Results 15,361-15,380 of 15,792 for speaker:Dara Calleary

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (11 Nov 2009)

Dara Calleary: The Teamwork scheme was a temporary employment programme for persons under 25 years old, employed on a full-time basis, which operated from the early 1980s until the mid-1990s. This scheme ran alongside the social employment scheme, which was aimed at persons over 25 years old. Both schemes were subsequently merged into the community employment scheme in the mid-1990s. Community employment...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (11 Nov 2009)

Dara Calleary: The Employment Permits Section informs me that the above named was issued a work permit on the 14 November 2007 in respect of his position on the premise that a salary of €50,000 was on offer. Prior to the expiry of this permit an application for a green card was made with a salary of €60,000 on offer. The green card application was refused on the grounds that it appears from the P60...

Labour Services (Amendment) Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (11 Nov 2009)

Dara Calleary: I thank the Deputies for their good wishes. The Bill now goes to the Seanad.

Labour Services (Amendment) Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (11 Nov 2009)

Dara Calleary: I cannot accept the amendment because this is a standard provision for all State bodies. As Deputy Penrose said, there are ways and means for a good committee chairman or Member to ascertain information regarding Government schemes under the existing regulations. A republican-Labour Party coalition would be an interesting prospect.

Labour Services (Amendment) Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (11 Nov 2009)

Dara Calleary: I join Deputies Penrose and Varadkar in acknowledging the role of FÁS staff who provided us with important information on a range of issues and I thank them for doing so. The Government's approach to this provision is based on a 2006 Cabinet decision that whistleblowing provisions would be introduced on a sectoral basis. Given the focus of the legislation is primarily on FÁS, it is...

Labour Services (Amendment) Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (11 Nov 2009)

Dara Calleary: It refers to "employee" as a member of staff.

Labour Services (Amendment) Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (11 Nov 2009)

Dara Calleary: While I recognise the spirit of the amendment, the main body of the legislation predates 1993 when gender neutral language was submitted. On that ground that there is an understanding that the language is said to be gender neutral, I oppose the amendment.

Labour Services (Amendment) Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (11 Nov 2009)

Dara Calleary: I accept the Deputies' arguments but the rationale is that we are moving away from a worker director system. I appreciate the point made by Deputies Penrose and Morgan that the worker director model has served well. In the new board we are moving towards a structure which does not have prescribed nominations, that is, a person will be nominated by the Minister, who is accountable to the...

Labour Services (Amendment) Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (11 Nov 2009)

Dara Calleary: Since the debate on Committee Stage we have reflected on the matter. While we are not in a position to accept the specific amendments, the Tánaiste and I have discussed the wishes of the committee. We decided the positions of the board members of FÁS would be advertised in newspapers in the coming days, as soon as the legislation is passed. Public submissions will be sought and we are...

Labour Services (Amendment) Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (11 Nov 2009)

Dara Calleary: There is very little I disagree with in the sentiments expressed. I assure Members that this is not intended to be window-dressing. I can give Deputy Penrose, in his position as Chairman of the Joint Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment, a commitment to keep him updated on the process. We have already had considerable expressions of interest from people around the country, even...

Labour Services (Amendment) Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (11 Nov 2009)

Dara Calleary: I move amendment No. 27: In page 14, line 4, to delete "or". This is similar to amendment No. 1. It adds to the list of reasons a board member may be removed to include the contravention of the Ethics in Public Office Act.

Labour Services (Amendment) Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (11 Nov 2009)

Dara Calleary: I move amendment No. 28: In page 14, line 8, to delete "2009)." and substitute the following: "2009), or (e) the member has contravened the Act of 1995.".

Labour Services (Amendment) Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (11 Nov 2009)

Dara Calleary: I move amendment No. 31: In page 19, lines 8 and 9, to delete "and shall be construed together as one Act". This is a technical amendment on the basis that the collective construction provision regarding the three Acts referred to in this Bill is not required in this case.

Labour Services (Amendment) Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (11 Nov 2009)

Dara Calleary: I thank Deputies for their input on Committee Stage and today on Report Stage. I acknowledge the presence of the Chairman of the Committee of Public Accounts, Deputy Bernard Allen, in the Chamber. The Committee of Public Accounts and the Joint Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment played important roles in the work that brought us to this Bill. At a time when this House is under...

Labour Services (Amendment) Bill 2009: Order for Report Stage (11 Nov 2009)

Dara Calleary: I move: "That Report Stage be taken now."

Labour Services (Amendment) Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (11 Nov 2009)

Dara Calleary: I move amendment No. 1: In page 3, to delete lines 13 and 14 and substitute the following: " " 'Act of 1995' means the Ethics in Public Office Act 1995; 'material interest' shall be construed in accordance with section 2(3) of the Act of 1995;". This is a technical amendment to facilitate the addition to the Bill of references to the Ethics in Public Office Act 1995 by adding a definition to...

Labour Services (Amendment) Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (11 Nov 2009)

Dara Calleary: I acknowledge the Deputies' concerns on this issue and have reflected on the proposal since Committee Stage. However, the issue of severance packages to chief executive officers is more general than the specific range of this legislation. The Government is reviewing the issue of severance and retirement terms of chief executive officers as part of a broader examination that is under way...

Labour Services (Amendment) Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (11 Nov 2009)

Dara Calleary: I understand the thrust of the amendment and I share the Deputy's concerns that this general issue should be resolved as soon as possible. In regard to Deputy Varadkar's comments, I have complete faith and trust in the abilities and character of the Tánaiste and the Minister for Finance. The issue in regard to the specific package will be dealt with by the Committee of Public Accounts at...

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (10 Nov 2009)

Dara Calleary: I am advised that at 30 October 2009 there were 22,898 people participating on Community Employment Schemes. A breakdown by principal welfare payment is provided in the following table. CE Participants as at 30/10/2009 by CE Eligibility CE Eligibility Total Adult Dependent Swap - JA 51 Adult Dependent Swap - JB 13 Blind Pension 18 Carers Allowance 20 Deserted WifesAllowance 198...

Written Answers — Redundancy Payments: Redundancy Payments (10 Nov 2009)

Dara Calleary: I can advise the Deputy that the latest figures available to end October 2009 indicate that the number of redundancy claims awaiting processing stands at 43,826. Unfortunately, I am unable to provide the Deputy with the specific information she has requested as the Department does not collate statistics for applications awaiting processing on a county basis. I am sure the Deputy will...