Results 1,001-1,020 of 4,491 for speaker:John Perry

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Data Protection (9 Jul 2013)

John Perry: I am here on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality, who is unable to be present. I thank Senator van Turnhout for raising this important subject. In the first instance, I will briefly set out the background to the European Commission's proposals for reform of data protection law. The centrepiece of existing EU legislation on personal data protection is Directive...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Data Protection (9 Jul 2013)

John Perry: I will be happy to supply the Senator with a copy of my script. The European Commission tabled proposals for a radical shake-up of the existing data protection framework. Those proposals undoubtedly comprise one of the most important reform packages being discussed at EU level at present. Data protection affects all of us, whether in a private capacity as individuals, in a business or...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Court Accommodation Refurbishment (9 Jul 2013)

John Perry: On behalf of the Minister for Justice and Equality, I thank the Senator for raising the matter. I appreciate his interest in Portlaoise courthouse and the issues relating to its existing location on the Main Street in Portlaoise. As the Senator will appreciate, under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service and the...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Court Accommodation Refurbishment (9 Jul 2013)

John Perry: The Government is conscious of the value of providing for an excellent court system and has continued to provide substantial resources to the service, with a supplementary estimate of €5 million provided last year on top of the original net budget of €54.1 million. However, the Senator will appreciate that no area is exempt from the financial constraints of the past few years....

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Fishing Industry Development (26 Jun 2013)

John Perry: I will convey the concerns of the Senator to the Minister, who I have no doubt will deal with them directly.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Schools Building Projects (26 Jun 2013)

John Perry: I apologise on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Quinn, who regrets very much that it cannot be here. I thank the Senator for raising the matter as it provides me with the opportunity to clarify the current position in regard to the application for major capital funding for a proposed community school in Ennistymon. As the Senator will be aware, the three post-primary schools in Ennistymon have...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Schools Building Projects (26 Jun 2013)

John Perry: I am not able to answer that question directly. As the Minister stated, section 42 will facilitate the transfer of the properties, which is very important, and the Government has agreed to accept the property. Section 42 only commenced in March. The Minister said he will be in a position to consider further how the project could be progressed. I suggest the community group dealing with...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Fishing Industry Development (26 Jun 2013)

John Perry: First, let me convey the apologies of the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Simon Coveney, who cannot be here this evening to take this debate as he is involved in CAP negotiations in Luxembourg. I am conscious, as we speak today about the fishing sector in Waterford and the south east, that this has been a particularly difficult few weeks for the fishing community of...

European Union (Accession of the Republic of Croatia) (Access to the Labour Market) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (25 Jun 2013)

John Perry: I wish Croatia, the 28th member of the European Union, every possible success. I have no doubt accession to the Union will present significant opportunities for the country. The terms of Croatia's accession were agreed during the Irish Presidency in 2004 and the country will accede to the European Union on the day after our 2013 Presidency, which has received great acclamation, concludes....

European Union (Accession of the Republic of Croatia) (Access to the Labour Market) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (25 Jun 2013)

John Perry: This has been a very interesting and informative debate and I thank Deputies for their comments. From a business point of view, this is the right thing to do, as well as from the viewpoint of international friendship. I recently went to Zagreb and there are tremendous business opportunities for SMEs. There are many similarities between the sectors in Croatia and Ireland. The Croatian...

European Union (Accession of the Republic of Croatia) (Access to the Labour Market) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (25 Jun 2013)

John Perry: Section 3 amends the Employment Permits Act 2003 so that Croatian nationals who have equivalent EU employment rights do not need an employment permit. In conclusion, I would be happy to expand on any of the provisions during the course of this debate if Deputies wish to raise any particular issues and we will have an opportunity during Committee Stage to examine the Bill in detail. I look...

European Union (Accession of the Republic of Croatia) (Access to the Labour Market) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (25 Jun 2013)

John Perry: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am very pleased to have the opportunity to introduce this Bill to this House. The Bill is short and technical in nature and gives effect to the Government's decision on 30 April 2013 to permit access to the Irish labour market for nationals of Croatia upon its accession to the EU from 1 July 2013. The Bill was introduced and supported...

Topical Issue Debate: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (19 Jun 2013)

John Perry: I know.

Topical Issue Debate: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (19 Jun 2013)

John Perry: I certainly will not be cross about the €20. Recently, the Department completed a full review of each county's rental market. It is important that each county was considered separately. Deputy Stanley mentioned figures, but I can speak about Sligo. Given the number of estates available, properties can be rented for €340, €450 and €475. Many landlords would be...

Topical Issue Debate: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (19 Jun 2013)

John Perry: I would not, to be honest. When entering into rental agreements, people are legally obliged to supply the details of their rents to the PRTB. Officers also used publicly available data sources, including the Central Statistics Office, CSO, figures on the rental sector, the www.daft.ie rental report, which was up to date, and websites advertising rental properties, to ascertain market...

Topical Issue Debate: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (19 Jun 2013)

John Perry: The Deputy should bring them to the Minister's attention.

Topical Issue Debate: Farm Assist Scheme Payments (19 Jun 2013)

John Perry: The issue raised by Deputy McHugh is very important. The vibrancy of rural society is based on farming and the community. It is important for the renewal of villages and towns that farming remains viable. I will certainly forward the Deputy concerns with regard to the 2014 budget. The Minister is very conscious of social and community enterprise and regeneration within farming...

Topical Issue Debate: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (19 Jun 2013)

John Perry: On behalf of the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Burton, I thank Deputy Stanley for raising this issue. She is unable to be in the Chamber this afternoon. The purpose of the rent supplement scheme is to provide short-term income support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have...

Topical Issue Debate: Farm Assist Scheme Payments (19 Jun 2013)

John Perry: I thank Deputy McHugh for raising this important matter, which I am taking on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Burton, who cannot be here today. The farm assist scheme is based on jobseeker's allowance. It was introduced in 1999 to replace the smallholders unemployment assistance for low-income farmers, without the requirement to be available for and...

Trade Union Movement and Workers' Rights: Motion [Private Members] (18 Jun 2013)

John Perry: Ireland has a comprehensive and strong corpus of current employment rights legislation. The evolution of the main elements of labour law relating to employment rights, employment protection and non-discrimination, reflects a strong focus on the enactment of legislation based on clearly identified needs at national level and arising from wider European developments. In the formulation of...