Results 11,201-11,220 of 11,979 for speaker:Billy Kelleher

Written Answers — Employment Rights: Employment Rights (10 Dec 2008)

Billy Kelleher: I propose to take Questions Nos. 77, 89 and 118 together. The Employment Law Compliance Bill 2008 is designed to give effect to shared commitments in Part 2 of the 10 Year Framework Social Partnership Agreement, Towards 2016, to greatly increase public confidence in the system of employment law compliance. The establishment of a new, statutory office to secure better compliance with...

Written Answers — Health and Safety Regulations: Health and Safety Regulations (10 Dec 2008)

Billy Kelleher: I propose to take Questions Nos. 83, 98 and 117 together. I refer the Deputies to my answer on Thursday, 20th November 2008 to Questions Nos. 43, 51 & 52 that relate to the same matters. 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 54 workplace...

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (10 Dec 2008)

Billy Kelleher: The following table of figures shows the actual number of employees who qualified for statutory redundancy lump sum payments on a year by year basis from January 2002 to end November 2008. This does not reflect those who lost their jobs having less than two years service in an employment, as this does not qualify for payment under the Redundancy Acts. The increase in redundancies reflected...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (10 Dec 2008)

Billy Kelleher: The European Parliament by way of its legislative Resolution, of 22 October 2008, have approved the Council common position for adopting a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on Temporary Agency Work. I welcome the fact that the Parliament, in Plenary, accepted the Council common position without amendment. This matter will now be scheduled for a forthcoming Council of...

Written Answers — Social Partnership: Social Partnership (10 Dec 2008)

Billy Kelleher: The Towards 2016 Transitional Agreement provides for a number of commitments, including some involving legislation, aimed at strengthening protections for employment standards, while also ensuring that Ireland continues to provide an excellent environment for business and job creation. Commitments that are likely to have a legislative dimension include enactment of the Employment Law...

Written Answers — Trade Union Recognition: Trade Union Recognition (10 Dec 2008)

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 voluntary 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 — Labour Inspectorate: Labour Inspectorate (10 Dec 2008)

Billy Kelleher: NERA currently has in place a team of 80 Inspectors following recruitment competitions for an additional fifty-nine Inspectors to bring the number of Inspectors from the original level of 31 up to the level of 90 committed to under Towards 2016. Fifty-nine inspectors were assigned to NERA from these competitions. All NERA inspectors were recruited by way of competitive procedures, including...

Written Answers — Equal Opportunities Employment: Equal Opportunities Employment (10 Dec 2008)

Billy Kelleher: Data from the CSO quarterly industrial survey shows that average industrial earnings per hour for male industrial workers on adult rates in June 2007 was €16.62. The average rate for female industrial workers was €12.73. The CSO National Employment Survey for October 2006 showed that average hourly earnings were €20.50 for males and €17.67 for females. The latter figures cover the...

Written Answers — FÁS Training Programmes: FÁS Training Programmes (10 Dec 2008)

Billy Kelleher: Given the significant reduction we have witnessed in construction related activity this year it is no surprise that we have also witnessed a similar reduction in the total number of apprentices registered with FÁS and the number of new apprentice registrations this year. However, as apprenticeship is a demand driven education and training programme for employed people it is clear that...

Written Answers — Employment Rights: Employment Rights (10 Dec 2008)

Billy Kelleher: I am fully conscious of the need for vigilance against the exploitation of vulnerable workers, including migrant workers. It is important to bear in mind that migrant workers can and do obtain the full benefits and protection of Irish labour law. Naturally, unscrupulous employers may try to take advantage of those in a vulnerable position. However, the Government will not stand aside while...

Consumer Issues: Motion (Resumed) (10 Dec 2008)

Billy Kelleher: I wish to respond to a few issues raised by various Deputies during the course of the debate. With regard to consumers and competition, recently the Tánaiste met a cross-section of retailers and had a good exchange of views with them on the preliminary findings of a Forfás study on the relative cost of doing business North and South. There is a misunderstanding with regard to the...

Consumer Issues: Motion (Resumed) (10 Dec 2008)

Billy Kelleher: The increase in the VAT rate was 0.5% and many of the products——

Consumer Issues: Motion (Resumed) (10 Dec 2008)

Billy Kelleher: It is important to highlight the facts. Many of the products, such as food, are not subject to VAT in the Republic. This argument does not always stand up to scrutiny. We will continue to implement the consumer strategy report. Its main recommendation, the establishment of the National Consumer Agency, NCA, is driving other recommendations. For instance, the NCA will produce guidelines...

Consumer Issues: Motion (Resumed) (10 Dec 2008)

Billy Kelleher: Originally, both the ESB and Bord Gáis had been seeking significant increases to offset fluctuating energy prices.

Consumer Issues: Motion (Resumed) (10 Dec 2008)

Billy Kelleher: However, the downward trend in these prices has continued, and no increase is now necessary.

Consumer Issues: Motion (Resumed) (10 Dec 2008)

Billy Kelleher: This is welcome news for business and consumers. As Deputies know, in the context of prices referred to by Deputy Connaughton, we have an unregulated market and we do not have price controls over the price at the pump. It is a competitive market and people must be conscious of shopping around and supporting those——

Consumer Issues: Motion (Resumed) (10 Dec 2008)

Billy Kelleher: ——who pass on lower prices. It is a competitive market. If Ireland is to maximise its future competitiveness in the global economy, we will continue to need the best possible regulatory environment. In a difficult trading environment, we will work to ensure businesses are not burdened with unnecessary red tape. So far, we have been performing well in this area. The World Bank ranks us...

Consumer Issues: Motion (Resumed) (10 Dec 2008)

Billy Kelleher: Only one minute.

Consumer Issues: Motion (Resumed) (10 Dec 2008)

Billy Kelleher: Is that left or gone?

Consumer Issues: Motion (Resumed) (10 Dec 2008)

Billy Kelleher: While it is important that we highlight the inadequacies in certain areas, such as a lack of competition or the fact that people travel from the Republic to the North, we must also acknowledge many positive things are happening here. The World Bank's rankings show that we have a balance——