Results 1,241-1,260 of 2,815 for speaker:Tony Killeen

Alternative Energy Projects. (5 Jul 2007)

Tony Killeen: I welcome Deputy White to the House and compliment her on her contribution. The development of Ireland's bioenergy sector is part of a comprehensive strategy to increase deployment of renewable energy across the three energy sectors — transport, heat and electricity. These sectors are almost equal in the amount of energy they use and their CO2 emissions. Bioenergy policy is relevant across...

Waste Management: Motion (Resumed). (4 Jul 2007)

Tony Killeen: That is correct. I thank Deputies who have contributed to this debate, particularly those who have demonstrated an understanding of the legal obligations which flow from legislation that has passed through the Oireachtas. Deputies on the Opposition benches always have the luxury of being able to make free-wheeling comments about issues, including this project now before our statutory...

Seanad: EU-US Agreement: Motion (4 Jul 2007)

Tony Killeen: This motion under Article 29.4.6° of Bunreacht na hÉireann seeks the approval of the House for Ireland to participate in the adoption of a new agreement between the EU and the US concerning the collection, storage, use and transfer of passenger name record, PNR, data. The events of 11 September 2001 and terrorist attacks in other parts of the world — most recently in Glasgow — have made...

Seanad: EU-US Agreement: Motion (4 Jul 2007)

Tony Killeen: Gabhaim buíochas leis na Seanadóirí a labhair ar an ábhar seo. I thank Senators for their contributions on this issue. Senator Bradford mentioned balance and citizens' rights to privacy, expressing his concern that we are rushing this motion through the Oireachtas. I referred to this in my opening remarks; speed is necessary because of the timescale at European level and the fact that...

Planning Issues (28 Jun 2007)

Tony Killeen: Comhgairdeas leat ar do phost nua, a Cheann Comhairle. I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. The Government is committed to creating sustainable towns and cities and ensuring quality living spaces for our community. We will introduce new urban design guidelines for building new housing developments, require all new apartments and other high density developments to comply with improved...

Seanad: Protection of Employment (Exceptional Collective Redundancies and Related Matters) Bill 2007 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages. (1 May 2007)

Tony Killeen: This amendment arises because of the necessity to have the same definition for the words "employee representatives" in this legislation in accordance with Towards 2016 as in the Protection of Employment Act 1977. It is somewhat technical, but is in agreement with what was decided in Toward 2016.

Seanad: Protection of Employment (Exceptional Collective Redundancies and Related Matters) Bill 2007 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages. (1 May 2007)

Tony Killeen: These are amendments Nos. 2, 3 and 5.

Seanad: Protection of Employment (Exceptional Collective Redundancies and Related Matters) Bill 2007 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages. (1 May 2007)

Tony Killeen: Amendment No. 2 inserts additional words "or periods" after the word "period". It is already implied in the section that the redundancy panel be set up for a period of three years with provision for a three year extension, however, concern was expressed in the Dáil that it was not sufficiently clear and I accepted the amendment. Amendment No. 3 is unnecessary legally but it makes the text...

Seanad: Protection of Employment (Exceptional Collective Redundancies and Related Matters) Bill 2007 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages. (1 May 2007)

Tony Killeen: Amendment No. 5 is a technical amendment to section 9(3)(a),which provides for a substitute provision for section 7(1)(c) of the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977. It relates to enhanced compensation where an employee takes a successful unfair dismissals case following the issuing of a Labour Court opinion that the dismissal was one of a number of dismissals, including in exceptional collective...

Seanad: Protection of Employment (Exceptional Collective Redundancies and Related Matters) Bill 2007 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages. (1 May 2007)

Tony Killeen: Amendment No. 4 does not change the sense but reflects exactly what was agreed in paragraph 18(3) in Towards 2016. I introduced it in the Dáil, having had discussions with ICTU on its concerns that it was better to reflect exactly what was decided.

