Results 941-960 of 1,087,819 for in 'Dáil debates' OR (speaker:Tom Kitt OR speaker:Carol Nolan OR speaker:Peter Burke OR speaker:Brendan Howlin OR speaker:Bernard Durkan) in 'Committee meetings'

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Cybersecurity Policy (2 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I thank Deputy Byrne for raising this important issue. The reason I am here is because of the importance of it. Deputy Byrne is well aware that cybersecurity threats pose a major risk to essential services and critical sectors in Ireland and throughout the world. One of the consequences of being a modern, successful economy is that this is the type of threat to which the country is...

Select Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Employment (Contractual Retirement Ages) Bill 2025: Committee Stage (2 Jul 2025)

Peter Burke: It is my first appearance in front of the new Oireachtas select committee and I look forward to working with all the members and being available to everyone. My door is always open. I look forward to having a strong working relationship. I congratulate the Cathaoirleach. I look forward to working with him throughout this term to ensure we are enhancing the capacity of the enterprise...

Select Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Employment (Contractual Retirement Ages) Bill 2025: Committee Stage (2 Jul 2025)

Peter Burke: I move amendment No. 1: In page 4, to delete line 21 and substitute the following: "“Minister” means the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment;”.

Select Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Employment (Contractual Retirement Ages) Bill 2025: Committee Stage (2 Jul 2025)

Peter Burke: I move amendment No. 2: In page 5, lines 5 and 6, to delete “Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform” and substitute “Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation”.

Select Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Employment (Contractual Retirement Ages) Bill 2025: Committee Stage (2 Jul 2025)

Peter Burke: This section has been worked through with the Attorney General's office. There is a high threshold of evidence required if the request was to be refused by an employer. Obviously then there is the right to go to the Workplace Relations Commission. If the employer is not found in compliance with the law there is very significant fines of an amount equal to the greater of 104 weeks' pay or...

Select Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Employment (Contractual Retirement Ages) Bill 2025: Committee Stage (2 Jul 2025)

Peter Burke: No.

Select Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Employment (Contractual Retirement Ages) Bill 2025: Committee Stage (2 Jul 2025)

Peter Burke: Absolutely. So it would have to judge the threshold of evidence to see if it is proportionate and reasonable to the request made by the employee.

Select Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Employment (Contractual Retirement Ages) Bill 2025: Committee Stage (2 Jul 2025)

Peter Burke: Absolutely. It is, indeed, yes. It is an area where we are trying to balance with the Constitution and the legislative process and ensure that the courts will have their role after in determining the input of the legislation. Our view is that sectors are very different. It is very difficult to be very proscriptive in terms of that right. What we are doing here is codifying the right for...

Select Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Employment (Contractual Retirement Ages) Bill 2025: Committee Stage (2 Jul 2025)

Peter Burke: Yes.

Select Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Employment (Contractual Retirement Ages) Bill 2025: Committee Stage (2 Jul 2025)

Peter Burke: They are constitutional rights in contract law. For instance, a person already has a contract that is in place with someone and that the retirement date is proscribed as 65 years. However, the law has changed and 66 years is the recommendation, as decided by the Pensions Commission. If an employee decides to work for longer, then that requires deviating from the agreed contract and this...

Select Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Employment (Contractual Retirement Ages) Bill 2025: Committee Stage (2 Jul 2025)

Peter Burke: The onus would be on the employer to defend the right to refuse the employee's request. We are very clear on that. The threshold is very high in terms of fines and the reasonable justification. I understand that is defined in the Equality Acts as well. We have to ensure that it is proportionate and reasonable and fits the bar whereby we are not impinging on contractual rights under the...

Select Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Employment (Contractual Retirement Ages) Bill 2025: Committee Stage (2 Jul 2025)

Peter Burke: I am no expert in employment law but it is very clear to me that the example given by the Deputy is discrimination, and that should be clear to every member of this committee.

Select Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Employment (Contractual Retirement Ages) Bill 2025: Committee Stage (2 Jul 2025)

Peter Burke: I thank the Deputy for her comments. However, I cannot accept this amendment. The amendment proposes that I report on the feasibility of lowering the State pension age, as set out in the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005. This falls outside the remit of my Department. Matters relating to the State pension age and the administration of the social welfare Acts are under the jurisdiction...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Suicide Prevention (1 Jul 2025)

Aidan Farrelly: I want to reiterate my thanks to the Minister of State for taking this tonight. I really do appreciate it and I ask that she pass on my thanks to the Minister of State for such a considered reply. I do not doubt for a second the sincerity with which the Ministers of State are approaching this at all. I hope she can hear that I am not here to critique Government policy on this issue...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Suicide Prevention (1 Jul 2025)

Marian Harkin: I really appreciate the Deputy’s considered and genuine comments on this. I mentioned the network of crisis resolution teams. These are teams of mental health professionals who work out of hours to meet people in mental health crisis and provide rapid assessment and intensive intervention in the community in calm environments known as solace cafés. Connecting for Life, our...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Suicide Prevention (1 Jul 2025)

Cuireadh an Dáil ar athló ar 10.55 p.m. go dtí 9 a.m., Dé Céadaoin, an 2 Iúil 2025. The Dáil adjourned at at 10.55 p.m. until 9 a.m. on Wednesday, 2 July 2025.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Swimming Pools (1 Jul 2025)

Marian Harkin: All I can say is what I said in response to the Deputies earlier, which is that further discussions will be required on the future operating model. I cannot say more than that. The appropriate funding mechanisms will have to include the local authority and local sports partnerships given the scale of the investment required and, as the Deputies are aware, the ongoing costs of operating a...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Suicide Prevention (1 Jul 2025)

Suicide Prevention

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Suicide Prevention (1 Jul 2025)

Aidan Farrelly: I thank the Minister of State for taking the time to be here this evening. I am really grateful for the opportunity to raise the very important issue of suicide prevention. I am raising it from a place of concern and from a place of care - care for anyone who is grieving the loss of a partner, a family member or a friend and care for everyone who has dedicated their professional life to...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Suicide Prevention (1 Jul 2025)

Marian Harkin: On behalf of the Minister of State with responsibility for mental health, who regrets not being able to be in the Chamber this evening, I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. I will pass on his comments to the Minister of State. I fully accept that he comes from a place of care. That is very clear from what he said, especially when he powerfully articulated the specific...