Results 2,001-2,020 of 6,030 for speaker:Brendan Ryan

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

Brendan Ryan: At a recent economic conference in Balbriggan which I attended, there was a show of hands by business people as to who had work available if they could afford to hire. Approximately 15 to 20 of the 70 business people present put up their hands. We must find a way to tap into this and other opportunities and give them the priority they properly deserve.

Seanad: Protection of Intellectual Property Rights: Statements (11 Nov 2010)

Brendan Ryan: I welcome the Minister of State. I was briefed yesterday by people from the industry ahead of this debate and I found much merit in what they had to say and have sympathy for them and the situation in which they find themselves. When preparing my contribution I thought I might reflect their position, but having listened to what has been said by previous contributors, it seems that argument...

Seanad: National Housing Development Survey: Motion (10 Nov 2010)

Brendan Ryan: The National Housing Development Survey, published by the Ministers of State, Deputy Cuffe and Deputy Finneran, is an important, welcome and much-needed report. It eliminates the unsubstantiated rumours of what had occurred in some housing developments. Having said that, the survey's results are alarming. A housing development, by definition, comprises two or more dwellings set out in...

Seanad: EU Directive on Temporary Agency Work: Statements (10 Nov 2010)

Brendan Ryan: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Calleary. We are dealing with the temporary agency workers directive 2004/104/EC which must be transposed into Irish law. It was published on 5 December 2008 and must be transposed by 5 December 2011. I question why it has taken us until now to get seriously involved in it. I welcome the directive which is a good one. Its transposition into Irish...

Seanad: EU Directive on Temporary Agency Work: Statements (10 Nov 2010)

Brendan Ryan: There is great potential for abuse.

Seanad: Employment Support Services (28 Oct 2010)

Brendan Ryan: I also welcome the Tánaiste and the approval by the budget committee of the European Parliament of €7.4 million from the European Union Globalisation Adjustment Fund to 850 former workers at SR Technics. Nearly 1,200 highly skilled workers lost their jobs in 2008 and have been waiting since for assistance in getting back to work. I do, however, have serious concerns. The Government was...

Seanad: Employment Support Services (28 Oct 2010)

Brendan Ryan: I thank the Tánaiste for her response and for coming to the House to respond to the debate. The key matter to be learned is that there needs to be flexibility in everything we do. We need a can-do approach rather than highlighting the barriers preventing us from doing things. We must have no repeat of the failings that occurred elsewhere. Regarding the delays, I believe the average for...

Seanad: Small and Medium Enterprises: Motion (20 Oct 2010)

Brendan Ryan: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Kelleher. The Labour Party supports the Fine Gael motion. Many small and family businesses cannot access the loans they need to keep afloat. Paying wages and suppliers is a major struggle for many such companies. Viable, profitable and well run businesses are going to the wall because they cannot access credit. More than two years on from the...

Seanad: Restructuring of Vocational Education Committees: Statements (19 Oct 2010)

Brendan Ryan: I welcome the Minister of State to discuss this interesting proposal from the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Mary Coughlan. We know there is to be a reduction from 33 to 16 VECs. The rationale contained in the Minister of State's comments seems reasonable, although if we thought this through we might come up with slightly different action. It is a reasonable enough idea and as a...

Seanad: Restructuring of Vocational Education Committees: Statements (19 Oct 2010)

Brendan Ryan: It is important all these services are provided and not interrupted in any way by the restructuring process, as mentioned by other Senators. The valuable ongoing work in education must be at a level unaffected by this rationalisation. Some Senators raised concerns about such a potential outcome. The Minister of State went to great lengths in speaking about implementation, indicating there...

Seanad: Common Agricultural Policy: Statements (12 Oct 2010)

Brendan Ryan: I welcome the Minister. I am stepping into the breach for my colleague Senator Michael McCarthy. The future of the Common Agricultural Policy must be addressed now. We are fast approaching 2013 and, with every day that passes, the situation for Irish farmers becomes more critical. Agriculture remains at the core of Irish rural life and the CAP 2013 is vital to securing the viability of...

Seanad: Trading and Investing in a Smart Economy: Statements (7 Oct 2010)

Brendan Ryan: I welcome the Minister of State. I state clearly that if these initiatives represent a genuine focusing of Government attention on the significant economic and social problem that unemployment represents, they must be welcomed, and I do so on behalf of the Labour Party. Having virtually ignored the unemployment crisis and allowed the numbers on the live register to climb to almost 460,000,...

Seanad: Local Authority Funding (14 Jul 2010)

Brendan Ryan: I welcome the Minister of State and thank him for taking time to take this matter. The decision by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy John Gormley, to place an embargo on Fingal County Council's spending accumulated planning levies is a disgrace. It is also of questionable legality. It has had an appalling effect on communities that have been working...

Seanad: Local Authority Funding (14 Jul 2010)

Brendan Ryan: In terms of the Minister of State's reply, Fingal County Council does not require loan financing. It has the money from previous development levies. It has made several cases to the Department to spend that money. It was disallowed from doing so and therefore loans are not appropriate. In terms of a specific answer to a question relating to this matter, Fingal County Council stated that...

Seanad: Local Authority Funding (14 Jul 2010)

Brendan Ryan: The local authority states it has the money and wants to spend it but is being blocked from doing so.

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2009: Second Stage (29 Jun 2010)

Brendan Ryan: I welcome the introduction of this Bill, which the Labour Party will support. I do not intend to deliver a long speech on Second Stage but to comment on key elements of the Minister's proposals. The Labour Party welcomes the reduction of blood alcohol content for regular drivers from 80 mg per 100 ml to 50 mg and from 80 mg to 20 mg for learner, novice and professional drivers. This will...

Seanad: Environmental Protection: Motion (23 Jun 2010)

Brendan Ryan: Of the elements of the motion, I will deal with public beaches. I am encouraged that the Labour Party is coming under attack tonight because it indicates somebody is concerned about us. I am always encouraged by this. Compliance with EU bathing water standards is based on the parameters specified in EU directive 76.160/EEC . The results of tests on samples are analysed or assessed to...

Seanad: Innovation and Job Creation: Statements (22 Jun 2010)

Brendan Ryan: Every time the House discusses unemployment and job creation, it must reflect on the context in which it is debating these issues. As time passes, we tend to make monthly comparisons of the unemployment rate. These show only minor trends such as slight increases or decreases in the unemployment rate and do not give a true indication of the position. For this reason, I do not make any...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Jun 2010)

Brendan Ryan: Yesterday's report from the Mental Health Commission made a recommendation that no further admissions be made to three institutions after next February. This is a serious matter. I welcome the report. One of the institutions is St. Ita's in Portrane. I grew up in Portrane and many of my social activities as a young man took place around the hospital in terms of playing sports, socialising...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Jun 2010)

Brendan Ryan: Yes. I ask the Leader to bring this to the attention of the Taoiseach and the Minister, Deputy Harney. It must be elevated to that level and the Minister of State, Deputy Moloney, must be given whatever supports he requires to bring this matter to a speedy conclusion.