Results 10,921-10,940 of 11,979 for speaker:Billy Kelleher

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (1 Apr 2009)

Billy Kelleher: Ireland's employment permit arrangements are currently being reviewed to ensure that they continue to be appropriate to the current needs of the labour market. The introduction and implementation of any revised qualifying conditions for new employment permits will be announced following the outcome of a consultation process with the Social Partners.

Written Answers — Employment Rights: Employment Rights (1 Apr 2009)

Billy Kelleher: Trade unions holding a negotiating licence are free to engage in collective bargaining on wages and conditions of employment. Ireland's system of industrial relations is based on a voluntarist approach with terms and conditions of employment being determined in the main by a process of voluntary collective bargaining between the parties, without the intervention of the State. The collective...

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (1 Apr 2009)

Billy Kelleher: I propose to take Questions Nos. 72 and 77 together. Table 1 sets out the number of statutory redundancies for years 2002 to 2008 and details for 2009 which are provisional figures (up to 30 March 2009). These figures show the number of employees who actually qualified for statutory redundancy lump sum payments. They do not reflect those who lost their jobs with less than two years service...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (1 Apr 2009)

Billy Kelleher: On 1 January 2006 responsibility for the Social Economy Programme transferred to the Department of Community, Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs and it has been re-named as the Community Services Programme. FÁS as an agency of my Department operates Job Initiative (JI). The Job Initiative Programme (JI) was launched in July 1996 and provides full time employment for people who are 35 years of age...

Written Answers — Health and Safety Regulations: Health and Safety Regulations (1 Apr 2009)

Billy Kelleher: The Health and Safety Authority is responsible for the administration and enforcement of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 and associated statutory provisions. There have been 8 workplace deaths reported to the Authority to date in 2009 (as at 30.03.09). The numbers of workplace deaths reported to the Authority for the years 2002-2008 are as follows – 57 in 2008; 67 in 2007;...

Written Answers — Redundancy Payments: Redundancy Payments (1 Apr 2009)

Billy Kelleher: The huge increase in the number of Redundancy Payment claims lodged with the Redundancy Payments Section of my Department in the latter part of 2008 and, to date in 2009 is unprecedented and is giving rise to delays in the processing of redundancy payments for individuals and companies within a reasonable timeframe. The scale of the challenge is evident from the statistics which indicate...

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (1 Apr 2009)

Billy Kelleher: In general, a redundancy situation arises where an employee's job ceases to exist, and the employee is not replaced for such reasons as rationalisation/reorganisation, insufficient work available, the financial state of the firm, company closures etc. To qualify for payment under the scheme, an employee must be aged 16 or over with 104 weeks' continuous service with an employer. Full-time...

FÁS Report. (1 Apr 2009)

Billy Kelleher: I welcome the report of the Committee of Public Accounts on FÁS and commend the committee for the work carried out in this matter. I note that while the report in general concentrates on what went wrong in FÁS, it also points out that the good work being done by the staff should not be overlooked in any commentary. Many of the issues contained in the report have already been aired in...

FÁS Report. (1 Apr 2009)

Billy Kelleher: We are taking into account the findings of the report of the Committee of Public Accounts. In fairness, much previous commentary was against the backdrop of these investigations. We will await the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and then do a full evaluation. It would be appropriate that we would only allow the Comptroller and Auditor General to investigate and make...

FÁS Report. (1 Apr 2009)

Billy Kelleher: The board is made up of the constituent parts of the social partnership process. There are nominations from the social partners, but we will await the outcome of the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General. A constitutional position like that deserves respect, and we will do a full evaluation on the report when he publishes it. We have not ruled anything in or out, as the old cliche goes.

FÁS Report. (1 Apr 2009)

Billy Kelleher: Is the Deputy referring to the report of the Committee of Public Accounts or the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General?

FÁS Report. (1 Apr 2009)

Billy Kelleher: I appreciate the Deputy's comments. Many staff experienced anxiety during the turbulent period before Christmas. We should acknowledge that, especially for frontline staff. The first thing we should do is await the report. When it is finalised and published, there will be broad discussions on its content. I cannot comment on a report that has not been completed.

FÁS Report. (1 Apr 2009)

Billy Kelleher: There is much urgency in this. At the time these problems arose, the Tánaiste requested the Comptroller and Auditor General to go in and do an evaluation. As the Committee of Public Accounts had initiated hearings and discussions, the Comptroller and Auditor General indicated, out of respect for that committee, that he would await its report on FÁS. The Comptroller and Auditor General is...

Skill Shortages. (1 Apr 2009)

Billy Kelleher: Government funding of the Skillnets training networks programme, which supports enterprise-led training in the workplace, has increased in recent years. Public funding of all training networks and in-company training programmes managed by Skillnets Limited amounted to €26.7 million in 2008. This level of funding has been indicative of the Government's commitment to upskilling persons in...

Skill Shortages. (1 Apr 2009)

Billy Kelleher: Skillnets has been already given its budget for 2009. There has been a reduction of 26% in the budget for the provision of training for those in work. It is part of the national skills strategy and the one step up programme for training people in unemployment. Let us be under no illusions. We must refocus and rededicate the scarce resources to provide training for people who lose their...

Skill Shortages. (1 Apr 2009)

Billy Kelleher: I will tell him when the decision is made.

Skill Shortages. (1 Apr 2009)

Billy Kelleher: A budget will be introduced next week and that will bring finality to many of the issues being raised by the Deputy. Skillnets has been given its allocation for 2009. It is the case that there is a reduction, but the priority must be with people who now find themselves unemployed and no one in the House could disagree with that. We must use all our resources to ensure such people at least...

Skill Shortages. (1 Apr 2009)

Billy Kelleher: There is a reduction. It was 26.7% last year and it has been reduced by in excess of 25% this year.

Job Losses. (1 Apr 2009)

Billy Kelleher: I mentioned those small businesses already.

Departmental Agencies. (1 Apr 2009)

Billy Kelleher: It is very similar to the previous question. Will I read the reply into the record?