ä CPI) — X" and substitute "overall limit = (Ä CPI) – X + Y". This amendment has been proposed by An Post which states price control should reflect structural declines in volumes, given the fixed nature of many of the costs incurred in providing a universal service. As volumes decline, costs per unit increase....

Seanad: Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (1 Dec 2010)

Brendan Ryan: I second the amendment.

Seanad: National Recovery Plan 2011-2014: Motion (30 Nov 2010)

Brendan Ryan: I welcome the Minister of State. In the short term the fiscal and banking issues must be resolved, but our recovery will be all about the creation of jobs. It is my party's view that the focus was not put on job creation until quite recently by the Government. As my party's motion states, every unemployed person costs the State about €20,000 between social welfare payments and lost...

Seanad: National Recovery Plan 2011-2014: Motion (30 Nov 2010)

Brendan Ryan: In a recent article in The Irish Times, Professor Brian Nolan stated that cutting welfare benefits will not incentivise people to take up jobs that do not exist. Neither will the reduction in the minimum wage achieve anything in line with what the Minister of State had to say. The structural problem to which I refer is the difficulty in taking up short-term jobs, perhaps for a month or six...