Results 541-560 of 1,026,071 for in 'Dáil debates' OR (speaker:Tom Kitt OR speaker:Paul Murphy OR speaker:Matt Carthy) in 'Committee meetings'
- Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (23 May 2024)
Matt Carthy: Here is the point. There was a time in this House when if Members suggested there should be representative organisations at all for the Defence Forces, they would be told they were being whatever the term for "populist" was in the 1950s or 1960s. They would have been told that if somebody was to suggest they should have an entitlement to affiliate with ICTU. There is always an evolution in...
- Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (23 May 2024)
Matt Carthy: It is page 28. It is in respect of amendments-----
- Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (23 May 2024)
Matt Carthy: It is paragraphs (g)(i) and (ii).
- Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (23 May 2024)
Matt Carthy: We are saying, on the one hand, that of course the associations have a right to represent their members and nothing we do here will prejudice that but, on the other, they shall not engage in making a public statement or comment on Government policy. Some areas of that are quite clear, and do not require any adjudication, for example, if representative organisations are making an appeal to...
- Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (23 May 2024)
Matt Carthy: That is what I am saying. It is a little less so than their direct terms and conditions.
- Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (23 May 2024)
Matt Carthy: However, if they are also then talking about childcare costs, taxation policy and regional development policy – all issues that impact on their members – one can see how it can move to a space where there could be an argument then in respect of this piece of legislation. I do think the core issues are the references to "Government policy" and "political matters". The...
- Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (23 May 2024)
Matt Carthy: Not the reference to "a political matter" but, yes, in terms of commentary in respect of "Government policy". Let us take, for example, if on budget day-----
- Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (23 May 2024)
Matt Carthy: Yes, but it also includes media commentary, including social media. I am taking the section in its totality. For example, on budget day, RTÉ always does a package of vox pops where it gets people from different sectors to give their views on it. Trade unions contact their members and say they should participate in the debate on how the budget has affected members – good, bad or...
- Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (23 May 2024)
Matt Carthy: The point I am making is that this makes it unclear.
- Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (23 May 2024)
Matt Carthy: It also states they cannot lobby.
- Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (23 May 2024)
Matt Carthy: It then becomes-----
- Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (23 May 2024)
Matt Carthy: It comes down to an interpretation as to whether or not what they are saying relates to the purpose of an association in representing members. Does the Tánaiste get the point? I am making the point that there is ambiguity here and it is open to different interpretation.
- Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (23 May 2024)
Matt Carthy: May I make a couple of comments? The amendments to this section and our contributions come from the positions of the representative organisations themselves. They tell us they feel that this has created ambiguity. The Tánaiste mentioned a couple of times the issues around public agitation and protest. To be clear about my own position, if the section read "shall not encourage members...
- Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (23 May 2024)
Matt Carthy: This is about the RACO and PDFORRA encouraging members. It relates to the purposes of associations. The Bill states that without prejudice to the purposes of representing their members, associations shall not encourage members to engage in public agitation and protest. We all have an understanding that the role of the representative organisations is not the same as other trade unions,...
- Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (23 May 2024)
Matt Carthy: They can also encourage their members to do so, if necessary. I have given the example of media commentary. As the Tánaiste knows, when there are issues pertaining or developments happen, the media likes to talk to real people who are affected. Members of the media will approach trade unions, representative organisations and sectoral bodies and ask them to comment on what things might...
- Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (23 May 2024)
Matt Carthy: That is not what the Bill states. It states "encourage members".
- Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (23 May 2024)
Matt Carthy: The amendments being brought forward are around the language of Government policy, which the Tánaiste has already conceded requires another look.
- Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (23 May 2024)
Matt Carthy: That is not at all what I suggested.
- Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (23 May 2024)
Matt Carthy: I move amendment No. 3: In page 9, line 11, to delete "or matter of Government policy".
- Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (23 May 2024)
Matt Carthy: I move amendment No. 5: In page 9, line 13, to delete "or matter of Government policy".