Results 4,381-4,400 of 6,307 for speaker:Gerald Nash

Seanad: Irish Water: Motion (13 Jan 2016)

Gerald Nash: A Freudian slip.

Seanad: Irish Water: Motion (13 Jan 2016)

Gerald Nash: I was there too.

Seanad: Irish Water: Motion (13 Jan 2016)

Gerald Nash: Shakespeare also wrote "hell is empty and all the devils are here." I mean that in a respectful way, of course. I am pleased to have this opportunity to participate in this debate and to propose the Government's amendment to the motion in response to what I believe is an ill-conceived Fianna Fáil motion. This debate presents an opportunity to outline the real improvements that Irish...

Seanad: Irish Water: Motion (13 Jan 2016)

Gerald Nash: That is not the case anymore because of this national utility with a long-term investment plan which is required for the success of our economy and society.

Seanad: Irish Water: Motion (13 Jan 2016)

Gerald Nash: Fianna Fáil, as it outlined in its motion, would remove Irish Water from the playing field and thereby delay or discontinue this important work to address these legacy issues and provide for future needs. It would jeopardise our ultimate goals of secure and reliable drinking water supplies and comprehensive wastewater treatment for all parts of the country. This would be at a time of...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Rights (13 Jan 2016)

Gerald Nash: I take it that the Deputy is referring to one of the recommendations made by the University of Limerick (UL) in its study on the prevalence of zero hour contracts and low hour contracts among Irish employers. It is important to point out that this is an independent study and the conclusions drawn and the recommendations made in the study are those of UL. Therefore, I considered it essential...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Low Pay Commission Expenditure (13 Jan 2016)

Gerald Nash: The Low Pay Commission was launched on 26 of February 2015 with a budget of €500,000 (per calendar year). This is broken down on a pay (€270,000) and a non-pay basis (€230,000). Expenditure in 2015, the first year of operation of the Commission, was €155,500 (pay) and €95,100 (non-pay).

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Rights (17 Dec 2015)

Gerald Nash: As the Deputy is referring to a national of another EU Member State moving to work in Ireland the principle of free movement of workers between EU member States applies. Any discrimination based on nationality against EU workers as regards employment, remuneration, or working conditions is not permitted. The Deputy will understand that I am not in a position to comment or advise in...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Rights (17 Dec 2015)

Gerald Nash: Given the lack of uniformity around the definition of zero hour contracts and low hour contracts and the limitations of the data that exists in relation to such contracts, as highlighted in the recently published University of Limerick (UL) study, it is not possible to put a figure on the cost of prohibiting zero hour and low hour contracts in the existing regulatory regime. I am...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Early Childhood Care Education (16 Dec 2015)

Gerald Nash: I thank Senator Higgins for putting down this matter for discussion and for her kind remarks at the outset. I look forward very much to continuing to work with her next year.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Early Childhood Care Education (16 Dec 2015)

Gerald Nash: I thank the Senator. That is appreciated. The amount of pay an employee receives is a matter for negotiation and agreement between the individual and the employer subject only to the provisions of the National Minimum Wage Act 2000. There is nothing to prevent employees reaching individual or collective agreements with employers on higher rates based on qualifications or other agreed...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Credit Guarantee (Amendment) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (8 Dec 2015)

Gerald Nash: I move amendment No. 1:In page 3, between lines 7 and 8, to insert the following: “PART 1 PRELIMINARY AND GENERALShort title, commencement and collective citation1. (1) This Act may be cited as the Credit Guarantee (Amendment) Act 2015.(2) This Act shall come into operation on such day or days as the Minister may appoint by order or orders either generally or with reference to any...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Credit Guarantee (Amendment) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (8 Dec 2015)

Gerald Nash: I move amendment No. 2:2. In page 3, between lines 7 and 8, to insert the following: “Definitions2. In this Act— “Minister” means the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation; “Principal Act” means the Credit Guarantee Act 2012.”.

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Credit Guarantee (Amendment) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (8 Dec 2015)

Gerald Nash: In response to Deputy Peadar Tóibín's amendment, in extending the scope of the legislation and introducing additional flexibility, there will be scope to examine how a range of finance providers can operate under the Bill. I cannot accede to the amendment which relates specifically to crowd funding and credit unions. As far as the Government is concerned, these provisions are not...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Credit Guarantee (Amendment) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (8 Dec 2015)

Gerald Nash: We are satisfied that the scope of the Bill is broad enough to provide for the alternative financing arrangements to which Deputy Peadar Tóibín refers. Section 2(1)(b) provides that the "finance provider stands approved for the time being by the Minister in accordance with this section". This is sufficiently broad to cater for what the Deputy wants to achieve. We are all trying...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Credit Guarantee (Amendment) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (8 Dec 2015)

Gerald Nash: We are taking them seriously. As I said, there is sufficient scope and flexibility to ensure we will have as broad a range of alternative financing arrangements for SMEs as possible. We are taking this issue seriously, but we do not want to go down the road of specifically identifying in primary legislation different sectors because that could tie our hands in terms of the extent and...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Credit Guarantee (Amendment) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (8 Dec 2015)

Gerald Nash: We in the Department and I, as a constituency Deputy, are in constant contact with the credit union sector, as is the Department of Finance, in regard to the role of credit unions and how that will evolve in the context of the SME sector. We have asked the credit unions to bring forward proposals in that regard. As far as I understand, there has been no significant detail from the credit...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Credit Guarantee (Amendment) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (8 Dec 2015)

Gerald Nash: I thank the Deputy for his words. I know he is particularly interested in the scheme and we have spoken about it. I am not accepting amendment No. 4 which deals with a specific matter which is not appropriate for legislation. The Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, the banks and other finance providers and the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland, SBCI, will actively promote...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Credit Guarantee (Amendment) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (8 Dec 2015)

Gerald Nash: That is precisely the point I was going to make. It is probably sufficiently answered by Part 3 of the Bill in terms of the SBCI and its role as a promotional financial institution.

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Credit Guarantee (Amendment) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (8 Dec 2015)

Gerald Nash: No, it will allow it to provide the counter guarantee.