Results 581-600 of 1,150 for speaker:Frank Fahey

Adoptive Leave Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Report Stage. (28 Sep 2005)

Frank Fahey: That is correct. The Deputy and I had this argument previously. I firmly believe in the social partnership model that has existed here for almost 20 years and has been the bedrock not only of industrial peace but also of very significant improvements in respect of family workplaces etc. As legislators it would be entirely inappropriate for us to make legislation without regard to the very...

Adoptive Leave Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Report Stage. (28 Sep 2005)

Frank Fahey: I remind the Deputy that the negotiations on social partnership begin next month. There have been no such negotiations since this Bill was introduced, so it was not possible to refer it back to the social partners.

Adoptive Leave Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Report Stage. (28 Sep 2005)

Frank Fahey: It is fair to assume we will see changes coming about in the new partnership negotiations. Those changes can then be reflected in legislation along the lines the Deputy proposes if there is agreement between the social partners on the issue. I have not said there is anything wrong with what is being proposed but it is important that we retain the link which currently exists. If that link is...

Disability Bill 2004: From the Seanad. (28 Jun 2005)

Frank Fahey: Amendment No. 1 is a technical amendment and makes it clear that the definition of specified bodies relates to bodies such as the HSE and the courts which operate with their own financial Votes and where the relevant Minister does not allocate funding. The change reflected in amendment No. 2 was sought by the DLCG at its recent meeting with the Taoiseach on 25 May. The Taoiseach indicated...

Disability Bill 2004: From the Seanad. (28 Jun 2005)

Frank Fahey: Not in legislation.

Disability Bill 2004: From the Seanad. (28 Jun 2005)

Frank Fahey: On a point of information, Deputy Lynch is incorrect. That is plainly incorrect.

Seanad: Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (22 Jun 2005)

Frank Fahey: I thank Members for the lively and interesting contributions they made to the debate on this important Bill. In particular, I thank the Opposition spokespersons who, as has been stated, put an enormous amount of work into this legislation. The legislation was complex and without having the significant backup which I enjoy as Minister of State, each of the Opposition spokespersons did an...

Seanad: Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (22 Jun 2005)

Frank Fahey: The 3% employment quota has been in place on an administrative basis for many years. I would be the first to acknowledge that there has been considerable variation in the performance of various Departments and public bodies regarding the target. It has received specific attention in a number of the national wages agreements. Sustaining Progress captures the essential point in that it refers...

Seanad: Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (22 Jun 2005)

Frank Fahey: ——many of them have. The variable progress is due to a number of factors, including the problems with disclosure of personal information, differences in recording procedures within public bodies and the lack of acceptance by some bodies of their responsibilities in this area. It is clear from recent research that a change in the approach to recording and a broader range of positive action...

Seanad: Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (22 Jun 2005)

Frank Fahey: In other public bodies outside the Civil Service. While returns for all public bodies for 2005 have not yet been received, the outstanding returns, including the local authorities, which have shown good achievement in previous years, show an average rate of 3.5% on 1 January 2004. Therefore, improvements are taking place and we are satisfied that this trend is ongoing. In respect of...

Seanad: Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (22 Jun 2005)

Frank Fahey: I do not have anything to add. I am absolutely satisfied that all of the points made by the Senator are covered in the reporting mechanisms which will be ongoing. This issue was debated at great length at an official level across all Departments and it was felt that it should be a statutory requirement, as outlined in the Bill, to ensure that people with disabilities were given adequate...

Seanad: Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (22 Jun 2005)

Frank Fahey: This is a technical amendment to correct the offences provision in section 54. It clarifies that bodies corporate as well as specified individuals will be guilty of an offence and liable to prosecution, as appropriate.

Seanad: Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (22 Jun 2005)

Frank Fahey: I will respond to the last point made. Each Minister does not have a sectoral plan as the sectoral plans only apply to the six major Departments with a need for a plan owing to the massive amount of work to be done. In response to what Senator Terry said before the division, that work will be done on a year-on-year basis up to a maximum of ten years. It is not a question of putting it on the...

Seanad: Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (22 Jun 2005)

Frank Fahey: The ones without plans must have their provisions in place to comply with the Bill by the end of this year, which means they have no need to have a plan. For example, the Department of the Taoiseach does not need a sectoral plan because that Department has little to do in this area when compared with the Department of Transport or the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local...

Seanad: Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (22 Jun 2005)

Frank Fahey: By and large they are being implemented. Part M of the building regulations ensures that all new buildings funded from new moneys are——

Seanad: Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (22 Jun 2005)

Frank Fahey: With due respect, it is very unfair to make such comments. A strong set of regulations for new buildings and developments exist and are being adhered to. If the Senator has examples where this is not happening with new expenditure, I would like to hear them. I ask the Senator to inform me of projects involving Government expenditure in which the planning laws on disability are not being...

Seanad: Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (22 Jun 2005)

Frank Fahey: Sections 25 to 29 impose significant obligations on the six Departments, which, among other matters, must make all their services accessible to people with disabilities. Significant costs and resources cross a wide range of bodies are involved. The main cost for the six Departments is the cost of retrofitting and making changes. This applies to agencies such as Iarnród Éireann, Bus...

Seanad: Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (22 Jun 2005)

Frank Fahey: There are six Departments with plans because it is necessary for those Departments to plan for the short, medium and long term action they will take. This is because there are very significant amounts of work that they all must carry out. The other Departments are covered and they must complete their work by December 2005, which is covered in sections 26 to 29. We wanted to focus on the big...

Seanad: Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (22 Jun 2005)

Frank Fahey: If it was necessary to have plans for the other Departments, there would have been no difficulty in having them. However, it is not necessary because they will be obliged, once the Bill is passed, to put in place all of the requirements expected of them in the Bill by the end of this year.

Seanad: Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (22 Jun 2005)

Frank Fahey: I thank the Senators for bringing this important matter to my attention on Committee Stage. I am happy to agree with the suggested amendment by Senator Quinn and Senator Henry to remove "Dáil Éireann" from section 31(6) and replace it with "each House of the Oireachtas". Government amendments Nos. 25 and 27 will also ensure that section 31(6), which refers to the laying of sectoral plans...