Results 541-560 of 1,150 for speaker:Frank Fahey
- Parental Leave (Amendment) Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Second Stage. (20 Oct 2005)
Frank Fahey: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time". The Parental Leave (Amendment) Bill 2004 amends the Parental Leave Act 1998 to implement a Government commitment in the Sustaining Progress social partnership agreement. This commitment is to strengthen the parental leave scheme in line with the agreed recommendations of the social partners arising from the working group on the review and...
- Seanad: Rail Services. (20 Oct 2005)
Frank Fahey: Following a number of years of underinvestment, the Government has provided significant funding for public transport since 1999. The role the railway plays in moving large numbers of people in an efficient manner has been particularly recognised. More than â¬1 billion has been spent in recent years in bringing the rail network up to an acceptable level to cater for the increasing demands...
- Adoptive Leave Bill 2004 [Seanad] : Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (19 Oct 2005)
Frank Fahey: I agree with the Deputies on the desirability of this move but a process is involved and there is an important link with maternity leave. The maternity working group considered the periods of maternity leave available and made recommendations to increase both maternity leave and additional maternity leave by four weeks each. These increases were immediately implemented in March 2001 and were...
- Adoptive Leave Bill 2004 [Seanad] : Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (19 Oct 2005)
Frank Fahey: Is the Deputy for or against social partnership?
- Adoptive Leave Bill 2004 [Seanad] : Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (19 Oct 2005)
Frank Fahey: I do so simply because the bedrock of economic success and industrial peace in this country has been partnership and that was achieved after exhaustive discussions and negotiations around maternity leave, parental leave and adoptive leave. For us to ignore what has happened and what is yet to happenââ
- Adoptive Leave Bill 2004 [Seanad] : Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (19 Oct 2005)
Frank Fahey: We all sincerely hope that agreement is reached in the next partnership negotiations to improve the terms around parental leave and adoption and that the Government and Minister for Finance will be in a position to provide the extra resources for that. For us to take a decision without reference to all the other key people concerned would, aside from the fact that budgetary considerations are...
- Adoptive Leave Bill 2004 [Seanad] : Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (19 Oct 2005)
Frank Fahey: I cannot accept theses amendments, which rely for validity on earlier amendments that were ruled out of order. Deputy English's amendments are consequent on amendment No. 1, which has been ruled out of order. Section 6 of the Bill amends section 10 of the Adoptive Leave Act 1995, which makes provision for additional unpaid adoptive leave for bereaved fathers in certain circumstances following...
- Adoptive Leave Bill 2004 [Seanad] : Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (19 Oct 2005)
Frank Fahey: The purpose of the Bill is to apply the appropriate recommendations of the maternity working group to adoptive leave. I am sorry that I am obliged to repeat that.
- Adoptive Leave Bill 2004 [Seanad] : Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (19 Oct 2005)
Frank Fahey: The agreement unequivocally states that the Adoptive Leave Bill would provide for the termination of additional adoptive leave in the event of illness, subject to the agreement of the employer. As I have stated, the purpose of section 8 is to provide for termination of additional adoptive leave, if the employee chooses and the employer agrees. On its own, the deletion of the proposed new...
- Adoptive Leave Bill 2004 [Seanad] : Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (19 Oct 2005)
Frank Fahey: This amendment does not do what the Deputy wants.
- Adoptive Leave Bill 2004 [Seanad] : Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (19 Oct 2005)
Frank Fahey: It really is the choice of the individuals. If they want to terminate their adoptive unpaid leave to go on paid sickness benefit, it is a matter for them and there is no problem. This amendment is not necessary in that regard and the deletion of subsection (4)(b) would not have the effect of leaving the balance of untaken leave available at a later time.
- Adoptive Leave Bill 2004 [Seanad] : Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (19 Oct 2005)
Frank Fahey: I have no argument with the Deputy but if she is proposing that the balance of leave should be postponed or suspended, she must table an amendment to that effect because amendment No. 22 does not deal with that matter.
- Adoptive Leave Bill 2004 [Seanad] : Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (19 Oct 2005)
Frank Fahey: We are not proposing that it would be suspended or postponed but that it would be terminated.
- Adoptive Leave Bill 2004 [Seanad] : Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (19 Oct 2005)
Frank Fahey: If a person wants to terminate the unpaid adoptive leave, that person is entitled to sick benefit.
- Adoptive Leave Bill 2004 [Seanad] : Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (19 Oct 2005)
Frank Fahey: What the Deputy is suggesting would mean that this would be an unclear law, which would not be in anyone's interests.
- Adoptive Leave Bill 2004 [Seanad] : Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (19 Oct 2005)
Frank Fahey: It is not unjust.
- Adoptive Leave Bill 2004 [Seanad] : Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (19 Oct 2005)
Frank Fahey: I thank Members for their contributions to the debate on the Bill. It is important legislation that will enhance the lives of adoptive parents. I appreciate the strong views expressed by Members concerning aspects of the Bill but, in light of the circumstances I have outlined, it is not possible to accept them at this stage. With the evolving policy changes in terms of family life balance, I...
- Seanad: Domestic Violence: Statements. (13 Oct 2005)
Frank Fahey: I thank all the Members who contributed to this debate which has been useful to me and to my officials. In particular, I thank the Leader of the House for initiating the debate. As she remarked, it is worthwhile to have this kind of debate, not least from my perspective whereby I can learn from the Members' contributions, but also in terms of continuing to maintain a high profile on this...
- Seanad: Domestic Violence: Statements. (13 Oct 2005)
Frank Fahey: I thank Senators for raising this matter and for giving me an opportunity to update the House on progress on this important issue. Even before I assumed responsibility for this area, I was struck by the complexity of the problem of domestic violence and of the need for a multifaceted approach to tackling it. Domestic violence is a serious problem, one which we may not have properly...
- Seanad: Domestic Violence: Statements. (13 Oct 2005)
Frank Fahey: They will.