Results 4,881-4,900 of 6,307 for speaker:Gerald Nash

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Enterprise Support Services Provision (12 Feb 2015)

Gerald Nash: Under the Action Plan for Jobs, the Government has published an array of actions designed to ensure full employment by 2018. The plan also contains a suite of actions to promote entrepreneurship, to encourage people to start their own businesses and to help individuals with a viable business idea to access crucial start-up funding. These supports are of course available to all individuals...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Investigations (12 Feb 2015)

Gerald Nash: I understand that there are approximately 100 registered domestic waste collection companies operating in Ireland and they employ 8,000 workers directly. The indirect labour figure (agency/contract) is less clear. Given the number of companies competing for business, the cost of service delivery is a deciding factor in winning customers and forms part of the differentiation in terms of...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Rights (12 Feb 2015)

Gerald Nash: In accordance with the Statement of Government priorities, I have commissioned a study into the prevalence of zero hour and low hour contracts and the impact of such contracts on employees. Earlier this week, I announced the appointment of the University of Limerick (UL) to carry out the study. The appointment of UL follows a competitive tendering process. The key objectives of the study...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Superannuation Schemes (12 Feb 2015)

Gerald Nash: Officials from my Department, including the Secretary General, have attended a number of meetings involving officials from the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, IBEC and ICTU as part of the review process of the Irish Aviation Superannuation Scheme (IASS) undertaken by the Expert Panel. The involvement of officials from my Department in the meetings was in the context of...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Appointments to State Boards (12 Feb 2015)

Gerald Nash: There is a commitment in the Statement of Government Priorities 2014-2016 to establish a Low Pay Commission (LPC) on a statutory basis as an independent body to make annual recommendations to the Government about the appropriate level of the minimum wage and related matters. The Low Pay Commission will consist of: - An independent chairperson - Three people with a deep understanding of the...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Rights (5 Feb 2015)

Gerald Nash: Under the provisions of Section 8 of the Payment of Wages Act 1991 a Rights Commissioner’s decision may be enforced as if it were an order of the Circuit Court. A formal request for such an order may be filed in the County Registrar’s office by the person seeking the order. Where a person’s former employer was a limited company and the company is in liquidation or...

Seanad: Workplace Relations Bill 2015: Second Stage (4 Feb 2015)

Gerald Nash: We have had a very interesting and informative debate on what can sometimes be quite a complex area. This is not about changing anyone's rights or entitlements. It is about ensuring we have a streamlined system. It in no way impacts on the suite of employment legislation that we have or on any of the hard-won rights garnered through that process over the years in this sphere or the...

Seanad: Workplace Relations Bill 2015: Second Stage (4 Feb 2015)

Gerald Nash: I am pleased to have the opportunity to introduce this Bill to the Seanad. The Bill, which has passed all Stages in the Dáil, has been recognised as progressive legislation which will provide for a fundamental reform of the State's existing employment rights and industrial relations structures and deliver an independent world class workplace relations service which is easy to use,...

Topical Issue Debate: Company Closures (29 Jan 2015)

Gerald Nash: It was devastating news indeed. I am in the happy position of knowing quite a number of Bose workers from my constituency of Louth, especially people in the Ardee and Dundalk areas. They enjoyed their experiences and were very committed to the company. Like me, they were very disappointed at the sudden turn of events. The IDA and Enterprise Ireland are extremely annoyed at the turn of...

Topical Issue Debate: Company Closures (29 Jan 2015)

Gerald Nash: I thank Deputy Smith for raising this issue. I am concerned about this closure announcement for Carrickmacross. Not only is it confirming a large number of job losses, but it was totally unexpected, and the manner in which the news was broken to long-serving staff was a poor reflection on the company. The way in which this devastating news was given to Bose staff was uncaring, cold and...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Farm Safety (14 Jan 2015)

Gerald Nash: Table of Expenditure on Farm Safety Initiatives 2011 to 2014. Year Expenditure * 2011 €264,481 2012 €589,870 2013 €449,669 2014 €327,953 Total €1,631,973*The annual figures for expenditure include some cross sectoral initiatives. As some of the advertising initiatives span more than one year, the figure given is an estimate of the expenditure...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Farm Safety (14 Jan 2015)

Gerald Nash: I am particularly concerned at the high level of farm fatalities and it goes without saying that safety in agriculture will continue to be a high priority for the HSA and for the Government in 2015. As the HSA and the Department of Agriculture and Food have a common interest in promoting safe working in the agriculture sector opportunities for collaborative action are proactively sought...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Water Meters Installation (14 Jan 2015)

Gerald Nash: The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 (the Act) applies to Irish Water and all other employers/contractors engaged in activities relating to the installation of water meters and the Health and Safety Authority retains all powers conferred on it by the Act. Under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 duties are placed on employers in regard to the retention and...

Other Questions: Job Creation (17 Dec 2014)

Gerald Nash: This is not directly my area of responsibility. The Minister of State, Deputy English, is the expert on this. However, I am aware that Ireland has in the recent past ranked highest in terms of draw down of innovation vouchers from the European Union. Horizon 2020 is a significant element of that, ensuring that Irish companies continue to invest in research and innovation. Having led...

Other Questions: Job Creation (17 Dec 2014)

Gerald Nash: I thank Deputy Durkan for tabling this question. As he will be aware, Enterprise Ireland is the agency under the aegis of the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation with responsibility for the development of Irish enterprise - the majority of which can be classified as small and medium sized - thereby deepening Ireland’s footprint in world markets and supporting employment...

Other Questions: Job Creation (17 Dec 2014)

Gerald Nash: There has been significant infrastructural development throughout the country during the past ten to 15 years or more as a result of the efforts of successive Governments. The various regions are well placed to attract foreign direct investment and ensure that indigenous enterprises can grow. They are also well placed in the context of ensuring that companies can export. In that context,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Wage-setting Mechanisms (17 Dec 2014)

Gerald Nash: The last thing I can be accused of is shying away from my responsibilities to protect the interests of low paid workers by ensuring the jobs we create pay well. We are revising and reframing the legislative framework to ensure we can do this. Since Deputy Paul Murphy arrived in the House a few weeks ago, I have not found him engaging on these issues to ensure we can develop the framework...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Enterprise Support Services Provision (17 Dec 2014)

Gerald Nash: Manufacturing has been an important sector in Ireland since the 1960s when it was ramped up. However, there has been a noticeable decline in employment in the sector in recent years and, in fact, dating back to the 1980s. There has been a similar trend across the developed world; other industrialised countries such as Germany, the USA, the Netherlands and Korea have experienced similar...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Enterprise Support Services Provision (17 Dec 2014)

Gerald Nash: There have been increases in manufacturing, particularly in the agri-business and food sectors. There would have been a concern about the patent cliff, but pharma is performing extremely well, too, as we can see in the job announcements made recently. Early in the new year Enterprise Ireland will launch its results for this year and I expect them to be very positive. I do not have...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Wage-setting Mechanisms (17 Dec 2014)

Gerald Nash: The OECD Employment Outlook 2014 contains data on the incidence of low and high pay in OECD countries. In this context, the report defines the incidence of low pay as referring to the share of workers earning less than two thirds of median earnings. It ranks Ireland in fourth position, not second, with a figure of 21.8%, behind the United States, Korea and Israel, with figures of 25.3%,...