Results 3,901-3,920 of 12,667 for speaker:Louise O'Reilly

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sick Leave Bill 2022: Committee Stage (4 May 2022)

Louise O'Reilly: I move amendment No. 6: In page 5, line 31, to delete “continuous”. On the basis of the commitment given by the Minister of State, I withdraw my amendment but reserve the right to resubmit on Report Stage.

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sick Leave Bill 2022: Committee Stage (4 May 2022)

Louise O'Reilly: I will speak to my amendment No. 11. Deputy Murphy identified some of the issues with this section. The section is very heavily weighted in favour of the employer rather than the worker, which is problematic. Let us start with the premise that sick pay is an important tool in protecting public health and that no worker should consider going to work if he or she is sick. The intention is...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sick Leave Bill 2022: Committee Stage (4 May 2022)

Louise O'Reilly: I want to reject that as well. It is constantly being said that the employer is paying. We could equally say that they have not been paying for decades and that they have been getting away with it for decades. It does not need to be referenced in that way. For this to work, we must not come at it from the perspective of this being some kind of gift that is being bestowed on workers....

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sick Leave Bill 2022: Committee Stage (4 May 2022)

Louise O'Reilly: I move amendment No. 11: In page 6, between lines 12 and 13, to insert the following: "(b) the state of society generally, the public interest and employee wellbeing;".

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sick Leave Bill 2022: Committee Stage (4 May 2022)

Louise O'Reilly: The Minister of State needs to look at the burden in this. While an element of paid sick leave is welcome and a statutory sick pay scheme is long overdue, and we have discussed this, it cannot exclude people because they are on low incomes. They will have to put their hands in their pockets to go to the doctor. I tabled an amendment that would have eliminated this until such time as we...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sick Leave Bill 2022: Committee Stage (4 May 2022)

Louise O'Reilly: I am asking the Minister of State to take on board the concerns that were raised, particularly in respect of low-income workers, and do the maths regarding someone who is, for example, on the minimum wage or €13 per hour and how likely it is that they would have €55 or €60 to go to a doctor and then take that out of the 70%. I ask that he please do that exercise and...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sick Leave Bill 2022: Committee Stage (4 May 2022)

Louise O'Reilly: We had a discussion on the accessibility or otherwise of the proposals. The absence of access to free GP care was cited by Dr. Laura Bambrick of ICTU during the pre-legislative scrutiny phase. She made the point that very few people who are working have access to GP cards or medical cards. This means that here is a significant cohort of workers involved. I again ask that the Minister of...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sick Leave Bill 2022: Committee Stage (4 May 2022)

Louise O'Reilly: I would also be very strongly opposed to this. I respect the need to remain within the boundaries of other legislation and so on, but this makes it a risk worth taking not to grant it. All of the discussion we have had today is centred around recognition of the need for this, but it has to work. Deputy Bruton described the draconian process that an employer has to go through to go at the...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sick Leave Bill 2022: Committee Stage (4 May 2022)

Louise O'Reilly: That is fair enough. The original proposal was 20 weeks, but now it is two. That is a 90% reduction, albeit a reduction in something employees did not have. In this case, though, I do not believe that we can say that you never miss what you never had. This will be missed. There has to be some element of a deterrent. As matters stand, it is a risk worth taking.

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sick Leave Bill 2022: Committee Stage (4 May 2022)

Louise O'Reilly: Twenty.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (4 May 2022)

Louise O'Reilly: 229. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the status of the passports of persons (details supplied);; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21772/22]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Strategies (4 May 2022)

Louise O'Reilly: 489. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the programme for Government commitment to explore the potential for introducing a 24-hour triage and health concerns telephone and website service which will help to direct patients into appropriate streams of care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21973/22]

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla – Topical Issue Debate: Domestic Violence (28 Apr 2022)

Louise O'Reilly: I thank the Minister of State for the response and update. I would be very grateful if he could take on board and convey to the Minister, Deputy McEntee, that we really need to start planning for this now. The need has been established. As the Minister of State said, my area specifically, that is, Balbriggan, represents an area in which there is a significant underprovision and this is the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla – Topical Issue Debate: Domestic Violence (28 Apr 2022)

Louise O'Reilly: I thank the Ceann Comhairle and I thank the Minister of State for being here to discuss this issue. I do not believe there is any dispute. It has been recognised and acknowledged, and the Government is taking action on the geographical lottery in the context of refuge spaces. I am fortunate enough to represent one of the constituencies with the fastest growing population and our need is...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (28 Apr 2022)

Louise O'Reilly: What is happening in September?

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (28 Apr 2022)

Louise O'Reilly: You do not know which way you are going.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (28 Apr 2022)

Louise O'Reilly: If the Minister does not know, he should just say so.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (28 Apr 2022)

Louise O'Reilly: He does not know what he is talking about.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (28 Apr 2022)

Louise O'Reilly: If you do not know the answer, just sit down.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: General Scheme of the Right to Request Remote Work Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (27 Apr 2022)

Louise O'Reilly: I will run quickly through the public health arrangements. The proceedings of our Oireachtas committees will be conducted without the requirement for social distancing, with normal capacity in the committee rooms restored. However, committees are encouraged to take a gradual approach to this change. Members and witnesses have the option to attend meetings in the relevant committee room or...