Results 1,941-1,960 of 2,815 for speaker:Tony Killeen

Written Answers — Employment Statistics: Employment Statistics (21 Mar 2006)

Tony Killeen: Not all of the information requested by the Deputy is available. However, a European Union sectoral study on the temporary agency workers sector in Ireland, prepared in June 2004 for the social dialogue unit of the European Commission, estimated that agency work in Ireland as a percentage of employment was 5.5% of the total workforce.

Written Answers — Industrial Relations: Industrial Relations (21 Mar 2006)

Tony Killeen: Since March 2005, I have received representations on one occasion with regard to waiting times for processing cases through the industrial relations bodies, including the Labour Court.

Written Answers — Labour Inspectorate: Labour Inspectorate (21 Mar 2006)

Tony Killeen: The ratio of the number of labour inspectors to the workforce in each of the past ten years is set out in the following tabular statement, which shows a marked improvement in the ratio of labour inspectors over the past ten years from one inspector for every 150,000 people at work in 1996 to one for every 67,000 at work in 2005. This took place against an increase of over 500,000 in the...

Written Answers — Labour Court Staff: Labour Court Staff (21 Mar 2006)

Tony Killeen: In addition to the Chairman, two Deputy Chairmen, six ordinary members and the registrar of the Labour Court, the following table shows the numbers of administrative staff in the Labour Court in the years 1996 to 2005. Year Staff in Labour Court as at 31 December 2005 25 2004 25 2003 26 2002 25 2001 23 2000 24 1999 25 1998 27 1997 25 1996 24 It should be...

Written Answers — Labour Inspectorate: Labour Inspectorate (21 Mar 2006)

Tony Killeen: The number of workplace inspections or visits carried out by the labour inspectorate in respect of compliance with the provisions of the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997 since 2000 and the number of prosecutions for failure to comply with its provisions for the same period are set out in the following tabular statement. The labour inspectorate does not have statistical information on...

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (21 Mar 2006)

Tony Killeen: The European Communities (Control of Major Accident Hazards Involving Dangerous Substances) Regulations 2006, SI 74 of 2006, apply to establishments where the stock of dangerous substances held at the establishment or likely to be held at the establishment exceeds specific threshold levels set out in the regulations. Under the regulations, operators of establishments are obliged to notify the...

Seanad: Voluntary Housing. (21 Mar 2006)

Tony Killeen: I reply on behalf of the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Noel Ahern, and I thank Senator Kitt for raising this matter. The Minister of State, Deputy Noel Ahern, is grateful to be afforded this opportunity to outline the ongoing development of the voluntary and co-operative housing sector and discuss the need to introduce a tenant...

Seanad: Natural Heritage Areas. (21 Mar 2006)

Tony Killeen: I thank Senator Feighan for raising this matter which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Roche. The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government oversees the designation of three main types of conservation areas throughout the country. First, there are natural heritage areas which are designated under the provisions...

Seanad: Natural Heritage Areas. (21 Mar 2006)

Tony Killeen: I will ask the Minister to reply to the Senator with that information.

Seanad: Educational Services. (21 Mar 2006)

Tony Killeen: I thank Senator O'Meara for raising this matter as it affords me the opportunity to outline to the Seanad, on behalf of the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Hanafin, the strategy of her Department for capital investment in education projects and the position regarding the development of education provision in St. Sheelan's College, Templemore. Modernising facilities in our 3,200...

Job Losses. (8 Mar 2006)

Tony Killeen: I was concerned to hear that Oasis in Ballina has announced that it will reduce its workforce to approximately 12 people over the next two months. The rationalisation of its operation in Ballina has been sought by its parent company and will end all manufacturing activities at the plant. The remaining staff will be engaged mainly in customer support and marketing activities. The company has...

Job Losses. (8 Mar 2006)

Tony Killeen: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. I was disappointed to hear that Sigma Wireless Technologies Limited has decided to make so many employees redundant from its facility at Finglas, Dublin 11. I understand that following a review of the company's financial position by its owner, PCTel Inc., in preparation for the consultation process with trade union representatives, it was confirmed...

Social Welfare Code. (8 Mar 2006)

Tony Killeen: I welcome Deputy Costello's outlining of the differences in the rate payable under the adoptive benefit scheme and payments made to foster carers. Adoptive benefit is a social insurance payment paid by the Department of Social and Family Affairs to workers who would otherwise be without income during a period of entitlement to statutory leave in respect of the adoption. Entitlement to...

Social Welfare Code. (8 Mar 2006)

Tony Killeen: They both serve different functions. The former is an income transfer in lieu of earnings forgone on foot of entitlement to statutory leave, whereas the foster care allowance is paid in recognition of the obligations placed on foster carers to meet the needs set out in the child's statutory care plan and in accordance with the standards set out in the national foster care standards.

Youth Services. (8 Mar 2006)

Tony Killeen: I thank Deputy Neville for raising this important matter and for drawing the attention of the House to this report. On behalf of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform I welcome the publication of the report which provides an important insight into the inequality and the stereotyping of young people today as perceived by the young people themselves. This research involved a large...

Written Answers — Health and Safety Regulations: Health and Safety Regulations (8 Mar 2006)

Tony Killeen: The number of workplace inspections-visits undertaken by the labour inspectorate under the Protection of Young Persons (Employment) Act 1996 for the past five years and prosecutions initiated in respect of each of the years is set out in the following tabular statement. Year Inspections/Visits Prosecutions Initiated 2001 1,062 18 2002 1,464 12 2003 1,593 19 2004 1,836 10...

Written Answers — Job Protection: Job Protection (8 Mar 2006)

Tony Killeen: My reply to Question No. 147 of 1 March 2006 sets out the situation in relation to lay-off in accordance with the provisions of the Redundancy Payments Acts 1967 to 2003. With regard to the further issue raised concerning the labour inspectorate, I am advised that there is no role for the inspectors in the matter of the lay-off of these workers. An employer decides whether a lay-off situation...

Whistleblowers Protection Bill 1999: Motion (Resumed). (8 Mar 2006)

Tony Killeen: Deputy Rabbitte's Bill addressed an area of major importance to the public. However, as my colleague, the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Martin, noted last night, a number of difficulties have arisen with regard to the original proposal. While extensive work was done on redrafting the original Bill, attempts to protect whistleblowers on the basis of a single...

Whistleblowers Protection Bill 1999: Motion (Resumed). (8 Mar 2006)

Tony Killeen: Throughout this debate and in earlier airings of this issue, the Government has attempted to give the House a flavour of the exceptional legal difficulties it encountered in seeking to give legislative effect to the provisions in the original Bill.

Whistleblowers Protection Bill 1999: Motion (Resumed). (8 Mar 2006)

Tony Killeen: I have no reason to believe these problems can be satisfactorily resolved in the near future on the basis of a single, comprehensive and overly complicated legislative initiative, despite the goodwill and hard work of all sides. We need to ensure that all legislative initiatives are apposite to the problems being addressed and that they will lead to an appropriate change in response. This is...