Results 1,741-1,760 of 4,178 for speaker:Paul Gavan

Seanad: Health (Amendment) (No. 3) 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (3 Dec 2021)

Paul Gavan: Yes.

Seanad: Health (Amendment) (No. 3) 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (3 Dec 2021)

Paul Gavan: I move amendment No. 2: In page 4, after line 33, to insert the following: “Parliamentary oversight of Covid-19 regulations 2.(1) Every relevant statutory instrument made by the Minister shall be laid before each House of the Oireachtas not less than 48 hours before they come into effect and— (a) where, before the date on which paragraph (b) would have effect, a...

Seanad: Health (Amendment) (No. 3) 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (3 Dec 2021)

Paul Gavan: I pay tribute to Senator Moynihan for raising this matter during debate on the Safe Access to Termination of Pregnancy Services Bill 2021 just a month ago. It is a little unfair on the Minister of State because she was not in the seat that evening. I also accept that it is a little unfair that the Minister for Health, Deputy Donnelly, is not here to defend himself. However, I cannot...

Seanad: Health (Amendment) (No. 3) 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (3 Dec 2021)

Paul Gavan: I did not use inflammatory language.

Seanad: Health (Amendment) (No. 3) 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (3 Dec 2021)

Paul Gavan: I have no issue with us having a debate on this issue. I do have an issue with the charge of inflammatory language. I was extremely careful in how I spoke on this. Senator Moynihan was far more careful and articulate than I could ever be. I respectfully ask Senator Clifford-Lee to withdraw the charge of inflammatory language.

Seanad: Health (Amendment) (No. 3) 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (3 Dec 2021)

Paul Gavan: I move amendment No. 4: In page 38, between lines 10 and 11, to insert the following: “Report of the Minister 5.Not less than two weeks before any motion for a renewal of the provisions of this Act, a report on how they have been applied or enforced shall be laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas. The report shall include: (a) information, including statistical breakdown, on...

Seanad: Health (Amendment) (No. 3) 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (3 Dec 2021)

Paul Gavan: I thank the Minister of State again for a comprehensive response. In light of the points she raised and the commitments referred to which the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, made yesterday, I am happy to withdraw this amendment.

Seanad: Covid-19 and the New Measures (Health): Statements (1 Dec 2021)

Paul Gavan: It is nice to see the Minister. He is welcome, as always. I begin by completely condemning the thugs who stood outside his house. I offer my solidarity to him on that point. We are short on time and I want to be constructive. I will raise a few key issues. The first is probably the most important. We know that the World Trade Organization TRIPS council is meeting this week. To date,...

Seanad: Covid-19 and the New Measures (Health): Statements (1 Dec 2021)

Paul Gavan: I will move on to some of the key points. I agree with some of the points made by Senator Malcolm Byrne. Let us be clear. Everyone should be scheduled for a booster jab at six months post the second job. I do not know why we are delaying. We know the need is there and we know it is safe. We know how to do it. We should just do it. I will use my time to make a clear call again to...

Seanad: Covid-19 and the New Measures (Health): Statements (1 Dec 2021)

Paul Gavan: Will the Minister refer to the TRIPS waiver?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sectoral Employment Order (Electrical Contracting Sector) 2021: Discussion (1 Dec 2021)

Paul Gavan: I thank the Minister of State. I welcome the fact that we have an SEO for the sector and I am delighted that the Minister of State has accepted the recommendation made by the Labour Court. That is very important and welcome. The Labour Court has produced an interesting report on the SEO because there was quite a battle. I commend Connect Trade Union on successfully convincing the Labour...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sectoral Employment Order (Electrical Contracting Sector) 2021: Discussion (1 Dec 2021)

Paul Gavan: I have a concern related to the introduction of this SEO, which I very much welcome and I glad the Minister of State is recommending it for acceptance. If we are to police it properly, do we not need to give the WRC more powers? Currently, if I am a worker on one of these construction sites, I have to make a reference or complaint to the WRC. What would normally happen in those...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sectoral Employment Order (Electrical Contracting Sector) 2021: Discussion (1 Dec 2021)

Paul Gavan: There are two reasons. First, if the Minister of State listened to what trade unions have said, he would know they have consistently said there are not enough inspectors. Second, as someone who worked as a trade union official for many years, I can tell him, hand on heart, that what happens every day when workers try to stand up for their rights, unless they have a union behind them, and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sectoral Employment Order (Electrical Contracting Sector) 2021: Discussion (1 Dec 2021)

Paul Gavan: Unfortunately, it is a fact of life that without union protection, workers often suffer. I remind the Minister of State, and let us be clear on this, there is no statutory right to collective bargaining in this State. I ask him to acknowledge that unless he is suddenly going to pull a rabbit out of a hat and, if he is, I would be very happy to endorse it. There is no statutory right to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sectoral Employment Order (Electrical Contracting Sector) 2021: Discussion (1 Dec 2021)

Paul Gavan: I will finish up. We need to bring the Minister of State down to a few construction sites to speak at first hand with workers. He needs an education on this issue.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sectoral Employment Order (Electrical Contracting Sector) 2021: Discussion (1 Dec 2021)

Paul Gavan: The Minister of State might give us clarity on the number of additional inspectors being hired right now.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sectoral Employment Order (Electrical Contracting Sector) 2021: Discussion (1 Dec 2021)

Paul Gavan: I do not expect the Minister of State to be precise. Around 60 sounds about right, which clearly is not enough. We can discuss the fact that the figure was 90 before the recession and we have had a number of years of growth since that recession. Ninety inspectors were required in 2008. The Minister of State surely is not going to tell me that 60 is enough right now, is he?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sectoral Employment Order (Electrical Contracting Sector) 2021: Discussion (1 Dec 2021)

Paul Gavan: I will make a final point. I understand that the Minister of State has to leave. We had a presentation from fishers a few weeks ago and discovered that despite a report from this committee five years ago urging the WRC to maintain inspections, less than half the number of the inspectors were carrying out inspections this year compared to four or five years ago. Unfortunately, that is the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: General Scheme of the Redundancy Payments (Amendment) Bill 2021: Discussion (1 Dec 2021)

Paul Gavan: I will not need 14 minutes on this occasion. I thank Ms Breathnach for outlining the Bill. It is one that everyone would broadly welcome. It addresses an important issue for people. I have a concern and it may be something Ms Breathnach can explain to me quite simply. I note the scheme will operate for three years up to October 2024. What happens to people who are made redundant after...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: General Scheme of the Redundancy Payments (Amendment) Bill 2021: Discussion (1 Dec 2021)

Paul Gavan: That is definitely very encouraging. I have one further question, as I have this opportunity. I have come across a few examples recently of employers ignoring the RP9 form. There are employees who want to apply for their redundancy but employers are basically are not communicating with them. It seems to be another problem, unfortunately, in the construction industry in particular. Does...