Results 121-140 of 9,147 for speaker:Pat Breen

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (30 May 2019)

Pat Breen: I always like to give the Deputy good news. As I am always giving her good news with regard to jobs, it is good to give her good news on education in Dungarvan and Waterford. She has outlined a very justified case on the school and its needs. There is willingness on the part of the Department to accept that and to provide the funding required for the extra school spaces. That has been...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Industrial Relations (30 May 2019)

Pat Breen: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. She has always been interested in industrial relations. As I have said in reply to parliamentary questions, Ireland’s system of industrial relations is essentially voluntary in nature and the responsibility for the resolution of industrial disputes between employers and workers rests in the first instance with the employer, the workers and...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Placement (30 May 2019)

Pat Breen: I understand exactly what the Deputy means because even though I am not a Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills, I have taken a real interest in this issue because of a similar situation arising in Ennis. I apologise on behalf of the Minister, Deputy McHugh, who is away on official Government business. To plan for school provision and analyse the relevant...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Placement (30 May 2019)

Pat Breen: The current enrolment in the Presentation secondary school, The Intermediate School and Killorglin community college is 606, 494 and 277, respectively. As the Department has outlined, there are no outstanding applications from any of the schools for additional accommodation. Nevertheless, for the benefit of the Deputy, whose point I understand, I appreciate this is a very stressful time for...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Staff (30 May 2019)

Pat Breen: We have all come across cases of this nature in our constituencies and we have made representations on behalf of national schools that are in a similar position. As stated, there is a further appeals process in June and another in October. I encourage the board of management of the school or the local community to see if they can attract those extra students necessary to bring the school up...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Staff (30 May 2019)

Pat Breen: I thank Deputy Eugene Murphy for raising this important issue. I know how important this school is to the Deputy. As he noted, we have all had many cases like this raised with us in the course of our political careers. I apologise on behalf of the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy McHugh, who is attending a very important education conference in Washington. While it is important...

Seanad: Farm Safety Agency Bill 2018: Second Stage (29 May 2019)

Pat Breen: I am delighted we are having this debate. I am delighted that my Oireachtas colleagues in the Seanad are raising the awareness of farm safety. It is a really good forum for raising it. I thank Senator Paul Daly for raising the issue. It is really important to have a debate about it. I work with the Health and Safety Authority on a regular basis given the remit I have as Minister of...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Trade Union Membership (29 May 2019)

Pat Breen: The right of workers to form associations and the right to join a trade union are enshrined in Article 40 of the Irish Constitution. Section 13 of the Trade Union Act 1871 provides that when Trade Unions are applying for registration with the Registrar of Friendly Societies they must provide a copy of their rules. Furthermore, Section 12 of the Trade Union Act 1941 provides that an...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Industrial Relations (28 May 2019)

Pat Breen: I am aware of the ongoing industrial relations issues at the company referred to by the Deputy. I am also aware that the Labour Court issued a recommendation on the 5thApril 2019 in relation to a claim before it, with the Court noting that this issue has already been before it, resulting in previous recommendations. Ireland’s system of industrial relations is based in voluntarism and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sectoral Employment Order (Electrical Contracting Sector) 2017: Minister of State at the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation (28 May 2019)

Pat Breen: I thank the Cathaoirleach. I am delighted to be back to discuss this sectoral employment order, SEO. I thank members for their attendance and am pleased to present for their consideration a draft SEO for the electrical contracting sector. This draft ministerial order is being made under section 17 of the Industrial Relations (Amendment) Act 2015. The intention is that this order will...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sectoral Employment Order (Electrical Contracting Sector) 2017: Minister of State at the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation (28 May 2019)

Pat Breen: Yes, it will come into effect on 1 September, unlike the other recent SEOs which came into effect instantly. The slight delay will give contractors, both large and small, time to adjust to the fact that there will be a pay increase on 1 September. That is important from the perspective of employers.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sectoral Employment Order (Electrical Contracting Sector) 2017: Minister of State at the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation (28 May 2019)

Pat Breen: I have the answer because we gave the WRC additional resources in the this year's budget-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sectoral Employment Order (Electrical Contracting Sector) 2017: Minister of State at the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation (28 May 2019)

Pat Breen: -----to deal with all of these matters, including the new responsibilities it will be given under the Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill 2018, which will bring An Garda Síochána under the remit of the WRC. We ensured in the budget that additional resources would be provided for the WRC. I believe they were in region of €1 million. That will suffice. SEOs have worked...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sectoral Employment Order (Electrical Contracting Sector) 2017: Minister of State at the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation (28 May 2019)

Pat Breen: I will comment on that tomorrow. I believe we discussed that issue when the Bill was going through Second or Committee Stage in the House. I do not know if we are in a position to include the Defence Forces yet, but that is an issue that we will consider down the line. The issue was raised this morning by members of the Defence Forces around the country but we will deal with what is on the...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Apprenticeship Programmes (21 May 2019)

Pat Breen: Statutory responsibility for the management of the National Apprenticeship System in Ireland falls under the remit of SOLAS, an agency under the aegis of the Department of Education and Skills. In general, I understand that in relation to apprentice electricians, the rate of pay is a contractual matter between the employer and the apprentice.  In so far as my Department is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sectoral Employment Order (Construction Sector) 2019 (15 May 2019)

Pat Breen: It is great to be back here again. I am here to discuss the sectoral order for the construction sector. I am pleased to present to the committee for its consideration the draft sectoral employment order for the construction sector. This draft order is being made under section 17 of the Industrial Relations (Amendment) Act 2015. The intention is that this order will confirm the rates of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sectoral Employment Order (Construction Sector) 2019 (15 May 2019)

Pat Breen: I would like to thank Senator Mac Lochlainn and Deputy Neville for their contributions on this. First, the measures here are an important step in securing stability and growth in this very critical sector at the moment. They also protect working conditions, and above all else, as Deputy Neville said, they aid in the attractiveness of the sector as a career. We know there is a shortage of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Competition and Consumer Protection Commission Remit (14 May 2019)

Pat Breen: We agree the CCPC needs more powers. Up to now in civil cases, all the CCPC could do is fine bodies for infractions. I refer in particular to companies in a dominant position. The only power the CCPC had involved getting an injunction in the courts to stop such behaviour. It had no powers to impose fines and we are conscious the CCPC needs that power as well as the ability to enforce...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Competition and Consumer Protection Commission Remit (14 May 2019)

Pat Breen: I thank Deputy Broughan again for raising this matter. It is, of course, of primary importance to the Government that the costs of doing business here are kept down. It is important for Ireland to be competitive, especially in the context of an approaching Brexit. That is why we have brought in a number of initiatives, in particular in respect of Brexit, such as low-cost loans. The Deputy...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Competition and Consumer Protection Commission Remit (14 May 2019)

Pat Breen: I think much work will be done and Deputy Broughan will have an input into that.