Results 1,181-1,200 of 9,147 for speaker:Pat Breen

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Payments (16 Sep 2016)

Pat Breen: 1558. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 489 of 21 June 2016, when payment will issue to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25555/16]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Scheme Applications (16 Sep 2016)

Pat Breen: 1588. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when an application will be processed for persons (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26033/16]

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: National Minimum Wage (16 Sep 2016)

Pat Breen: As you will be aware Deputy, the current national minimum hourly rate of pay for an experienced adult worker is €9.15. This rate came into effect on January 1stlast following Government acceptance of the Low Pay Commission’s first recommendation of July 2015 to increase the rate from €8.65 per hour. As well as accepting the recommendation, the Government adjusted the...

Government Appeal of European Commission Decision on State Aid to Apple: Motion (7 Sep 2016)

Pat Breen: I fully endorse everything the Taoiseach and the Minister, Deputy Noonan, said here earlier today. We cannot and do not accept the ruling of the Commission or the warped logic that underpins it. We must make it clear that Ireland did nothing wrong and that we have not provided special tax arrangements to anyone. We must make no apology for competing fairly and within the rules for...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Driver Licences (21 Jul 2016)

Pat Breen: The European Agreement Concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (known as ADR) is given legal effect in Ireland by the European Communities (Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment) Regulations 2011 to 2015. Under the terms of the European Agreement, drivers of vehicles with tanks and certain tank components, and some drivers of...

Priority Questions: Industrial Relations (20 Jul 2016)

Pat Breen: I did not name any company but, as I said, I have referred the company to the WRC, as I explained to the Deputy. There are new forms of employment all over Europe. It is a problem for Europe, one with which Eurofound is dealing. The Revenue Commissioners examine the taxation problems for such workers and the scope section of the Department of Social Protection has the function of...

Priority Questions: Industrial Relations (20 Jul 2016)

Pat Breen: This is a problem not just in Ireland but all over Europe, and that is why Eurofound is examining the issue. There is employee sharing, job sharing, interim management, casual work, ICT-based mobile work, voucher-based work, portfolio work, crowd employment and collective employment. I am satisfied that the WRC is doing its job. Problems that previously took two years to solve now being...

Priority Questions: Industrial Relations (20 Jul 2016)

Pat Breen: I have forwarded the details supplied by the Deputy to the Workplace Relations Commission for examination and action if appropriate. Irish employment rights law makes a distinction between a contract of service, which applies to an employer-employee relationship, and a contract for service, which applies in the case of a self-employed person. Most employment rights legislation does not...

Priority Questions: Low Pay Commission Report (20 Jul 2016)

Pat Breen: I thank Deputy Quinlivan for raising this question. The Low Pay Commission was established last year through the National Minimum Wage (Low Pay Commission) Act 2015. Its principal function is, once a year, to examine the national minimum hourly rate of pay and to make recommendations to the Minister in respect of the rate, ensuring that all decisions are evidence-based, fair, sustainable...

Priority Questions: Low Pay Commission Report (20 Jul 2016)

Pat Breen: It is clear from the Deputy's question that he does not think it would be appropriate for anyone to undermine or pre-empt the work of the Low Pay Commission. That is exactly what is laid out in the rules in the National Minimum Wage (Low Pay Commission) Act 2015, as passed in the Dáil last year. The independence of the commission must be respected and observed by all, including the...

Priority Questions: Low Pay Commission Report (20 Jul 2016)

Pat Breen: The commission is made up of nine members and the chairman is just one person of that group making that decision-----

Priority Questions: Low Pay Commission Report (20 Jul 2016)

Pat Breen: -----and I have to respect Dr. Donal de Buitléir, an eminent academic, who has done great work down through the years. The aim of the minimum wage is to have an incentive to work, which is extremely important. A rate has to be set that is fair and sustainable to help as many people as possible without having a significant effect on the economy or a negative effect on employment. That...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Public Sector Pensions (20 Jul 2016)

Pat Breen: I thank Senator Craughwell for his good wishes. I have become familiar with this House in recent days because I have been here a good deal. I am taking this matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Paschal Donohoe, who is unable to be with us and who sends his apologies. I thank Senator Craughwell for raising this issue. Abatement in the...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Public Sector Pensions (20 Jul 2016)

Pat Breen: I again thank Senator Craughwell for raising his concerns on this. I will bring his concerns regarding how pension abatements should affect everybody across the board and the examples he has highlighted to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Donohoe. However, we believe the extension of the abatement to the public service, as provided for in the 2012 Act, was an...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Banking Licence Applications (20 Jul 2016)

Pat Breen: I thank Senator Richmond for raising this issue. I appreciate his concern on this and would like to pass on the apologies of the Minister for Finance, Deputy Noonan, who has an important meeting this morning and has asked me personally to take this matter on his behalf. I assure Senator Richmond that I will discuss his concerns with the Minister at a later date. I will outline to the...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Banking Licence Applications (20 Jul 2016)

Pat Breen: I know where the Senator is coming from and agree with him that there will be opportunities for Ireland post-Brexit. Obviously, the Department of Finance is monitoring the position very closely. We must, however, learn from what happened during the downturn in the economy and the lessons from having a light touch regulatory regime in the banking sector. The Minister for Finance is in...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Low Pay (20 Jul 2016)

Pat Breen: This Government is committed to a ensuring that the fruits of economic recovery will be used to reduce inequality and poverty, to a just and fair society and a more inclusive prosperity. The amount a worker is paid will go a long way towards achieving this. In that regard the Low Pay Commission has been tasked with, on an annual basis, examining and making recommendations on the national...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Workplace Relations Services Staff (20 Jul 2016)

Pat Breen: The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) was established on 1 October 2015 under the Workplace Relations Act 2015, and has responsibility for information provision, workplace advice, mediation, conciliation, adjudication, inspection and enforcement in relation to employment rights, equality and equal status matters and industrial relations. The WRC assumed the roles and functions...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Rights (20 Jul 2016)

Pat Breen: I have forwarded the details supplied by the Deputy to the Workplace Relations Commission for examination and action if appropriate. Irish employment rights law makes a distinction between a contract of service, which applies to an employer-employee relationship, and a contract for service, which applies in the case of a self-employed person. In effect, employment rights legislation does...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Industrial Disputes (20 Jul 2016)

Pat Breen: I understand that the dispute at Waterford Airport relates to the reduction in working hours for staff members due to the closure of Belgian-based carrier VLM, which operated passenger services from Waterford Airport to Luton. I very much appreciate the challenges facing Waterford Airport at the moment due to the recent loss of the service operated by VLM and I understand that efforts are...