Results 61-80 of 579 for pension speaker:Mary Lou McDonald

Leaders' Questions (17 Oct 2017)

Mary Lou McDonald: I fully accept that pensioner poverty is an issue that affects men as well as women, but it is also a fact that the changes made in 2012 disproportionately affect women. That is why it is an issue of such concern for organisations such as the Irish Countrywomen's Association. As complex as pensions are and the rules and regulations concerning them, it is not complicated to understand that a...

Leaders' Questions (17 Oct 2017)

Mary Lou McDonald: ...never lose their capacity to care about their neighbours and to keep an eye where necessary. I want to return to the issue of the unfair changes that were made to the eligibility for the State pension. The changes were made and the consequences were known at the time to the Government. It was well understood that they would have a disproportionate impact on women. Tens of thousands...

Leaders' Questions (12 Oct 2017)

Mary Lou McDonald: ...and unacceptable. Every Member accepts the changes introduced in 2012 disproportionately affect and impoverish women. I have told the Tánaiste that almost 25% of women in receipt of a State pension are discriminated against to the tune of €30 a week. That is a lot of money for people on a fixed income. Something needs to be done about it now. The Tánaiste...

Leaders' Questions (12 Oct 2017)

Mary Lou McDonald: Go raibh maith agat, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle. I also want to raise the way in which budget 2018 perpetuates the discrimination faced by many, but particularly by women, when it comes to the State pension. As has been said, 35,000 people have been left with a lesser pension payment than they would have received had they retired before 2012. As the Tánaiste knows, this is the result of...

Financial Resolutions 2018 - Financial Resolution No. 4: General (Resumed) (11 Oct 2017)

Mary Lou McDonald: ...document does not mention women, gender or equality even once in 24 glorious pages. I am disappointed that the Taoiseach did not take the initiative in the real budget, which was co-authored with Fianna Fáil, on gender discrimination against women in the context of the State pension. I thought all Members accepted the necessity of restoring the pre-2012 pension bands and rates that...

Leaders' Questions (4 Jul 2017)

Mary Lou McDonald: I am sure every pensioner in the land is dancing.

Leaders' Questions (20 Oct 2016)

Mary Lou McDonald: I know, and the Minister should know, that there is no public tolerance at this time, when a fiver is given to pensioners amidst great fanfare and €2.70 is afforded to young people out of work, for so-called political leaders having the brass iron neck to suggest our generous salaries and the Minister's generous salary should be hiked up again.

Leaders' Questions (20 Oct 2016)

Mary Lou McDonald: ...increases of more than €5,000 would bring a Deputy's salary to over €92,000. That is unacceptable, in particular at a time when Deputy Varadkar, as the Minister for Social Protection, is telling pensioners that they are worth an extra fiver per week and young people who are out of work are worth even less than that, a mere €2.70 per week. He still has not told social...

Leaders' Questions (20 Oct 2016)

Mary Lou McDonald: At a time when €5 is the best that the Minister can do for pensioners and many private sector workers, politicians cannot and must not get special treatment. We need to put a stop to this. That is what citizens wish to see. That is the fair thing to do. Will the Minister give a commitment that the Government will act properly and legislate to stop unjust pay increases for political...

Leaders' Questions (13 Oct 2016)

Mary Lou McDonald: Nobody with an ounce of common sense could claim fairness for a scenario where pensioners, older citizens and carers who save the State a fortune are meant to be thankful for being given an extra fiver a week, while, at the same time, those who hold the highest office in the land are in line for a bonanza in a pay increase. I hear the Minister's response that Ministers are voluntarily...

Leaders' Questions (13 Oct 2016)

Mary Lou McDonald: ...the tune of €1.92 per week, while those on €30,000 a year can look forward to an increase of €2.88 per week and a person earning €45,000 a year can expect a whopping increase of €4.43 per week. Pensioners, carers, citizens with disabilities and others in receipt of social welfare payments will get a little more - a whole fiver per week - but not young...

Financial Resolutions 2017 - Financial Resolution No. 2: General (Resumed) (12 Oct 2016)

Mary Lou McDonald: ...We are clear that it is not a fiver for younger welfare recipients. For them, it seems that they are only worthy of an increase of €2.70. We are also clear that for all of the talk about championing pensioners, the Government has left one particular group of pensioners in a desperately unfair situation. I refer to those pensioners who, because of their work contracts, must...

Water Charges: Motion [Private Members] (28 Sep 2016)

Mary Lou McDonald: ..., Deputy Simon Coveney, waxing lyrical earlier about his desire to create a water secure economy. I did not hear him refer to a water secure society. I never hear any of the Government Deputies speak about old age pensioners for whom the water debate is about the water to boil a kettle, have a bath or cook dinner. That is where this debate is and it is what they all miss. Those who...

Leaders' Questions (16 Jun 2016)

Mary Lou McDonald: .... The cost of her bin collection service is increasing from €204 to €360 per year, a 76% increase. They cannot afford this. Marie is in her 80s, lives alone and is in receipt of the State pension. Her standing charge is being increased from €50 to €169 per year, an increase of 238%. She has told me money is so tight that she will have no choice but to...

Confidence in Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (20 Jan 2016)

Mary Lou McDonald: ...her critics in an almost dilettante fashion. Is the Tánaiste really so out of touch with reality that she thinks this latest episode was an acceptable way of doing business? Were there other candidates for this position with the Pensions Authority? What do they feel about it? Were they any less qualified? Perhaps they would have been more humble and less out of touch and would...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions Levy (17 Dec 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: 197. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the full-year cost of ceasing public service pension reductions with effect from 1 January 2016. [46032/15]

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Staff Remuneration (15 Dec 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: 176. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the full-year cost of the full restoration of financial emergency measures in the public interest reductions, pension-related deductions and pay deductions in respect of employees earning €65,000 or less in pay bands of €5,000. [44920/15]

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Staff Remuneration (15 Dec 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: 191. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the full-year cost of the full restoration of financial emergency measures in the public interest reductions, pension-related deductions and pay deductions in respect of employees earning €110,000 or less in pay bands of €5,000 to €65,001. [45418/15]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Sector Pensions Expenditure (19 Nov 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: 2. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will set out in monetary terms the income, including pension-related benefits, to be reinstated to current and former Ministers under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill, FEMPI, 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40796/15]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Sector Pensions Expenditure (19 Nov 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: Yesterday, as we debated the FEMPI legislation, I brought forward amendments that would allow the Minister the opportunity to ensure serving and former Ministers would not enjoy a pay or pension bonanza under it and he refused to accept them. My question today is for him to set out in monetary terms the extent of this payback for serving and, most particularly, former Ministers, taoisigh,...