Results 13,641-13,660 of 14,797 for speaker:Dara Calleary

Employment Rights (13 Oct 2010)

Dara Calleary: I am aware of the audio recording. It refers specifically to a person employed in the home. I referred to people employed in somebody else's home in my response. The issue of constitutional protection of the place of residence arises. If a person is being exploited in his work relationship, we will change his permit within four weeks. We have an express procedure in place-----

Employment Rights (13 Oct 2010)

Dara Calleary: -----to facilitate him. If anybody is aware of an incident in which any worker, a migrant or otherwise, has been mistreated, he should inform the relevant authorities. NERA comes in for a lot of criticism in this House.

Employment Rights (13 Oct 2010)

Dara Calleary: However, it is resourced with 90 inspectors, ten of whom have foreign language skills, to assist people in this position. I am happy that those arrangements offer the maximum protection we can give at this time.

Employment Rights (13 Oct 2010)

Dara Calleary: The allegation that the circumstances described are widespread in the domestic sector has no independent evidence to support it. Our hands are tied by the protections we give to the primary domestic residence, particularly as a place of employment. The issue is far broader than that of protection. If anybody in this House or outside it is aware of a worker in any circumstances being...

Employment Rights (13 Oct 2010)

Dara Calleary: NERA is in operation and we have procedures in place to switch a work permit quickly. I am happy with the controls we have in place. We were criticised yesterday for issuing too many permits, yet today people are looking for more permits. I am happy with the level of control in place and that NERA has enough inspectors, including inspectors with foreign language skills, to address the problem.

Employment Rights (13 Oct 2010)

Dara Calleary: We have developed a vacancy-driven employment permit system. We are happy that there are controls on permits in place. The issue of charging people who must change for whatever reason, particularly those in an abusive relationship, is one that I am willing to consider but the system we have in place has evolved and we made substantial changes thereto in June 2009 to reflect current market...

Seanad: Public Service Agreement 2010-2014: Statements (13 Oct 2010)

Dara Calleary: A number of Senators raised the issue of non-productive public servants and the number of such people who are hiding in the system. There are undoubtedly many poor public servants and we have been incredibly restricted to date as to how we deal with that and poor performance. Every person one speaks to has had a bad interaction with one, two or three public servants. Equally, however,...

Seanad: Public Service Agreement 2010-2014: Statements (13 Oct 2010)

Dara Calleary: I assure the House that as long as I am in this position I will be committed to this agenda. It is an agenda which the Taoiseach is directing and he is putting pressure on me to deliver on it. I am conscious of the remarks about specific information. We will work with the House over the next five weeks to produce more specific information and implementation plans. I thank the House for...

Seanad: Public Service Agreement 2010-2014: Statements (13 Oct 2010)

Dara Calleary: On the procedural issue, I have no difficulty returning to the House regularly. Those who take pleasure in kicking the work of this House of the Oireachtas should have been present this morning because we have had a good debate. Many proposals have been put forward for me to consider and implement and I have no difficulty with returning to the House in four or five weeks in whatever capacity.

Seanad: Public Service Agreement 2010-2014: Statements (13 Oct 2010)

Dara Calleary: I have taken many notes and Members can be sure that I have taken on board all the suggestions and thoughts voiced this morning. Some general points must be made. I have taken the chance again today to outline the Government's position. The Taoiseach and the Minister, Deputy Brian Lenihan, have also done it. I wish Senator Doherty would change the album a little to reflect the times we are...

Seanad: Public Service Agreement 2010-2014: Statements (13 Oct 2010)

Dara Calleary: With regard to the savings and the assessment of the savings, that is the role of the implementation body. That body is now looking through the activation plans and when I return to the Seanad in four or five weeks I will give a better sense and model of how we will implement that. Senator O'Toole and Senator Buttimer raised the need for clear objectives and performance indicators. I agree...

Seanad: Public Service Agreement 2010-2014: Statements (13 Oct 2010)

Dara Calleary: I thank Members of the Seanad for giving me the opportunity to update the House on the progress of implementation of the public service agreement known as the Croke Park agreement. I last spoke to Senators on this topic on 13 May. I will begin by reviewing what has happened since then and set out some of the challenges that continue to face us in that context. Last May, we were in a very...

Seanad: Public Service Agreement 2010-2014: Statements (13 Oct 2010)

Dara Calleary: The principal commitments given were to no reductions in pay, no compulsory redundancies and an extension of the period within which the January 2010 pay reductions will be disregarded for the purposes of calculating public service pension entitlements to the end of 2011. I encourage members of unions or associations that have stayed outside the process to consider their position carefully....

Seanad: Public Service Agreement 2010-2014: Statements (13 Oct 2010)

Dara Calleary: Yes.

Seanad: Public Service Agreement 2010-2014: Statements (13 Oct 2010)

Dara Calleary: It did not take any.

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (12 Oct 2010)

Dara Calleary: Unfortunately, I am unable to provide the Deputy with all the specific information he has requested, as the Department does not collate statistics for claims awaiting processing on the basis of local authority boundaries. I am sure the Deputy will appreciate that at this time my focus and that of my Department is on ensuring that redundancy payments are processed as quickly as possible. I...

Written Answers — Redundancy Payments: Redundancy Payments (12 Oct 2010)

Dara Calleary: My Department administers the Social Insurance Fund (SIF) in relation to redundancy matters on behalf of the Department of Social and Family Affairs. There are two types of payment made from the SIF – rebates to those employers who have paid statutory redundancy to eligible employees, and statutory lump sums to employees whose employers are insolvent and/or in receivership/liquidation I...

Written Answers — Redundancy Payments: Redundancy Payments (12 Oct 2010)

Dara Calleary: My Department administers the Social Insurance Fund (SIF) in relation to redundancy matters on behalf of the Department of Social and Family Affairs. There are two types of payment made from the SIF – rebates to those employers who have paid statutory redundancy to eligible employees, and statutory lump sums to employees whose employers are insolvent and/or in receivership/liquidation. I...

Written Answers — Redundancy Payments: Redundancy Payments (12 Oct 2010)

Dara Calleary: My Department administers the Social Insurance Fund (SIF) in relation to redundancy matters on behalf of the Department of Social and Family Affairs. There are two types of payment made from the SIF – rebates to those employers who have paid statutory redundancy to eligible employees, and statutory lump sums to employees whose employers are insolvent and/or in receivership/liquidation I...

Written Answers — Employment Rights: Employment Rights (12 Oct 2010)

Dara Calleary: I understand from my colleague, the Minister for Finance, who has overall responsibility for the Government's public procurement procedures, the Government Construction Contracts Committee and the National Public Procurement Policy Unit (NPPPU), that this is a matter that would need to be taken up with the relevant Government Departments in respect of the various contracting authorities...