Results 1-20 of 496 for in 'Written Answers' speaker:Frank Fahey

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (3 Feb 2004)

Frank Fahey: As part of the Government's decision in 1999 to restructure community employment, future participation in CE by an individual was capped at three years, effective from April 2000. This change was introduced to discourage repeated participation in CE and to encourage unemployed persons to avail of training or education options where possible, which are shown to have more successful progression...

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (10 Feb 2004)

Frank Fahey: The board of management of Clare LES advised FÁS on 15 December last that it was discontinuing operations effective from January 30 2004. A decision of this nature is a matter solely for the board of Clare LES. The board of Clare LES is made up of representatives from the statutory and voluntary sectors and the operation of the service is funded by FÁS. Nonetheless, it is a separate legal...

Written Answers — EU Regulations: EU Regulations (10 Feb 2004)

Frank Fahey: One of the main challenges in the area of employment policy is to increase the overall numbers of those at work, including women. The rate of employment among females in Ireland has increased by 15% since 1994. The latest female employment rate from August, 2003 of 56.7% is the highest ever and the EU target of 57% to be reached by 2005 has almost been achieved. A number of measures are being...

Written Answers — Workplace Inspections: Workplace Inspections (10 Feb 2004)

Frank Fahey: The following figures provide an update on the information provided in October 2003 and state the position up to the end of the year. The numbers of workplace inspections-visits for each month in 2003 are set out in the following table. As stated previously, a new electronic case management system was introduced into the labour inspectorate in June 2003. For the period following its...

Written Answers — Migrant Workers: Migrant Workers (10 Feb 2004)

Frank Fahey: The labour inspectorate of the Department is responsible for monitoring certain employment conditions for all categories of workers in Ireland, including immigrant workers. Inspectors pursue allegations of worker mistreatment and when evidence of non-compliance with the relevant employment rights legislation is found, the inspectorate seeks redress for the individual or individuals concerned...

Written Answers — Departmental Restructuring: Departmental Restructuring (10 Feb 2004)

Frank Fahey: The configuration of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment brings together a number of functions in a single Department, that have promoting quality jobs at their core. This recognises that enterprise and employment are not competing factors, but rather complementary. Only by growing our competitiveness, increasing our trade performance, and expanding enterprise performance can...

Written Answers — National Minimum Wage: National Minimum Wage (10 Feb 2004)

Frank Fahey: On foot of a Government commitment in, Sustaining Progress, S.I. No. 205 of 2003 was signed on 24 June 2003, increasing the national minimum wage to €7.00 per hour with effect from 1 February 2004. Accordingly, labour inspectors from my Department are obliged to enforce the new rate with effect from that date. In such circumstances, the question of postponement of any part of the increase...

Written Answers — Work Practices: Work Practices (10 Feb 2004)

Frank Fahey: At the informal meeting of the Employment and Social Policy Ministers, which was held in Galway on 16 January 2004, the Ministers concluded that, policies to reconcile work and family life are vital elements of the overall package of measures to increase participation in the labour market. Under the EU employment strategy, the attainment of an employment rate of 67% by 2005 and 70% by 2010...

Written Answers — Legislative Programme: Legislative Programme (10 Feb 2004)

Frank Fahey: During Committee Stage of the Industrial Relations (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003, I informed the Select Committee on Enterprise and Small Business that I was considering the introduction of an amendment to section 32(4) of the Industrial Relations Act 1946 on Report Stage. Section 32(4) specifies the maximum fines that can be imposed by the courts upon summary conviction for breaches...

Written Answers — National Minimum Wage: National Minimum Wage (10 Feb 2004)

Frank Fahey: Since the introduction of the national minimum wage in April 2000, labour inspectors from my Department have undertaken inspections under the National Minimum Wage Act 2000, with reported compliance and sanctions levels as set out in the following table. Inspectors operate on the basis of achieving compliance. Where an inspection leads to a detection of infringements the employer is required...

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (10 Feb 2004)

Frank Fahey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 157, 159, 169 and 175 together. The total funding allocation for employment schemes in 2004 has been fixed at €351 million, which will support up to 25,000 places across the three employment schemes, that is, community employment, CE, jobs initiative and social economy. FÁS is being given some flexibility in the management of this financial allocation to...

Written Answers — Health and Safety Regulations: Health and Safety Regulations (10 Feb 2004)

Frank Fahey: Legislative proposals to repeal and amend the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 1989 have been developed at departmental level and are presently the subject of legal drafting by the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel. These proposals are largely the result of a review carried out by the tripartite board, representing the social partners, of the Health and Safety Authority which had been...

Written Answers — EU Employment Strategy: EU Employment Strategy (10 Feb 2004)

Frank Fahey: The spring 2003 European Council approved the establishment of the European Employment Task Force to undertake an independent examination of employment policy and to identify practical reform measures that can have an immediate impact on the ability of member states to implement the European employment strategy. The report of the taskforce was presented to the European Commission in November...

Written Answers — Labour Market Reviews: Labour Market Reviews (10 Feb 2004)

Frank Fahey: In its Irish labour market review 2003, FÁS emphasised the importance of training the existing workforce to meet Ireland's future skill needs. This importance reflects the fact that the majority of persons at work now will still be in the workforce in 2020, when job and skill requirements are likely to be very different. It also reflects the fact that there will inevitably be a reduction in...

Written Answers — EU Presidency: EU Presidency (10 Feb 2004)

Frank Fahey: As the Deputy is no doubt aware, the right of initiative in terms of EU proposals in regard to the employment rights of workers lies with the European Commission under the treaty. In this regard, proposals in the area of employment rights likely to be progressed during our Presidency are as follows. The Commission communication on the review of the Working Time Directive, 93/104/EC, was...

Written Answers — Leave Entitlements: Leave Entitlements (10 Feb 2004)

Frank Fahey: The Organisation of Working Time Act 1997, which implemented EU Council Directive 93/104/EC of 23 November 1993 concerning certain aspects of the organisation of working time, provides for an annual leave entitlement of four working weeks per annum for full-time employees and pro rata entitlements for part-time employees as well as an average hourly working week of 48 hours averaged generally...

Written Answers — Trade Union Recognition: Trade Union Recognition (10 Feb 2004)

Frank Fahey: Mechanisms to resolve industrial disputes in situations where collective bargaining arrangements are not in place were considered by a high level group established under Partnership 2000 and comprising representatives from IBEC, ICTU, and various Departments and agencies and chaired by the Department of the Taoiseach. This group recommended that two distinct procedures be put in place; a...

Written Answers — Rural Community Scheme: Rural Community Scheme (10 Feb 2004)

Frank Fahey: Funding for the new rural community scheme was allocated in the budget to the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and responsibility for the structure and administration of the scheme rests with that Department. The scheme will be run separately from the existing community employment scheme and will not be administered by FÁS. A review of the social economy programme was...

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (17 Feb 2004)

Frank Fahey: The allocation of community employment places on a county-by-county basis is a matter for FÁS and I have no function in the matter. In accordance with the Government's decision in 1999 to restructure community employment, participation levels have gradually been reduced in line with reductions in long-term unemployment and a strategic shift in policy in favour of training and other more...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (17 Feb 2004)

Frank Fahey: My Department has no statutory responsibility for the regulation of occupational pension schemes. The supervision of such schemes and their operation are matters for the Pensions Board established by my colleague the Minister for Social and Family Affairs under the Pensions Act 1990.