Results 11,321-11,340 of 11,979 for speaker:Billy Kelleher

Written Answers — Employment Rights: Employment Rights (18 Nov 2008)

Billy Kelleher: Minimum rates of pay, and other conditions of work, for workers in certain sectors are determined by Joint Labour Committees (JLCs). 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 of law in Employment Regulation Orders made by the Labour Court on foot of proposals made to the Court by the...

Written Answers — Employment Rights: Employment Rights (18 Nov 2008)

Billy Kelleher: The National Employment Rights Authority (NERA) has responsibility for enforcing the minimum statutory employment rights to which employees are entitled, including employees in the catering and hotel sectors. These rights and entitlements are set out in Employment Regulation Orders (EROs) covering the sectors — Statutory Instruments 228 of 2007 and 142 of 2008 covering the catering sector...

Written Answers — Employment Rights: Employment Rights (18 Nov 2008)

Billy Kelleher: The wages and conditions of employment of workers in the Catering and Hotels industries are governed by Employment Regulation Orders (EROs). While NERA enforces the terms of these EROs, the orders themselves are made by the Labour Court following proposals agreed by employer and employee representatives in the context of the deliberations of the joint labour committees (JLCs) for the catering...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (18 Nov 2008)

Billy Kelleher: I am advised by FÁS that procedures and practices relating to FÁS programmes, including Job Clubs, were reviewed as part of Sustaining Progress, Benchmarking, and latterly T16 and that Carrick-on-Suir Jobs Club staff and sponsors signed off their acceptance of these changes. Job Clubs, for their part under their agreements, are required to prepare an annual plan in which they are expected...

Written Answers — National Minimum Wage: National Minimum Wage (18 Nov 2008)

Billy Kelleher: Data from the October 2006 National Employment Survey (NES) shows that 9.6% of employees were paid €8.65 or less per hour in the reference month of October 2006. This was equivalent to 163,400 employees out of a total number of 1,685,200 employees. The National Minimum hourly wage age rate in operation in October 2006 was €7.65. The October 2006 National Survey found that 3.8% of...

Seanad: Unemployment Levels (18 Nov 2008)

Billy Kelleher: I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach and Senator Buttimer. I welcome the opportunity to speak on this matter and to outline Government policy. As a practising politician, I appreciate that behind the statistics are individuals and families who have had their hopes and aspirations dashed. They are often in difficulty with mortgage repayments. When people lose their jobs it has a devastating...

Seanad: Unemployment Levels (18 Nov 2008)

Billy Kelleher: As I said last week in response to Senator Ross on a related Adjournment matter, banks now have a new relationship with the public. They also have a new relationship with the Houses of the Oireachtas, which passed the guarantee scheme. They should be conscious of the importance of not denying credit to the most productive areas of the economy, which are primarily small and medium...

Seanad: Departmental Bodies (18 Nov 2008)

Billy Kelleher: I thank the Senator for his kind words. The context in which financial provisions have been made by the Government for the Irish Human Rights Commission, the Equality Authority and the Combat Poverty Agency, which operates under the aegis of the Department of Social and Family Affairs, was outlined in the Budget Statement of 14 October. That context is the wholly exceptional circumstances...

Seanad: Departmental Bodies (18 Nov 2008)

Billy Kelleher: I knew I would bring the Senator good news. Instead, a new strengthened division will be created which will make the best use of the considerable experience and expertise of the staff of both existing bodies and will seek to address the weaknesses identified by the review in both bodies. This new division will provide a stronger voice for those affected by poverty and social inclusion...

Seanad: Departmental Bodies (18 Nov 2008)

Billy Kelleher: I will bring the Senator's views to the Minister.

Seanad: Departmental Bodies (18 Nov 2008)

Billy Kelleher: In the context of decentralisation, those in the Civil Service in general change roles within an organisation. They do not simply enter a silo and stay there for an entire career. Civil servants move within and among Departments. This is good for corporate knowledge and the transfer of knowledge from one Department to another and it is admirable in the Civil Service. It is a very...

Order of Business (18 Nov 2008)

Billy Kelleher: There is no way it would work down in Bantry either.

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (13 Nov 2008)

Billy Kelleher: Under the Employment Permits Act 2006 a fee for an employment permit may only be refunded to the applicant if the permit is refused or withdrawn prior to the issue of the permit.

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (13 Nov 2008)

Billy Kelleher: The Employment Permits Section informs me that it has no record of an application being made in this case.

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (6 Nov 2008)

Billy Kelleher: The amount collected in employment permit fees over the past three years is as follows: 2006 — €10.8m; 2007 — €16.7m; 2008 — €4.5m (to end August 2008). These are net receipts as fees are refunded to the applicant if the permit is refused or withdrawn prior to the issuing of the permit.

Seanad: Employment Rights (6 Nov 2008)

Billy Kelleher: I welcome the opportunity to speak on this issue, which has been raised by Deputies and Senators in both Houses. It is an issue that is causing disquiet among employers and employees who have found it difficult to retain jobs because of the downturn. The Tánaiste and myself are fully aware of the pressures on small businesses in the current economic climate. It is important that I outline...

Seanad: Employment Rights (6 Nov 2008)

Billy Kelleher: The Senator should never underestimate his own clout. The JLCs are representative of the industry. I am sure the employers' representatives on the JLCs have raised this matter. I understand it was raised last April and can be raised again within six months. I urge the representatives on both sides to come together and reflect on the difficulties being experienced by businesses in the...

Seanad: Employment Rights (6 Nov 2008)

Billy Kelleher: Some companies will be obliged to pay back money. If officials of NERA inspect businesses and discover that pay and conditions are not up to standard and that back money is due, the employers concerned are obliged to pay such back money. I tried to highlight this issue previously. I met representative groups and tried to encourage them to see that if changes are made, the industry can...

Order of Business (6 Nov 2008)

Billy Kelleher: What is wrong with FÁS?

Order of Business (6 Nov 2008)

Billy Kelleher: The Labour Party got rid of the last Rabbitte.