Seanad: Protection of Employment (Exceptional Collective Redundancies and Related Matters) Bill 2007 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages. (1 May 2007)

Tony Killeen: Amendment No. 6 is somewhat similar. This is provided to provide comfort to those companies with established operations in different locations who may need to restructure and to move part of an operation to another existing location. It reflects what was agreed in Towards 2016.

Seanad: Protection of Employment (Exceptional Collective Redundancies and Related Matters) Bill 2007 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages. (1 May 2007)

Tony Killeen: Amendment No. 7 provides that for the avoidance of doubt, the flexibility of the provisions of section 6 of the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977 to the type of dismissals situations described in the new section 5(2)(a)of that Act is not affected by the provisions of this new section. In other words, section 6 continues to apply to circumstances in which all the employees involved in a strike or...

Seanad: Protection of Employment (Exceptional Collective Redundancies and Related Matters) Bill 2007 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages. (1 May 2007)

Tony Killeen: I thank the Acting Chairman and all the Members of the Seanad for their courtesy, help and co-operation. I have dealt with several Bills in this House over the past two and half years and really appreciate that Members have taken the time to consider the relevant issues. I suspect I have accepted more amendments in the Seanad than any other Minister, certainly on a pro rata basis. I have...

Written Answers — Labour Inspectorate: Labour Inspectorate (26 Apr 2007)

Tony Killeen: The data recording and analysis system for recording case information within the Labour Inspectorate is known as RECONCILE. This system captures data and information inputted by Labour Inspectors arising from inspections into compliance with certain employment rights legislation and manages case workflow in terms of production of standard documentation and the logging of communications and...

Written Answers — Labour Inspectorate: Labour Inspectorate (26 Apr 2007)

Tony Killeen: Under the National Social Partnership Agreement "Towards 2016", the commitment to staffing of the Labour Inspectorate is "to progressively increase the number of Labour Inspectors from 31 to 90 by end-2007". The necessary arrangements and selection processes to recruit the additional Inspectors are well advanced, including arrangements for the recruitment of ten Labour Inspectors with...

Written Answers — National Minimum Wage: National Minimum Wage (26 Apr 2007)

Tony Killeen: Following the identification, in early 2006, of anomalies in the employment contracts of some sub-contracted staff at the Moneypoint Environmental Retrofit Project (MERP) site, both the ESB and the Labour Inspectorate conducted investigations into the matter. As a result of these investigations a Memorandum of Understanding between the ESB, the contractor and sub-contractor was agreed in...

Written Answers — Health and Safety Regulations: Health and Safety Regulations (26 Apr 2007)

Tony Killeen: The Health and Safety Authority carried out a programme of inspections in hospitals in 2005 and 2006. The accident and emergency departments of 17 hospitals were covered in 2005 and the 2006 inspections covered the entirety of 16 hospitals. Following the 2005 inspections, advice letters were issued in all cases with recurring themes, notably, violence, training, risk assessments, manual...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (26 Apr 2007)

Tony Killeen: Under the Data Protection Acts certain persons and bodies who control the contents and use of personal data (Data Controllers) are required to register details regarding this data with the Office of the Data Protection Commission, which maintains a Public Register. This Department is registered as a Data Controller with the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner under a number of...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (26 Apr 2007)

Tony Killeen: The Whistleblowers Protection Bill 1999, following a Government decision which agreed to address the issue of whistleblowing on a sectoral basis as distinct from a "one size fits all" approach, as envisaged in the Bill, was removed from the Dáil Order Paper following a motion, debate and vote on 4th April 2006. By virtue of the Government decision, Ministers in the course of preparation of...

Written Answers — Equal Opportunities Employment: Equal Opportunities Employment (26 Apr 2007)

Tony Killeen: There is no age discrimination in employment rights legislation and there are no provisions in Employment or Equality law that impose a compulsory retirement age in relation to employment. I would point out that the upper age limit of 66 years for bringing claims under the Unfair Dismissals Acts 1977 to 2005 was removed by the Equality Act 2004. The effect of this is that a person who is...