Results 1,461-1,480 of 2,815 for speaker:Tony Killeen

Written Answers — Working Conditions Survey: Working Conditions Survey (15 Nov 2006)

Tony Killeen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 98 and 120 together. The European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions has not yet completed work on the "Fourth European Working Conditions Survey", referred to in the Deputies' questions. The Foundation published its "first findings" on 7th November last and the full report is due to be published in February 2007. I understand that...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (15 Nov 2006)

Tony Killeen: The Health and Safety Authority is to move 110 posts to Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny. To date a total of 62 people (11 HSA staff, 41 Civil Servants, 10 Public Servants) have expressed an interest through the Central Application Facility (CAF) process in transferring to Thomastown. In advance of decentralising to Thomastown, in August 2006 the Authority established an interim office in Kilkenny...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (15 Nov 2006)

Tony Killeen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 106 and 141 together. The opt out in Council Directive 93/104/EC of 23 November 1993 concerning certain aspects of the organisation of working time is an opt out from the average maximum 48 hour working week. The Organisation of Working Time Act 1997, which transposed the above Directive into Irish Law, does not contain such an opt out provision and the...

Written Answers — Employment Rights: Employment Rights (15 Nov 2006)

Tony Killeen: The competition for appointment to the post of Director of the Office for Employment Rights Compliance is being conducted by the Public Appointments Service. 19 applications were received by the closing date of 26th October, 2006. The arrangements and timelines for shortlisting and final selection are being finalised at present by the Public Appointments Service and it is anticipated that the...

Written Answers — Labour Inspectorate: Labour Inspectorate (15 Nov 2006)

Tony Killeen: The Joint Investigation Units to which the Deputy refers will be established under primary legislation to be published next year. Work has already begun on the preparation of this legislation which will also address a number of other commitments provided for under "Towards 2016", the new Social Partnership Agreement. A Working Group on Compliance, which was established in the context of...

Written Answers — Employment Rights: Employment Rights (15 Nov 2006)

Tony Killeen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 122 and 127 together. On the 26th of April 2006, the Labour Court made a recommendation regarding the redundancy terms for Irish Sugar workers at the Mallow plant. The recommendation provided that redundancy should be 5 weeks' pay per year of service, where a week's pay would be defined as actual finishing salary, excluding overtime, plus statutory...

Written Answers — Migrant Issues: Migrant Issues (15 Nov 2006)

Tony Killeen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 132 and 133 together. The Employment Equality Act 1998 as amended by the Equality Act 2004 places an obligation on all employers in Ireland to prevent harassment in the workplace. The administration of this legislation is a matter for my colleague the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform and, more particularly, the Equality Authority. Persons who...

Written Answers — National Minimum Wage: National Minimum Wage (15 Nov 2006)

Tony Killeen: In the national partnership agreement, Towards 2016, ICTU and IBEC agreed to make a joint recommendation to Government by 1 September, 2006 on a new minimum wage rate to be effective from 1 January, 2007. In the event that no agreement was reached, either party could refer the matter to the Labour Court. As no agreement was reached between ICTU and IBEC, ICTU has referred the matter to the...

Written Answers — Labour Relations Commission: Labour Relations Commission (15 Nov 2006)

Tony Killeen: Towards 2016 contains, inter alia, a commitment by the Government to increase the staffing resources of the Employment Rights Bodies generally in order to accelerate the processing of cases through the adjudication and redress system. Included in this section is a commitment that an additional 5 Rights Commissioners will be provided, increasing, as necessary, in line with the Commissioners'...

Written Answers — Employment Appeals Tribunal: Employment Appeals Tribunal (15 Nov 2006)

Tony Killeen: I have read — and I would like to say with a great deal of interest — the recent report on research done by Dr. Collette Darcy of the National University of Ireland, Galway and Dr. Thomas Garavan from the University of Limerick, which provides an insight into employees' experience of the Employment Appeals Tribunal. The Tribunal is an independent statutory body which is required to...

