Results 5,061-5,080 of 12,637 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Industrial Disputes (5 Nov 2013)

Willie O'Dea: 381. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will intervene directly in the current industrial dispute at a company (details supplied) which has recently developed in Dublin and is ongoing in Limerick City; if he is concerned at the company's possible reneging on an agreement to pay its staff a redundancy package of five weeks per year of service and now proposing...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Household Benefits Scheme (5 Nov 2013)

Willie O'Dea: 499. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the process that must be followed by her Department to give effect to changes in the household benefits package announced in Budget 2014; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46068/13]

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Appointments to State Boards (5 Nov 2013)

Willie O'Dea: 495. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will name all persons appointmented by her to all boards or agencies under the aegis of her Department since March 2011; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46023/13]

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Defined Benefit Pension Schemes (5 Nov 2013)

Willie O'Dea: 496. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of defined benefit pension schemes that failed to submit a revised plan to meet the funding standard in June 2013; the number of the schemes that did not submit funding proposals that are still outstanding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46024/13]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Recruitment (5 Nov 2013)

Willie O'Dea: 737. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will consider exempting reserve members of An Garda Síochána from the application process required for the general public when applying for positions with the force; if he will take the two year probation period completed by reserve members into account; the courses completed by the reserve members under consideration; if he...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (25 Oct 2013)

Willie O'Dea: I agree that it looks a fairly complex measure. My interpretation of it is that the trustees of a pension scheme are required to take into account the fact that when somebody reaches the age of 65, they are getting a transition pension. What that means is that they continue paying the person the same pension but reduce it by the amount of the transition pension so in net terms, the person...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (25 Oct 2013)

Willie O'Dea: I take it I can speak on the amendment and on the section, as both are being taken together.

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (25 Oct 2013)

Willie O'Dea: This amendment makes a great deal of sense. The social welfare system is bedevilled by traps and we seem to be creating more traps as we go along. Take the position of lone parents and the fact that part-time employment is now a significant phenomenon in this country. Lone parents, because of their family responsibilities and so on, generally take up part-time employment. A large...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (25 Oct 2013)

Willie O'Dea: I agree with Deputy Ó Snodaigh. Let us see if the new resolution process is working.

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (25 Oct 2013)

Willie O'Dea: The Minister started dismantling the mortgage interest supplement before we know if a new insolvency system works. The Government is taking away a quarter next year and a quarter in the following year. It will take a year or 18 months to see if the new resolution process is working. Why not delay the start of the phasing out until we see if the new process works? That is all we are asking...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (25 Oct 2013)

Willie O'Dea: I wish to speak on section 11. As I understand it, section 11 proposes that the mortgage interest supplement will be phased out over the next four years. I do not understand the rationale for this. I do not want to delay the House, but all I can say is that 143,000 mortgages are in arrears and the problem appears to be getting worse. It may be getting worse more slowly, but that does not...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (25 Oct 2013)

Willie O'Dea: The Deputy does not have much credibility himself. He was elected for the Labour Party. He was out canvassing for the Labour Party-----

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (25 Oct 2013)

Willie O'Dea: Is he stabbing them in the back?

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (25 Oct 2013)

Willie O'Dea: I am talking about credibility.

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (25 Oct 2013)

Willie O'Dea: That is right, through the Chair.

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (25 Oct 2013)

Willie O'Dea: There will be no Labour Party to canvas for the next time.

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (25 Oct 2013)

Willie O'Dea: We are opposed to section 9. I accept the Ceann Comhairle's ruling on amendment No. 13 but what I was trying to achieve was that people over the age of 65 who lose the transition pension should not be subjected, when they apply for jobseeker's allowance, to the usual requirements to seek work, training, etc. I note the Minister in her opening speech yesterday indicated she had given an...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (25 Oct 2013)

Willie O'Dea: The Minister gave that instruction to the Department that these requirements-----

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (25 Oct 2013)

Willie O'Dea: That is fine. I accept that. We are opposed to this section generally because the philosophy behind it seems to be that if one cuts young people's social welfare sufficiently, one will force them out to work and into training places, which are available in abundance for them. The problem is depicted as a lack of ambition among the young and not a lack of opportunity and that there are...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (25 Oct 2013)

Willie O'Dea: As there will be other speakers, I will not labour the issue but this is a particularly contemptible and pitiless cut. As Deputy Ó Snodaigh stated, people have paid for this benefit, as it is part of that for which one pays one's social insurance. One does not get a bereavement grant unless one satisfies the appropriate contribution conditions but from henceforth, while one will...