Results 16,581-16,600 of 21,260 for speaker:Mary Lou McDonald

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Construction Contracts Bill 2010: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Jun 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: If we go back to section 8, it states that the Minister shall from time to time select persons to be members of a panel to act as adjudicators in regard to payment disputes and shall select one of those persons to chair the panel.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Construction Contracts Bill 2010: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Jun 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: The Minister of State should look at section 8(1) again. Subsection (3) for instance states further that the Minister may for good and sufficient reason remove a member of the panel.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Construction Contracts Bill 2010: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Jun 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: That is not what the wording says, although I accept that is the intention.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Construction Contracts Bill 2010: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Jun 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: I move amendment No. 38: In page 12, before section 11, to insert the following new section:11.—Every public procurement capital project to the value of €1,000,000 or over shall include a social clause containing the following provisions—(a) main contracts to include a requirement that the main contractor recruits one long-term unemployed person, either directly or...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Construction Contracts Bill 2010: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Jun 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: We would like to get an idea of when Report Stage might happen. I am conscious that we will go into recess towards the end of July and it would be ideal if we could have this business concluded before them.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Construction Contracts Bill 2010: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Jun 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: I thank you, a Chathaoirligh.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Construction Contracts Bill 2010: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Jun 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: The objective of the amendments I have tabled is an effort to strengthen the hand of the little guy. I will not press the amendment. I take the remarks of the Minister of State and the Cathaoirleach on board.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Construction Contracts Bill 2010: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Jun 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: I move amendment No. 35: In page 11, before section 8, to insert the following new section: “8.—(1) The Minister shall from time to time select bodies to be included on a published list of adjudicator nominating bodies. (2) The Minister shall issue a code of practice governing the conduct of adjudicator nominating bodies. (3) The Minister may amend the list of approved...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Construction Contracts Bill 2010: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Jun 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: This amendment is motivated by concerns that have been raised on a conflict of interest if the Minister appoints a panel of adjudicators and subsequently appoints a chairman to the panel to make selections when disputes are referred to the Minister. I propose the wording the Minister has before him to remove the concern. Furthermore, the chairman could be an officer within a Department...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Construction Contracts Bill 2010: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Jun 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: I move amendment No. 23: In page 8, subsection (4), line 14, to delete “or otherwise”. I propose the deletion of the words "or otherwise". My second amendment proposes to insert a new formula of words. The rationale for tabling them is that the Bill does not deal with an instance whereby a payer fails to respond to a payment claim. The amount to be paid should be the amount...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Construction Contracts Bill 2010: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Jun 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: I thank the Minister of State for his response. The value of the legislative framework is to make explicitly plain the parameters for the parties. I accept that people have recourse to the courts and can sue. Part of the logic behind this initiative is to minimise recourse to that type of procedure for time and expense concerns and to give comfort and certainty to contractors that moneys...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Construction Contracts Bill 2010: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Jun 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: It is clear the Minister of State is not accepting the amendments. However, where there is a failure to respond to the payment claim, there is a strong case for using every lever one can to incentivise the honouring of that amount and that is the purpose of this proposal. While the Minister of State has not said this, it in no way compromises any of the other procedures or processes...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Construction Contracts Bill 2010: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Jun 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: At the Minister will consider these matters between now and Report Stage, I will not press them at this stage. However, I give notice of their reintroduction on Report Stage.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Construction Contracts Bill 2010: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Jun 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: I move amendment No. 25: In page 8, subsection (1), line 27, to delete “work” and substitute “any or all of its obligations”.First, restricting the right to suspend work for non-payment to two weeks does not act as a sufficiently robust deterrent under the law. Unless this suspension limit is withdrawn, it could undermine fundamentally the driving purpose of the...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Construction Contracts Bill 2010: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Jun 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: I thank the Minister of State for his response. He has acknowledged the problem posed by the 14-day proposition and as his proposal meets that concern, I welcome his amendment. I accept what the Minister of State said about health and safety concerns. He offered the example of scaffolding. Does he have any other scenarios in which the removal of the reference to work in order to introduce...

Leaders' Questions (12 Jun 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: Is that a "No" from the Taoiseach?

Leaders' Questions (12 Jun 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: Shame on the Taoiseach.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (12 Jun 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: 56. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to aid local authorities in developing new more independent housing structures which could seek financing for the provision of social housing in a similar fashion to voluntary housing bodies. [27053/13]

Finance (Local Property Tax Repeal) Bill 2013 [Private Members]: Second Stage (11 Jun 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: That is because they do not exist.

Finance (Local Property Tax Repeal) Bill 2013 [Private Members]: Second Stage (11 Jun 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: The 1.9 million people do not think it is funny.