Results 1,021-1,040 of 1,150 for speaker:Frank Fahey

National Minimum Wage. (10 Feb 2004)

Frank Fahey: I do not have information to hand on the reporting by employees of a fewer number of hours than they worked. I have a concern regarding the wage levels paid to some foreign workers who do piece-work. There has been some evidence in the past 12 months of foreign workers in some sectors not being paid the minimum wage because they work long hours on a piece-work basis. I refer in particular to...

National Minimum Wage. (10 Feb 2004)

Frank Fahey: I do not have specific information to hand on any particular industry. We have stepped up inspections in some industrial sectors where there have been reports of foreign workers doing piece-work who are not being paid the minimum wage.

Equal Opportunities in Employment. (10 Feb 2004)

Frank Fahey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 110 and 182 together. I am aware of the recent report by the National Disability Authority, entitled Towards Best Practice in the Provision of Further Education, Employment and Training Services for People with Disabilities. The report, which was received in my Department on 14 January, contains a number of conclusions and recommendations which have policy...

Equal Opportunities in Employment. (10 Feb 2004)

Frank Fahey: The situation is improving. A determined effort is being made at present and considerable resources are being expended to improve the possibilities of people with disabilities going into employment. There are a variety of reasons we have not reached the targets set. These relate to historical and cultural issues in the past regarding people with disabilities. The greatest problem in finding...

Equal Opportunities in Employment. (10 Feb 2004)

Frank Fahey: We are currently discussing the issue of benefits. We must ensure there is no difficulty for people who need to retain their disability benefits if they go into the workplace. We have addressed that matter.

Corporate Killing. (10 Feb 2004)

Frank Fahey: The Law Reform Commission published a consultation paper on corporate killing in October last. The commission recommends that a new offence of corporate killing should be established which would be prosecuted on indictment, without exclusion of any entity, whether incorporated or not. The offence would apply to acts or omissions of a high managerial agent, which would be treated as those of...

Corporate Killing. (10 Feb 2004)

Frank Fahey: I expect to be able to publish the Bill in April. I do not anticipate a great delay as a result of the inclusion in the Bill of this provision. We are already in consultation with the social partners on aspects of the Bill. There will no be problem continuing with the consultations prior to its publication. If there is a request from the Oireachtas committee to have a discussion on aspects of...

Corporate Killing. (10 Feb 2004)

Frank Fahey: There is a rigorous and effective inspection and enforcement regime in place at present. We are happy that there have been considerable improvements in the inspection process. As I stated in the Dáil some time ago, we wish to have more inspectors in the field. There are currently approximately 130 inspectors. Obviously resources are always an issue. In the context of the new Bill, we have...

Corporate Killing. (10 Feb 2004)

Frank Fahey: I have had discussions with the insurance industry about contributing to campaigns to improve the preventative approach and on rewarding companies in the public liability and employers' liability sectors that have good records.

Corporate Killing. (10 Feb 2004)

Frank Fahey: There is clearly a system in the insurance industry whereby companies with good safety records enjoy lower premiums. We have impressed on the insurance industry that, in the context of health and safety, it must recognise good practice and records in the premiums being charged.

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (3 Feb 2004)

Frank Fahey: As part of the Government's decision in 1999 to restructure community employment, future participation in CE by an individual was capped at three years, effective from April 2000. This change was introduced to discourage repeated participation in CE and to encourage unemployed persons to avail of training or education options where possible, which are shown to have more successful progression...

Seanad: FÁS Community Employment Schemes: Motion. (28 Jan 2004)

Frank Fahey: On a point of information, I have not used a speech in either House since I began speaking about community employment schemes.

Seanad: FÁS Community Employment Schemes: Motion. (28 Jan 2004)

Frank Fahey: It is very much in the right place.

Seanad: FÁS Community Employment Schemes: Motion. (28 Jan 2004)

Frank Fahey: I thank Fine Gael for tabling this motion and the Members who have contributed to the debate. Certainly, the contribution of Senator Ross was very different to that of everyone else. I will come to the issues he raised in a few moments. I am rather surprised to find that the essence of what is proposed in the Fine Gael motion is entirely wrong. It calls on the Tánaiste to suspend the...

Seanad: FÁS Community Employment Schemes: Motion. (28 Jan 2004)

Frank Fahey: I am not using a script.

Seanad: FÁS Community Employment Schemes: Motion. (28 Jan 2004)

Frank Fahey: There has been no reduction in the numbers on community employment schemes this year.

Seanad: FÁS Community Employment Schemes: Motion. (28 Jan 2004)

Frank Fahey: We ended last year with 25,000 places on community employment schemes in addition to 5,000 places in community employment and social economy. We start this year with 25,000 places. In addition, the budget makes provision for another 2,500 places through the Department of my colleague, Deputy Ó Cuív, for people in the farming sector.

Seanad: FÁS Community Employment Schemes: Motion. (28 Jan 2004)

Frank Fahey: That means there will be an additional 2,500 community employment places this year, which will bring the total to 32,500. That is a very considerable number of people given that four years ago, when we had the highest level of unemployment, the number was only 39,000. In reference to the political points made by Senators, a fight was put up by members of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party,...

Seanad: FÁS Community Employment Schemes: Motion. (28 Jan 2004)

Frank Fahey: I am glad to say we have had considerable success in this area. We will launch initiatives to help people with disabilities to get back into the workplace in the current year. The extra 2,500 places which have been made available to people under farm assist programmes will be subject to a different set of conditions. These will be announced by the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht...

Seanad: FÁS Community Employment Schemes: Motion. (28 Jan 2004)

Frank Fahey: I am not claiming them. I am simply saying they displace——