Results 1-20 of 1,044,331 for in 'Dáil debates' OR (speaker:Claire Kerrane OR speaker:Patrick Costello OR speaker:Gary Gannon OR speaker:Stephen Donnelly OR speaker:Neale Richmond OR speaker:Aindrias Moynihan OR speaker:Martin Browne OR speaker:Louise O'Reilly) in 'Committee meetings'

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sub-Minimum Rates of the National Minimum Wage: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Sep 2024)

Louise O'Reilly: I thank the witnesses for the information they have brought with them. In the final paragraph of his written submission, Mr. Smyth asked for time to conduct the review. What kind of time is he looking at?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sub-Minimum Rates of the National Minimum Wage: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Sep 2024)

Louise O'Reilly: Is that work under way at the moment?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sub-Minimum Rates of the National Minimum Wage: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Sep 2024)

Louise O'Reilly: Okay, that is interesting. Let us imagine that tomorrow morning the Minister picks up the phone and says he is minded to abolish sub-minimum rates of pay, that all of them should be gone and he wants to do it. Would the Department do that via this legislation or would Mr. Smyth feel it necessary to draft the Department's own legislation? If there is a difference, the witnesses might...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sub-Minimum Rates of the National Minimum Wage: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Sep 2024)

Louise O'Reilly: I appreciate that but sometimes we discuss legislation here and we are mindful of potential knock-on consequences. Are there no stumbling blocks other than it being subject to legal advice? I am not asking for a specific legal opinion. Ms Pyke's instinct is that it would be-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sub-Minimum Rates of the National Minimum Wage: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Sep 2024)

Louise O'Reilly: Exactly, and that is my view as well. I sometimes think that, with legislation, less is very often more. The more you put in, the more likely it is you could be tripped up. The opening statement states, "the incidence of sub-minimum youth rates may increase during recessionary periods". That happens because things are tight during recessionary periods and employers will, by necessity...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sub-Minimum Rates of the National Minimum Wage: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Sep 2024)

Louise O'Reilly: I understand that. I do not want to put words in the mouths of the sponsors of the Bill but I think what they want to do is take away from an employer the option of having the facility there to access cheaper and cheaper labour. The Department's submission refers to those who advocate for the retention of these rates doing so because they believe they are necessary to reflect different...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sub-Minimum Rates of the National Minimum Wage: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Sep 2024)

Louise O'Reilly: Ms Pyke is making my point for me. There is no academic evidence; there is only a feeling. If we speak to someone working on a shop floor they will often say that what a person might lack in experience they will make up for in other ways and it will even out. That there are training rates, and that making a link to experience could not be done, points to the fact that experience is not...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sub-Minimum Rates of the National Minimum Wage: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Sep 2024)

Louise O'Reilly: There is no evidence to support not eliminating this. When I look around for evidence, employers cannot provide it but they say they feel it. It is little bit like when the minimum wage was introduced and we heard terrible tales of woe about all of the businesses that were going to close but it did not happen. Perhaps there is a little bit of that with the people who are arguing against...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sub-Minimum Rates of the National Minimum Wage: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Sep 2024)

Louise O'Reilly: Sorry to interrupt but I am well aware of all those non-specific schemes. I am talking specifically about the submission that was made about the elimination of sub-minimum rates of pay and the reference in it to the potential need for supports for those employers who could be affected were this legislation to be enacted. I am aware of the generality and catch-all, although some would say it...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sub-Minimum Rates of the National Minimum Wage: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Sep 2024)

Louise O'Reilly: Okay. Has the ESRI been asked to do that work? Is it doing it at the moment or is it part of a bigger body of work it is doing?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sub-Minimum Rates of the National Minimum Wage: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Sep 2024)

Louise O'Reilly: Is there any timeline on that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sub-Minimum Rates of the National Minimum Wage: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Sep 2024)

Louise O'Reilly: It is all part of the economic impact assessment.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sub-Minimum Rates of the National Minimum Wage: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Sep 2024)

Louise O'Reilly: That is fine. Those are all my questions. I thank the Chair and the witnesses.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sub-Minimum Rates of the National Minimum Wage: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Sep 2024)

Louise O'Reilly: I turn to previous recommendations of the Low Pay Commission. It obviously recommended the introduction of the sub-minimum rates. How quickly was that done and how much assessment was done? How much of a delay was there? Deputy Murphy has pointed out that there is a bit of a time lag between the recommendation and any potential action. How fast does it usually happen?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sub-Minimum Rates of the National Minimum Wage: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Sep 2024)

Louise O'Reilly: I thank Ms Pyke.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sub-Minimum Rates of the National Minimum Wage: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Sep 2024)

Louise O'Reilly: That is what I am saying. In the intervening time, how many reports - by Indecon or the ESRI, or whoever - were done and how much stakeholder consultation was done?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sub-Minimum Rates of the National Minimum Wage: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Sep 2024)

Louise O'Reilly: Okay. That would be important because it seems like a lot of questions have to be asked when the balance is shifting in the other direction. The committee would benefit from having that.

National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage [Private Members] (11 Jul 2024)

Réada Cronin: I accept everything the Minister of State said. The Bill is about making sure children and vulnerable adults are safe. That is what is most important. There are different areas of risk. The Bill's provisions are relevant to people going for certain jobs or looking to do volunteering. During the Covid period, there were people in my area delivering food shopping to older people living...

National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage [Private Members] (11 Jul 2024)

Paul Donnelly: I do not have much to add to what has been said by my colleagues. This important Bill needs to progress. I hope it is done in a speedy manner and that we have the opportunity to get it passed before the general election. I am not pre-empting the calling of the election. Perhaps the Minister of State will tell us today whether it will happen in September or October. I wish all my...

National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage [Private Members] (11 Jul 2024)

Ruairi Ó Murchú: This is vital legislation. We must ensure we have absolute due diligence and a streamlined process in regard to vetting. I am saying more than I usually would while in the Chair. I received a telephone call just before the debate started concerning a new facility in County Louth to deal with vulnerable children. The caller is dealing with a particular issue and asked me whether I know...