Results 2,141-2,160 of 12,590 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Pensions Reform (19 Jun 2018)

Willie O'Dea: It is reassuring that the final determination has not yet been made on whether the baseline will be 30 or 40 years. In view of the fact that the self-employed only started making pension contributions in 1988, no self-employed person will qualify for the full pension in the year in which the new system kicks in. Does the Minister accept that such a scenario would be unfair? The Minister...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Pensions Reform (19 Jun 2018)

Willie O'Dea: I simply made the point that a 40-year baseline would discriminate against the self-employed who only joined the contributory pensions system in 1988, as the Minister correctly noted. I have another question on an issue about which I and other Deputies are receiving queries. The first hurdle to overcome before qualifying for a contributory old age pension is to have 520 paid contributions....

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Pensions Reform (19 Jun 2018)

Willie O'Dea: They are only used in calculating the amount of a pension.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Child Benefit Reform (19 Jun 2018)

Willie O'Dea: Can I take it that the Mangan report is effectively a dead letter now? Does the Minister have plans to make further changes? I am not referring to increases, but to structural reforms in the child benefit system. For example, one of the suggestions in the Mangan report was for larger amounts to be paid to lower income families. However, I recognise that this would be a form of means testing.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Child Benefit Reform (19 Jun 2018)

Willie O'Dea: 34. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will address her recent comments on child benefit; her plans generally for this universal payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26409/18]

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Child Benefit Reform (19 Jun 2018)

Willie O'Dea: My question concerns recent comments made by the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Deputy Regina Doherty, that she was prepared to look at the question of child benefit payable to people on salaries of more than €100,000 per annum. When the Minister says she will look at something, I presume she means that she will either means-test it or tax it. I have tabled...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Child Benefit Reform (19 Jun 2018)

Willie O'Dea: I thank the Minister for making the position crystal clear so now we all know exactly where we stand. Would she agree with me that the universality of child benefit stems from the fact that we are talking about horizontal equity? In other words, resources are taken from people without children and given to those with them because the latter obviously have more expenses. Any means-testing or...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (19 Jun 2018)

Willie O'Dea: Deputy Boyd Barrett did not get an answer to his question on cannabis.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance Scheme Payments (19 Jun 2018)

Willie O'Dea: 52. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to increase the back to school clothing and footwear allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26407/18]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Defined Benefit Pension Schemes (19 Jun 2018)

Willie O'Dea: 63. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to address issues in relation to defined benefit pensions; if her plans will deal with the situation being currently experienced by workers in a company (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26404/18]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: One-Parent Family Payment (19 Jun 2018)

Willie O'Dea: 64. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to address the severe poverty and deprivation being experienced by lone parent households, particularly in the context of budget 2019; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26406/18]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: State Pension Reform: Discussion (14 Jun 2018)

Willie O'Dea: I thank the witnesses for their presentations. I have one or two points on Mr. Duggan's presentation. The intention, as he has reiterated, is to have this in place for payments by the first quarter of 2019. He has told us the letters will go out towards the end of the year, and approximately 51,000 letters are to go out, and payments, including arrears, will start from March 2019. Is Mr....

Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Jun 2018)

Willie O'Dea: I refer to the section of the programme for Government relating to housing supply. For a person seeking a house, it is infinitely preferable to get a local authority house rather than to rent a house under a scheme such as housing assistance payment, HAP. First, it provides secure tenancy for life and second, one can aspire to purchase the house from the local authority if a proper tenant...

Leaders' Questions (13 Jun 2018)

Willie O'Dea: How many of those are local authority houses?

Leaders' Questions (13 Jun 2018)

Willie O'Dea: The Taoiseach should be looking at local authority housing.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Jobseeker's Benefit Appeals (13 Jun 2018)

Willie O'Dea: 191. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when a decision will be made on a jobseeker's benefit claim by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25747/18]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Staff (12 Jun 2018)

Willie O'Dea: 708. To ask the Minister for Health his views on the state of industrial relations in the University Limerick hospital group, especially at the hospital in Dooradoyle; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24793/18]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Staff (12 Jun 2018)

Willie O'Dea: 709. To ask the Minister for Health the reason the HSE has failed to deal with an employee of the HSE at University Hospital Limerick (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24796/18]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Centre Network (31 May 2018)

Willie O'Dea: 78. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when the proposal for a new site and building which was submitted by a centre (details supplied) in October 2017 will be approved; if same will be expedited as a matter of urgency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23994/18]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Secondment (31 May 2018)

Willie O'Dea: 79. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a member of his inspectorate that is seconded as a director of an education centre on a calendar year basis will now have to revert to a school year basis in view of the regulations introduced in September 2017; if so, if the director's secondment tenure will not be reduced as a result of this regulation; and if he will make a statement on...