Results 4,521-4,540 of 6,307 for speaker:Gerald Nash

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Reports (15 Jul 2015)

Gerald Nash: In preparing the Request for Tender for the Zero Hours and Low Hours Study, it emerged that there is no commonly used definition of low hours work, or indeed a common understanding of what constitutes a Zero Hours Contract. This is evidenced by the difficulties which have been encountered in the UK in compiling official data on the prevalence of Zero Hours Contracts. The 8 hour contracts...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: National Carers Strategy Implementation (15 Jul 2015)

Gerald Nash: The National Carer's Strategy published in 2012 by the Department of Health, sets out the strategic direction for policies, services and supports provided for carers. This strategy, prepared in consultation with carers, established the key priorities to support carers given scarce resources and a Carers' Forum is held annually to continue to give carers a voice at policy level. The Family...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Living Wage (15 Jul 2015)

Gerald Nash: I note that, in its latest report, the Living Wage Technical Group has calculated the Living Wage in Ireland for a single-adult household to be €11.50 per hour. The new figure represents an increase of 5 cent per hour over the 2014 rate. The Living Wage concept is grounded in the idea that a person's wage should be sufficient to maintain a safe, decent standard of living. Of...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Rights (15 Jul 2015)

Gerald Nash: In accordance with the Statement of Government priorities and following a competitive tendering process I have commissioned University of Limerick to undertake a study on the prevalence of zero hour and low hour contracts and the impact of such contracts on employees. The study has a broad scope, covering both the public and private sectors, with a particular focus on the retail,...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Aviation Industry Regulations (15 Jul 2015)

Gerald Nash: I am aware of a study of atypical employment in the European aviation sector which was commissioned by the European Social partners in the aviation sector and which was published earlier this year. I understand from my colleague the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, who has responsibility for the aviation sector, that the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has competence for...

Seanad: National Minimum Wage (Low Pay Commission) Bill 2015: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (14 Jul 2015)

Gerald Nash: If I may I will provide some context to this Bill. As some Senators will be aware, a number of technical amendments were required to be made after the passage of the Workplace Relations Act. It was complex legislation and some issues came to our attention that required to be dealt with. It is proposed that they be accommodated in this Bill. As colleagues will know, the Minister for Jobs,...

Seanad: National Minimum Wage (Low Pay Commission) Bill 2015: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (14 Jul 2015)

Gerald Nash: Amendment No. 1 was required to amend the Long Title of the Bill to reflect the amendments to the Workplace Relations Act and certain other enactments. Amendment No. 7 is of a technical and drafting nature.For the purposes of the proposed new Part 3 of the National Minimum Wage (Low Pay Commission) Bill 2015, "Act of 2015" shall mean the Workplace Relations Act 2015 and "Minister" shall mean...

Seanad: National Minimum Wage (Low Pay Commission) Bill 2015: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (14 Jul 2015)

Gerald Nash: I thank colleagues in the House for their co-operation and for a lively debate since we introduced the Bill into this House. While we have had some differences on the emphasis placed on different provisions of the Bill, I thank colleagues for supporting the general principle that is enshrined in the Low Pay Commission Bill, which provides for a new institutional framework to tackle the...

Seanad: Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill 2015: Report Stage (14 Jul 2015)

Gerald Nash: The purpose of this amendment is to allow an employer to sign up to an existing registered employment agreement, REA, as a new party to the agreement. However, section 8 of the Bill already provides for a mechanism by which an REA can be varied in its application to any worker or workers to whom it applies. In this regard, the variation provisions under section 8 would allow for an...

Seanad: Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill 2015: Report Stage (14 Jul 2015)

Gerald Nash: Section 10(5) of the Bill provides that the Labour Court may cancel the registration of an employment agreement if it is satisfied that a trade union that was a party to the agreement is no longer substantially representative of the workers concerned. The purpose of amendment No. 2 is to require the court to give three months' notice to the trade union of its decision to allow for an appeal...

Seanad: Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill 2015: Report Stage (14 Jul 2015)

Gerald Nash: Section 13 of the Bill provides for a definition of remuneration for the purposes of a Labour Court recommendation for the terms of a sectoral employment order. The definition is based on the definition of remuneration included in the Protection of Employees (Temporary Agency Work) Act 2012. The definition includes basic pay and a list of other elements in excess of basic pay that may be...

Seanad: Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill 2015: Report Stage (14 Jul 2015)

Gerald Nash: The sectoral employment orders will be permitted to cover areas to do with pensions. Senator Walsh has made a strong case for sectoral employment orders in the private sector because they can also include, as expressed in the Bill, coverage for pensions. We would all welcome that. As Senator Walsh will be aware, the JLC system fell foul of the superior courts a couple of years ago. The...

Seanad: Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill 2015: Report Stage (14 Jul 2015)

Gerald Nash: Section 14 of the Bill provides that a trade union of workers or a trade union or organisation of employers which the Labour Court is satisfied is substantially representative of workers or employers in a particular sector may, separately or jointly, request the Labour Court to examine the terms and conditions related to the remuneration and the sick pay or pension of workers in the sector...

Seanad: Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill 2015: Report Stage (14 Jul 2015)

Gerald Nash: The purpose of amendment No. 7 is to add trade union membership or activity to the activities in respect of which an employer may not penalise a worker to whom a sectoral employment order applies. A number of protections are in place for workers who consider that they have been subjected to victimisation in the workplace. Any worker who finds himself or herself the subject of victimisation...

Seanad: Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill 2015: Report Stage (14 Jul 2015)

Gerald Nash: I shall speak on the group of amendments. Amendment No. 8 seeks to provide a role for trade union officials in the enforcement of REAs, or registered employment orders, which are more correctly entitled sectoral employment orders, and employment regulation orders. The amendment would also provide for the Minister to make regulations providing for a right of access by trade union officials...

Seanad: Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill 2015: Report Stage (14 Jul 2015)

Gerald Nash: In fairness to Senator Cullinane, he has made a strong case for me to consider this particular amendment, as have his colleagues in the Dáil. I cannot, for the reasons I have set out previously, accept the amendment. The pensions issue has been given careful consideration by the Government, particularly the Tánaiste. She has recently introduced regulations and approved amendments...

Seanad: Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill 2015: Report Stage (14 Jul 2015)

Gerald Nash: I am glad to have the opportunity to address that particular point. Section 30 inserts, inter alia, section 5(4) to 5(8) in the Principal Act to provide guidance to the Labour Court in the context of considering whether to make a recommendation on a dispute and the procedures to follow in assessing whether the totality of the remuneration and conditions of employment of the workers concerned...

Seanad: Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill 2015: Report Stage (14 Jul 2015)

Gerald Nash: I thank Senators for their support and for the lively and robust debate we have had over recent weeks on the various Stages of the Bill. This is a very important step forward in industrial relations and fulfils a significant programme for Government commitment introduced by the Labour Party. I pay tribute to the former leader of the Labour Party, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Data (14 Jul 2015)

Gerald Nash: Last February, I commissioned the University of Limerick (UL) to carry out a study into the prevalence of zero-hour and low-hour contracts and their impact on Irish employees. The key objectives of the study are: - To fill the gap in knowledge that currently exists in terms of the hard data and information that is available concerning the prevalence of zero hour and low hour contracts in...

National Minimum Wage (Low Pay Commission) Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2015)

Gerald Nash: In regard to amendment No. 48, the Schedule to the Act already provides the Minister with the possibility of removing a member of the commission from office if the member has committed a stated misbehaviour or the removal appears to be necessary for the effective performance by the commission of its functions. I would expect that an employer member who commits an offence under the National...