Results 9,301-9,320 of 12,076 for speaker:Mary Butler

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Sports Capital Programme Data (27 Nov 2019)

Mary Butler: 245. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of applications nationally received under the sports capital grant programme for 2019; the amount applied for; the profile of applications in terms of sporting discipline; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49244/19]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Sports Capital Programme Applications (27 Nov 2019)

Mary Butler: 249. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason an application for sports capital grant funding by a centre (details supplied) was unsuccessful; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49249/19]

An Bille um an Naoú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Ceart chun Sláinte), 2019: An Dara Céim [Comhaltaí Príobháideacha] - Thirty-ninth Amendment of the Constitution (Right to Health) Bill 2019: Second Stage [Private Members] (26 Nov 2019)

Mary Butler: I compliment Deputy Harty on his work in bringing forward this Bill and I welcome the opportunity to speak on it. Fianna Fáil's priority is to put in place permanent and sustainable improvements to our health service. The focus for us must be on what needs to be delivered and what is deliverable. We are committed to a strong public health service where the impact of public expenditure...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Nov 2019)

Mary Butler: Yesterday we had the results of the latest national survey of patients, the national inpatient experience survey, which was carried out in many hospitals. The majority of patients did report positive experiences in hospital; however, several areas needed improvement. Some 450 patients took part in the survey in University Hospital Waterford. Unfortunately, that hospital scored below the...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Nov 2019)

Mary Butler: -----while fantastic staff work under extreme conditions and constant pressure. Will additional measures be put in place to focus on patient dignity, comfort and respect, and transfer of care? According to the figures released, the number of patients waiting for timely discharge of care correlates with the number of people normally waiting in emergency departments.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Emergency Departments Waiting Times (26 Nov 2019)

Mary Butler: 88. To ask the Minister for Health the reason to date in 2019 over 1,190 persons over 75 years of age have endured emergency department wait times of more than 24 hours at Waterford University Hospital. [48764/19]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Mental Health Commission Reports (26 Nov 2019)

Mary Butler: 122. To ask the Minister for Health the action being taken to ensure that the findings of the Inspector of Mental Health Services report on Waterford department of psychiatry published in October 2019 are acted upon. [48765/19]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (26 Nov 2019)

Mary Butler: 269. To ask the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will receive an appointment for an operation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48581/19]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Business of Joint Committee (26 Nov 2019)

Mary Butler: I propose we go into private session to deal with some housekeeping matters. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: General Scheme of the Employment Permits (Consolidation and Amendment) Bill 2019 (Resumed): Discussion (26 Nov 2019)

Mary Butler: The committee is meeting to continue its pre-legislative scrutiny of the general scheme of the employment permits (consolidation and amendment) Bill 2019. Our first session is with representatives from IBEC and will be followed by a session with representatives from the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, ICTU. From IBEC, I welcome Dr. Kara McGann, head of social policy, and Mr. Rhona Murphy,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: General Scheme of the Employment Permits (Consolidation and Amendment) Bill 2019 (Resumed): Discussion (26 Nov 2019)

Mary Butler: Thank you, Dr. McGann. We will take questions from the floor. Deputy Troy is first.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: General Scheme of the Employment Permits (Consolidation and Amendment) Bill 2019 (Resumed): Discussion (26 Nov 2019)

Mary Butler: We are straying away from pre-legislative scrutiny of the permits a little bit. The critical skills employment permit, CSEP, currently has a minimum threshold of €30,000 and the worker must hold a degree qualification. A CSEP could also be granted where remuneration is above €60,000. The €30,000 is going to increase to €32,000 and the €60,000 is going to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: General Scheme of the Employment Permits (Consolidation and Amendment) Bill 2019 (Resumed): Discussion (26 Nov 2019)

Mary Butler: If I could interrupt the Deputy for one second, I note that there is a pathway for a worker who enters the country with a critical skills employment permit.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: General Scheme of the Employment Permits (Consolidation and Amendment) Bill 2019 (Resumed): Discussion (26 Nov 2019)

Mary Butler: I do not know much about it, but we can delve into it a little bit deeper. There is a pathway for those with a critical skill. That is another thing we can inquire about. The beauty of pre-legislative scrutiny is that we can delve into all those areas.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: General Scheme of the Employment Permits (Consolidation and Amendment) Bill 2019 (Resumed): Discussion (26 Nov 2019)

Mary Butler: That is a very valid point. I would like to raise a further question. The new Bill seeks to introduce a seasonal employment permit. Does IBEC have any thoughts on how long the seasonal employment permit should be valid for? The Department's officials were before the committee two weeks ago. It has not really finalised its position on this. It is open to different viewpoints. In the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: General Scheme of the Employment Permits (Consolidation and Amendment) Bill 2019 (Resumed): Discussion (26 Nov 2019)

Mary Butler: The seasonal employment permit is being introduced to alleviate labour market demands in peat production. I am not sure that sector would call for 18 months. I thought it would be between six and nine months. A lot of seasons are included in 18 months. I am just thinking out loud. It is great to hear Dr. McGann's thoughts on this. Do we need to cover anything else? Would the witnesses...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: General Scheme of the Employment Permits (Consolidation and Amendment) Bill 2019 (Resumed): Discussion (26 Nov 2019)

Mary Butler: I wish to ask another question. Does IBEC support moving the details of the test of the labour market's needs to regulation and adapting the requirements to each sector?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: General Scheme of the Employment Permits (Consolidation and Amendment) Bill 2019 (Resumed): Discussion (26 Nov 2019)

Mary Butler: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: General Scheme of the Employment Permits (Consolidation and Amendment) Bill 2019 (Resumed): Discussion (26 Nov 2019)

Mary Butler: In the last meeting we spent a lot of time discussing skilled workers who come into the country with their spouses or partners, and whether these spouses or partners are entitled to be here, entitled to work, entitled to annual remuneration or to a medical card etc. They absolutely are not entitled to some of those things. That is not going to change, but we welcome the fact that the spouse...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: General Scheme of the Employment Permits (Consolidation and Amendment) Bill 2019 (Resumed): Discussion (26 Nov 2019)

Mary Butler: It really came to light during the summer, when farmers were protesting outside the meat factories. A lot of the workers there came into the country on permits. They were living from week to week. Some of them were laid off. I was in contact with some of these workers. It was one of the side-effects of the strike. Jobs were being lost outside and inside the plants. Some of these...