Results 9,421-9,440 of 9,753 for speaker:Terry Leyden

Seanad: Order of Business. (22 May 2003)

Terry Leyden: On behalf of small grocery shops, I put down a marker that we wish to ensure they will be protected. The system is working well and I see no desire to bring more German hypermarkets like Aldi and Lidl into the country. It has enough of them. They do not buy any Irish products for sale on their shelves and do not assist the economy one iota. The present system is satisfactory. I hope the House...

Seanad: Order of Business. (22 May 2003)

Terry Leyden: They could take over Fine Gael yet.

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Statements. (21 May 2003)

Terry Leyden: Did Longford not get an office of the Department of Social and Family Affairs?

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Statements. (21 May 2003)

Terry Leyden: Will the Senator acknowledge what Longford has received?

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Statements. (21 May 2003)

Terry Leyden: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to take this matter. I am delighted he is in this Department. Given his knowledge of rural areas, no one is better equipped to be aware of what is happening in every part of the country. He knows exactly the requirements. It is ideal that he is in this Department at this time.

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Statements. (21 May 2003)

Terry Leyden: I want to put this in context. It is important to set out the background to this matter, given that there are those who might criticise this Government over delays in honouring its commitment in the programme for Government. A decision was made in 1992 to decentralise the General Register Office to Roscommon town, which it has taken ten years to achieve, that being one of the longest sagas in...

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Statements. (21 May 2003)

Terry Leyden: He certainly did. He thought it was a retrograde step, but fortunately we now have computerisation, broadband access, e-mail and other forms of communication. The computerisation of some 70 million files in that office is proceeding very well.

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Statements. (21 May 2003)

Terry Leyden: Roscommon, being the heart of Ireland, would also be a possible location. From my research on this issue, I understand that 120 towns have applied for decentralised offices. There are some 13 or 14 large folders in the Department containing submissions from towns throughout the country, but nobody knows the number of civil servants who are seeking to transfer from Dublin. Some say that 18,000...

Seanad: Rural Development Policy: Statements (Resumed). (21 May 2003)

Terry Leyden: I believe the Senator has spoken in the debate already. We have checked the Official Report.

Seanad: Redundancy Payments Bill 2003: Second Stage. (14 May 2003)

Terry Leyden: Where is the line drawn?

Seanad: Redundancy Payments Bill 2003: Second Stage. (14 May 2003)

Terry Leyden: I welcome the Tánaiste. In fairness to her, she had the good intention of endeavouring to achieve retrospection, if possible. Where do we draw the line as far as legislation is concerned? The Tánaiste expressed her concerns about the issues which apply to most constituencies where industries close. Can anybody say what date should be applied in terms of retrospection or that we should go...

Seanad: Redundancy Payments Bill 2003: Second Stage. (14 May 2003)

Terry Leyden: The Tánaiste clarified the matter. She tried to find a way out of the situation and assist workers made redundant over that period. I recall situations where ex gratia payments were made. The Talbot workers in Dublin were well looked well, before the Senator's time. Also, in the Minister of State's constituency – I welcome Deputy Michael Ahern – Irish Steel had special arrangements. In...

Seanad: Redundancy Payments Bill 2003: Second Stage. (14 May 2003)

Terry Leyden: A rainbow coalition would have compensated Eircom shareholders and many other groups.

Seanad: Redundancy Payments Bill, 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (14 May 2003)

Terry Leyden: While we do not intend to accept the amendment, we understand the difficulty and complications that arose because of the dates. The correct date is 28 November 2002.

Seanad: Redundancy Payments Bill, 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (14 May 2003)

Terry Leyden: That would not be adequate in the case of the employees in Castlecomer.

Seanad: Redundancy Payments Bill, 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (14 May 2003)

Terry Leyden: While we are not accepting the amendment, we do not mind if the House allows the Senator to change the date in order to correct it.

Seanad: Redundancy Payments Bill, 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (14 May 2003)

Terry Leyden: We will not be accepting it. There is no question but that the Tánaiste met the delegation. She said she would do her best to try to have workers covered by the new legislation.

Seanad: Redundancy Payments Bill, 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (14 May 2003)

Terry Leyden: The Tánaiste said the payment of a statutory redundancy lump sum was a legal requirement of employers. It cannot be imposed retrospectively. As I said to her, where does one draw the line in regard to this matter? While the date of 28 November affects the employees in Castlecomer, there are employees in Roscommon and elsewhere who have also been made redundant over the past year or so who...

Seanad: Redundancy Payments Bill, 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (14 May 2003)

Terry Leyden: It is an impossible situation. When the Tánaiste met the delegation, she said she would try to include the workers under the terms of the new legislation. In fairness, any Deputy would have felt encouraged by her words. She had good intentions but legally she is—

Seanad: Redundancy Payments Bill, 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (14 May 2003)

Terry Leyden: I want to wrap this up because it will come up in the other House tomorrow. It will be raised by the Senators' colleagues from Kilkenny. The Tánaiste never made a statement to the effect that she would include the workers of the company in question in the legislation.