Results 3,201-3,220 of 12,590 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products Prices (29 Nov 2016)

Willie O'Dea: 505. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 222 of 17 November 2016, when the HSE intends to enter into negotiations with the manufacturer in an effort to secure significant price reduction for the drug Kalydeco; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36909/16]

Social Welfare Bill 2016: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (24 Nov 2016)

Willie O'Dea: We have all had constituents get in touch with us about the obvious inequality of somebody who has paid fewer stamps potentially getting a higher pension than somebody who has paid more stamps, because it was over a longer period, when it is averaged out. We discussed this at some length on Committee Stage. Deputy Smith wanted to find out why 1994 was the year picked. There is a very...

Social Welfare Bill 2016: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (24 Nov 2016)

Willie O'Dea: Generally, under criminal law, they can be applied.

Social Welfare Bill 2016: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (24 Nov 2016)

Willie O'Dea: Every piece of criminal law provides for double penalties. It provides for a fine or imprisonment, or both.

Social Welfare Bill 2016: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (24 Nov 2016)

Willie O'Dea: Did I hear the Minister give an undertaking to allow the proposal or something equivalent to it to be subjected to pre-legislative scrutiny before the spring Bill? It seems to me that there would be a fair yield to the Exchequer. It is somewhat strange, to put mildly, that when we are offering a way for the Department of Social Protection to collect extra money, the Department's response is...

Social Welfare Bill 2016: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (24 Nov 2016)

Willie O'Dea: Usually when amendments or comments on legislation come from the Opposition benches, we are looking for the Government to spend more money. This is a rather unusual situation in which there should be a net gain to the Government. There is a genuine issue here. I realise that the Employment Appeals Tribunal could take up to five years to make a determination, which is appalling. I can see...

Social Welfare Bill 2016: Report Stage (24 Nov 2016)

Willie O'Dea: Within our own party this issue has been raised consistently by my colleague from Donegal, Deputy Pat The Cope Gallagher, and he has given us a very good briefing on the situation. It is a problem that particularly affects, but is not exclusive to, Donegal. We put down an amendment on Committee Stage seeking what is being sought here, namely, a report, a study on the situation. It is...

Social Welfare Bill 2016: Report Stage (24 Nov 2016)

Willie O'Dea: We did not sit on the fence. We pushed the case and we very strongly supported the Sinn Féin amendment on Committee Stage, as the Deputy will recall.

Social Welfare Bill 2016: Report Stage (24 Nov 2016)

Willie O'Dea: I understand the Minister's statement that when it is put into legislation there must be a certain amount of leeway. I expect to see that report by May or June and I will be asking serious questions if I do not see it by May or June.

Social Welfare Bill 2016: Report Stage (24 Nov 2016)

Willie O'Dea: We are still living in a democracy; Sinn Féin is not in charge here yet.

Social Welfare Bill 2016: Report Stage (24 Nov 2016)

Willie O'Dea: Let me speak.

Social Welfare Bill 2016: Report Stage (24 Nov 2016)

Willie O'Dea: It ill behoves the Deputy to come in here and make pleas on behalf of people when his party is presiding over starvation levels of social welfare in Northern Ireland.

Social Welfare Bill 2016: Report Stage (24 Nov 2016)

Willie O'Dea: There is no bigger partitionist party than Deputy Brady's. I think we are all agreed that the figures are out-dated. The figures from 2014 showed a 12% rate of consistent child poverty. There has probably been an assumption that the figures have improved much more than they actually have between 2014 and 2016. I would agree that when the reality becomes evident and we get the figures...

Social Welfare Bill 2016: Report Stage (24 Nov 2016)

Willie O'Dea: I wish to clarify in case there is any misunderstanding about what I am saying about the anecdotal evidence. I am saying that consistent child poverty was 12% in 2014. Consistent poverty in the population as a whole in 2014 was 8%. The Government's proposal is to reduce that to 4% - to halve it - by 2016. All I am saying is that because the figures are not up-to-date we do not know if...

Social Welfare Bill 2016: Report Stage (24 Nov 2016)

Willie O'Dea: We have no objection in principle to the amendment. The point that has just been made by the previous speaker is valid. The Government's commitment was to reduce the incidence of consistent poverty among the population as a whole to 4% by 2016. When last measured - the figures were for early 2014 - the level was 8%. We are, therefore, operating in a vacuum. We cannot reasonably ask the...

Social Welfare Bill 2016: Report Stage (24 Nov 2016)

Willie O'Dea: I thank the Minister for bringing forward this amendment, having listened to the arguments put forward from this side of the House on Committee Stage. However, during the debate on the different Committee Stage amendments on this issue, I wanted the report to be produced and available within three months. I did so for a specific reason. The Minister's amendment proposes it will be produced...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Programmes (24 Nov 2016)

Willie O'Dea: 129. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons that transitioned from an activation programme to paid employment in 2015 and to date in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36622/16]

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Programmes (24 Nov 2016)

Willie O'Dea: 130. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons that completed an activation programme and subsequently moved to another of his Department's activation programmes in 2015 and to date in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36623/16]

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Provision (24 Nov 2016)

Willie O'Dea: 242. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will request the communications regulator to contact a company (details supplied) regarding a broadband connection that has been down for the past month and to deal with the matter as soon as possible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36669/16]

Other Questions: Social Welfare Appeals (22 Nov 2016)

Willie O'Dea: Of the 60% that succeed on appeal, what percentage refers to reviews? A review is done by the deciding officer. It does not actually go to the appeals officer. In reality, how many appeals are successful which go to an appeals officer? Does the Minister have any plans to put the appeals office on a statutory footing?