Results 4,401-4,420 of 6,412 for speaker:Gerald Nash

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Jul 2016)

Gerald Nash: It would be appropriate if the Minister for Health came to the House to reassure the public, and the service users and employees of St. John of God, that action will be taken where breaches of this nature are found.

Seanad: Summer Economic Statement 2016: Statements (Resumed) (14 Jul 2016)

Gerald Nash: I welcome the Minister to the House. I am pleased to contribute to this debate. It is important to have an opportunity to discuss the development of budgetary proposals and frame priorities for the year ahead. We pioneered this approach last year and it is continuing now. The proof of the pudding will be in the eating, by which I mean the capacity of the Government to take on suggestions...

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second and Subsequent Stages (14 Jul 2016)

Gerald Nash: Like colleagues across the House, I have no difficulty in accepting the proposition before us today that the two-year extension be granted, provided that in those two years we see very serious action and investment in the sector. We all know that there are congregated settings and other facilities across the country that require serious investment in terms of upgrading. I am aware, as...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Jul 2016)

Gerald Nash: We should be concerned about reports emanating from the Department of Social Protection today, undertaken by the ESRI on behalf of the Department which exposes the multitude of problems experienced by young people in society today. The message from the report, which I understand is to be released later today, is that younger people face very tough times in modern Ireland compared with their...

Seanad: Public Procurement: Statements (12 Jul 2016)

Gerald Nash: I am pleased to have an opportunity to contribute to this important debate. I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, to the House. I am pleased he enjoyed his recent visit to Drogheda. We hope to see him there again soon. As stated earlier by colleagues, the Government is by far the largest purchaser of goods and services in our economy, with public procurement alone...

Seanad: Competition (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (6 Jul 2016)

Gerald Nash: I welcome the Minister, Deputy Mary Mitchell O’Connor. I join Senator Bacik in welcoming activists from SIPTU, Irish Equity, the Musicians' Union of Ireland, the National Union of Journalists. There are also representatives present from ICTU, who have campaigned very actively for several years to have this matter addressed comprehensively. I really hope the tenacity and way in which...

Seanad: Competition (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (6 Jul 2016)

Gerald Nash: I think we have moved on. Are we not having a general discussion?

Seanad: Competition (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (6 Jul 2016)

Gerald Nash: Can we agree to section 1 and move on? Is that in order?

Seanad: Competition (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (6 Jul 2016)

Gerald Nash: I am happy to withdraw and address section 2 when that is appropriate.

Seanad: Competition (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (6 Jul 2016)

Gerald Nash: I apologise for straying into section 2 earlier. I understood we were covering a number of sections, but perhaps I am just finding it difficult to get the timbre of the House. We are still getting used to it. I thank the Minister for her response. As my colleague, Senator Ivana Bacik, said, we have no difficulty in working constructively with the Government because we are not in the...

Seanad: Delivering Sustainable Full Employment: Statements (Resumed) (30 Jun 2016)

Gerald Nash: I congratulate the Minister of State, Deputy Breen, on his appointment. I know that he will do an exceptional job and will be extremely committed to advancing the agenda of full employment for Ireland and its citizens, not just full employment but fair employment as well, as articulated by my colleague, Senator Gavan, and others. If we pursue the correct policies we will and can have full...

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Jun 2016)

Gerald Nash: I would like to share in the expression of sympathy to the people of Turkey after yesterday's horrendous terrorist attack and utterly meaningless loss of life. I share the condolences expressed by Senator Conway-Walsh. I visited Turkey on a number of occasions in recent years, once in an official capacity, and I was really struck by the warmth and hospitality of the Turkish people....

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Jun 2016)

Gerald Nash: We are all concerned about transparency in public life. Yesterday was actually a good day for transparency in public life in Ireland because, as a result of the Lobbying Act introduced by the Labour Party in the last Government, the Standards in Public Office Commission, SIPOC, published its first report concerning the behaviour of registered lobbyists in the State. The report found that...

Seanad: Mental Health: Statements (22 Jun 2016)

Gerald Nash: Is the Leas-Chathaoirleach sure about that?

Seanad: Mental Health: Statements (22 Jun 2016)

Gerald Nash: I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy McEntee, to the House and congratulate her on her appointment. She is passionate about this area of work. Her passion and commitment will make a big difference in the Department. Everyone in this House has admired the work done by her predecessor, Deputy Kathleen Lynch. Even though Deputy McEntee has big shoes to fill she...

Seanad: Health: Statements (21 Jun 2016)

Gerald Nash: I am pleased to contribute to this important debate. I first want to wish my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Corcoran Kennedy, every success in her portfolio. In the previous Oireachtas we both had different roles but I very much enjoyed our engagement in terms of my role as Minister of State with responsibility for business and employment and her role as the very successful...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Rights (26 Apr 2016)

Gerald Nash: There is no separate legal definition of the term “au pair” in Irish legislation, and individuals described as “au pairs”, “nannies” or “child-minders” are not exempted or treated as separate categories of workers under Irish employment law. Ireland’s body of employment rights legislation protects all employees who are legally...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Low Pay (26 Apr 2016)

Gerald Nash: The Low Pay Commission was established last year through the National Minimum Wage (Low Pay Commission) Act 2015 and was one of the key commitments in the Statement of Government Priorities agreed in July 2014. The Low Pay Commission’s main function is to, on an annual basis, examine and make recommendations on the national minimum wage, with a view to securing that the national...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Proposed Legislation (26 Apr 2016)

Gerald Nash: I am not aware that there is a practice of trade union representative blacklisting by employers in Ireland. I would consider blacklisting of workers for whatever reason as an unacceptable practice – particularly if it arose in relation to workers exercising their rights to take part in trade union activities. The Deputy will be aware that there are already legislative protections in...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Trade Union Recognition (26 Apr 2016)

Gerald Nash: While Article 40 of the Irish Constitution guarantees the right of citizens to form associations and unions, it has been established in a number of legal cases that the constitutional guarantee of the freedom of association does not guarantee workers the right to have their union recognised for the purpose of collective bargaining. It has been the consistent policy of successive Irish...