Results 1,061-1,080 of 1,150 for speaker:Frank Fahey

Seanad: Adjournment Matters. - Plant Closure. (3 Jul 2003)

Frank Fahey: I apologise for the absence of the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, who wants me to thank Senators for raising this matter on the Adjournment. Since the fire at Glanbia Meat's plant at Rooskey, County Roscommon in May 2002, the company had been examining the possibility of rebuilding its pig slaughtering plant. Unfortunately, the outcome was the announcement by the...

Seanad: School Accommodation. (3 Jul 2003)

Frank Fahey: I am glad the Senator has given me the opportunity to outline to the House the current position of the Department of Education and Science on this issue. The Minister for Education and Science is fully conscious of the issue raised by the Senator. Lucan is the fastest growing area in the country. As a result, there has been a marked increase in the demand for school places, particularly at...

Seanad: Employment Permits Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (1 Apr 2003)

Frank Fahey: This section provides that a non-national may not take up or be in employment in the State in the absence of a permit issued by the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. It creates offences for non-compliance by an employer or an employee and provides for penalties where such an offence occurs. It also sets out the categories for non-nationals to which the requirement for an...

Seanad: Employment Permits Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (1 Apr 2003)

Frank Fahey: This is a drafting amendment containing a deletion to the present text as section 2(1) provides that an employment permit is an employment permit granted by the Minister. The term "employment permit" does not need to be further qualified in subsection (2) of that section.

Seanad: Employment Permits Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (1 Apr 2003)

Frank Fahey: The amendment is opposed because its effect would be to treat as only a minor offence every instance where an employer engaged the services of a non-national in breach of employment permit regulations or requirements. The purpose behind the provision penalising employers is to correct the legal imbalance that currently exists between the employer and the employee when it comes to the law on...

Seanad: Employment Permits Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (1 Apr 2003)

Frank Fahey: This is a drafting amendment as the word "hereby" is considered to be superfluous. Amendment agreed to. Section 2, as amended, agreed to. SECTION 3.

Seanad: Employment Permits Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (1 Apr 2003)

Frank Fahey: These amendments are opposed. The Bill has been drafted based on the conditions of the treaty of accession, which has not yet been signed, and the powers it confers on member states to implement their own national measures and legislation to deal with labour market access once accession takes place. When it has been ratified by all of the relevant countries, this State will have to pass an...

Seanad: Employment Permits Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (1 Apr 2003)

Frank Fahey: The amendment is opposed. The treaty of accession negotiated between the current EU member states and the ten countries that are due to accede to the European Union in 2004 provides that member states shall apply their own national measures regarding labour market access for at least the first two years following accession in respect of the nationals of eight of these countries, namely, the...

Seanad: Employment Permits Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (1 Apr 2003)

Frank Fahey: This amendment is opposed. Subsection (6) provides that "disturbance" shall be construed in accordance with the treaty of accession. Annex 6 of the treaty of accession provides for the possibility, up to the end of the seventh year following accession, of labour market access being suspended when a member state undergoes or foresees disturbances in its labour market which could seriously...

Seanad: Employment Permits Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (1 Apr 2003)

Frank Fahey: Spain, Greece, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands are putting the same regime in place. This indicates that most European states, with the exception of Germany and Austria which are immediately adjacent to a number of the applicant countries, are prepared to give an opportunity to people from those countries to have freedom of movement. Safeguards are there if required...

Seanad: Employment Permits Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (1 Apr 2003)

Frank Fahey: The provisions in section 3 exempt people from the eight accession states referred to from the need, as laid down by the treaty of accession, to obtain employment permits in order to enter into or be in employment in the State during the transition period. Under subsection (3), the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment may, by order, reinstate the requirement for employment permits in...

Seanad: Employment Permits Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (1 Apr 2003)

Frank Fahey: These are drafting changes to the Long Title of the Bill. The parliamentary counsel has indicated a preference for the revised version of the Long Title in amendments Nos. 15 and 16, which replace the terms "PROVIDING" and "GRANTING" with "TO PROVIDE" and "GRANT". This is line with consistency in drafting. I will also be introducing another amendment to the Long Title on Report Stage which is...

Seanad: Employment Permits Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (1 Apr 2003)

Frank Fahey: This is a drafting amendment for consistency and clarity. Amendment agreed to.

Seanad: Employment Permits Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (1 Apr 2003)

Frank Fahey: It is the business of the courts to decide on the level of fine in individual cases. Instances of employers committing a single offence would normally be dealt with by summary conviction in the District Court where fines not in excess of €3,000 would be imposed.

Seanad: Employment Permits Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (1 Apr 2003)

Frank Fahey: I am responding to the points Senators made. There is a criminal industry in which, as I stated, well organised criminal gangs knowingly exploit the workforce. These gangs earn much of their profits on the backs of illegal workers. The level of fine in the Bill is required as a deterrent and will be imposed on indictment in the Circuit Court. The penalty must be sufficient to deter...

Seanad: Employment Permits Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (1 Apr 2003)

Frank Fahey: As Senator Leyden said, it would be foolhardy to tie the hands of any Government in the context of what may or may not happen in the future. The acceptance of the amendment would not only mean including the states not covered by the treaty of accession, but it would also make reference to instruments that do not yet exist. This would not make any sense. The provisions of those instruments may...

Seanad: Employment Permits Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (1 Apr 2003)

Frank Fahey: I thank Senators for their co-operation in the passage of this Bill. It is a good Bill because it is balanced and opens up the labour market in the State to the applicant countries and that is the image we want to portray in those countries. It also provides a safeguard in the event of a significant economic downturn. The enlargement of the EU provides significant opportunities for the State....

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (4 Mar 2003)

Frank Fahey: Those things are not affected.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (4 Mar 2003)

Frank Fahey: The example the Senator gave, of the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Health and Children, is not affected.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (4 Mar 2003)

Frank Fahey: It does not involve a Government decision.