Written Answers — Health and Safety Authority: Health and Safety Authority (15 Nov 2006)

Tony Killeen: The current Chief Executive of the Health and Safety Authority was originally appointed by the Board of the Authority for a 5-year term. When that term expired on 16th September 2006, he was offered and accepted a further 1 year contract. The appointment of a Chief Executive is a matter for the Board of the Health and Safety Authority in accordance with the provisions of Section 39 and...

Written Answers — Health and Safety Regulations: Health and Safety Regulations (15 Nov 2006)

Tony Killeen: I would like to refer the Deputy to the following Schedule which contains the prosecution and conviction information requested from 2002 to 30 October 2006. A significant change has taken place over the years in the nature of the court proceedings resulting from investigations by the Health and Safety Authority. In the first decade of the Authority's existence (1989-1999) all health and...

Written Answers — Health and Safety Regulations: Health and Safety Regulations (15 Nov 2006)

Tony Killeen: This year the Health and Safety Authority will receive a grant of €20.598m which is an increase of 27.95% on 2005. The HSA allocation for 2007 has not yet been published. The Authority currently has a sanctioned staff complement of 185 comprised of inspectors, professional specialists, administrators and clerical support staff. Included in the 185 sanctioned posts are 21 for the...

Written Answers — National Minimum Wage: National Minimum Wage (15 Nov 2006)

Tony Killeen: As part of the national agreement Towards 2016 a commitment has been made to review and increase penalties for non-compliance in all areas of employment law, including the national minimum wage legislation. Work has already begun on the preparation of the Employment Rights Compliance Bill, which will reflect this and other commitments in Towards 2016. In the context of redress, it is...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (15 Nov 2006)

Tony Killeen: The EU Commission has indicated that it intends taking infringement proceedings against 23 of the 25 Member States for breaches of Council Directive 93/104/EC of 23 November 1993 concerning certain aspects of the organisation of working time. Ireland is in breach of the above Directive by virtue of the rulings of the European Court of Justice in the SIMAP and Jaeger cases which determined...

Written Answers — Health and Safety Regulations: Health and Safety Regulations (15 Nov 2006)

Tony Killeen: The existing staff complement of the Labour Inspectorate of the Department comprises 31 Inspectors and some 7 administrative support staff. The Social Partnership Agreement "Towards 2016" provides for the establishment of an Office of the Director for Employment Rights Compliance (ODERC) which, in addition to the provision of employment rights information and the prosecution of offences,...

Written Answers — Redundancy Issues: Redundancy Issues (15 Nov 2006)

Tony Killeen: At the present time, an employee is entitled to receive a statutory redundancy lump sum on being made redundant up to the day before his/her 66th birthday. Traditionally, the upper age limit for eligibility for redundancy payment was the same as the pensionable age within the meaning of the Social Welfare Acts. In 1971 the upper age limit was 70, in line with the then old age pension age of...

Written Answers — Health and Safety Regulations: Health and Safety Regulations (15 Nov 2006)

Tony Killeen: I would like to refer the Deputy to the following Schedule which sets out the fatality numbers and rates per 100,000 workers in the periods referred to. Over the period 1990-1995, there was an average fatality rate in the sector of 11.5 per 100,000 workers. By comparison, the rate was 8.6 per 100,000 workers for 2000-2005. A specific breakdown for employment in the Construction Sector is not...

Written Answers — Equal Opportunities Employment: Equal Opportunities Employment (15 Nov 2006)

Tony Killeen: The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment is committed to addressing the needs of those with disabilities, and furthering the policy of mainstreaming services to help them to play a full and active part in society. The Sectoral Plan advanced by the Department in accordance with the provisions of the Disability Act 2005, which was published in July, 2006, outlines key initiatives to...

Written Answers — Legislative Programme: Legislative Programme (15 Nov 2006)

Tony Killeen: The following is a list of all employee protection legislation enacted by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment over the past seven years and the main provisions of each piece of legislation: Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Night Work and Shift Work) Regulations 2000 — S. I. No. 11 of 2000. The purpose of these Regulations is to give effect, in respect of night workers...