Results 10,961-10,980 of 11,979 for speaker:Billy Kelleher

Written Answers — Redundancy Payments: Redundancy Payments (25 Mar 2009)

Billy Kelleher: A redundancy lump sum is calculated based on the normal weekly wage/salary of the employee on the date he or she is made redundant. Where a change in wage/salary has been imposed and not agreed, and an employee is subsequently made redundant, it is the normal weekly wage/salary that is used to calculate the redundancy lump sum and not the revised one imposed by the employer. Any dispute...

Written Answers — Redundancy Payments: Redundancy Payments (25 Mar 2009)

Billy Kelleher: I propose to take Questions Nos. 86 to 88, inclusive, together. Table 1, which follows, shows the expenditure figures for the year 2008 and to end February 2009 for both redundancy rebate and insolvency payments. The figures for 2009 are provisional. The Redundancy Payments and Insolvency Sections of my Department draw down funds monthly as required from the Social Insurance Fund (SIF). No...

Written Answers — FÁS Training Programmes: FÁS Training Programmes (24 Mar 2009)

Billy Kelleher: The Local Employment Service Networks or Obair form one part of the dual-stranded National Employment Service — the other strand being the FÁS Employment Service. The LES Networks operate under the aegis of the various Area Partnerships that, in turn, are contracted by FÁS to deliver the service. I am advised by FÁS that clients living in the Dublin 20 area can access a full range of...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (24 Mar 2009)

Billy Kelleher: This application was refused for a number of reasons including the provision that a new application for an employment permit cannot be considered, except in exceptional circumstances, until a period of 12 months has elapsed since the foreign national first commenced employment in the State. Having examined an appeal, the Appeals Officer has upheld the original decision in this case. It is...

Written Answers — Employment Rights: Employment Rights (24 Mar 2009)

Billy Kelleher: When this question was first answered on 10 March, the redundancy claim form (RP50) and the EAT determination had, in fact, been lodged in the Department but had not been entered on the system due to the very significant increase in the numbers of claims received. The claim was subsequently entered and the Redundancy Payments Section of my Department is now in the process of completing...

Written Answers — Employment Rights: Employment Rights (24 Mar 2009)

Billy Kelleher: Minimum rates of pay, and other conditions of work for workers in certain sectors, are determined by Joint Labour Committees (JLCs). JLCs are statutory bodies established by the Labour Court under the Industrial Relations Acts 1946 to 2004. Each JLC is composed of representatives of workers and employers in the sector concerned. The pay and conditions agreed by the JLCs are given the force...

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (24 Mar 2009)

Billy Kelleher: FÁS as an agency of my Department operates the Community Employment (CE) and Job Initiative (JI) schemes. Community Employment (CE) is an active labour market programme designed to provide eligible long term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons (including those with a disability) with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities on a fixed term basis. The Job...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (24 Mar 2009)

Billy Kelleher: I have no plans at present to add this occupation to the list of job categories ineligible for work permits. However, applications for work permits for meat de-boners will continue to be subject to a strict labour market needs test intended to maximise opportunities for filling of vacancies from within the Irish labour market and wider EEA. In addition, in order to facilitate the...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (24 Mar 2009)

Billy Kelleher: The Protection of Employees (Employers' Insolvency) Act 1984 transposed EU Council Directive 80/987/EEC into Irish law and is the legal base for the Insolvency Payments Scheme. This Scheme provides for payment of certain entitlements owed to employees by their employer at the time of liquidation. These entitlements include arrears of wages, holiday pay, and pension contributions. While the...

Written Answers — Redundancy Payments: Redundancy Payments (24 Mar 2009)

Billy Kelleher: In the calculation of entitlement for a statutory redundancy payment, absences such as career breaks which are authorised by the employer, constitute reckonable service and are included for purposes of calculating the redundancy entitlement of an individual. The Redundancy Payments on-line System which can be accessed through my Department's main website, provides a facility to calculate...

Oireachtas Reform: Motion. (24 Mar 2009)

Billy Kelleher: I am pleased to have the opportunity to speak on this issue. At the outset, I feel like the accused in the dock having to defend myself from the angry mob on the other side. It is important to keep these things in perspective. First and foremost, we are a parliamentary democracy. We have two Houses of the Oireachtas, the Dáil and the Seanad. Everybody on both sides of this debate...

Oireachtas Reform: Motion. (24 Mar 2009)

Billy Kelleher: It would be unfair if I had fewer staff, simply because I have other roles and responsibilities. As to whether people believe they are roles of responsibility is a decision those on other side of the House will make. I passionately believe no person should be at a disadvantage in representing their constituents because of a role or responsibility they hold in this House. This motion is...

Oireachtas Reform: Motion. (24 Mar 2009)

Billy Kelleher: I have no difficulty in doing that. If we are to seriously degenerate the debate of the challenges facing Ireland, particularly the economic crisis, the global recession, an international credit crisis and all the other ills facing this country such as rising unemployment, we could say the solution would be to throw a few Ministers of State to the wolves and all the other issues would be...

Oireachtas Reform: Motion. (24 Mar 2009)

Billy Kelleher: Since 1993 I have seen many a debate here on Dáil reform. First and foremost, we do not want to diminish the roles of Oireachtas Members because we have a critical and important role to play, which is representing our constituents. Ministers and Ministers of State should not be put at a disadvantage or at an unfair advantage to other Oireachtas Members from a particular constituency. If...

Oireachtas Reform: Motion. (24 Mar 2009)

Billy Kelleher: Deputy Stagg was a good Minister of State.

Oireachtas Reform: Motion. (24 Mar 2009)

Billy Kelleher: The Government rises above party politics.

Oireachtas Reform: Motion. (24 Mar 2009)

Billy Kelleher: Has Deputy Broughan forgotten that Dick Spring stood on this side of the House alongside his Fianna Fáil colleagues?

Oireachtas Reform: Motion. (24 Mar 2009)

Billy Kelleher: Deputy Broughan is offering a selective history.

Oireachtas Reform: Motion. (24 Mar 2009)

Billy Kelleher: The Deputy will now admit that he is going to join Fianna Fáil.

Oireachtas Reform: Motion. (24 Mar 2009)

Billy Kelleher: The Deputy is entitled to a secretary as a Member of the Houses of the Oireachtas.