Results 5,661-5,680 of 12,701 for speaker:Willie O'Dea
- Topical Issue Debate: Pension Provisions (24 Apr 2013)
Willie O'Dea: I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me to raise this very important issue arising from the report on pensions the Government commissioned from the OECD. The OECD report reveals a very serious situation - a looming time bomb. As somebody said, the time bomb has been ticking for some time but the ticking is getting ever louder. I raise this issue to ascertain the Government's position...
- Other Questions: Rent Support Schemes (24 Apr 2013)
Willie O'Dea: In respect of the question of transferring rent supplement to the local authorities, the Minister may or may not be aware that her own Department supplied a document to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Education and Social Protection late last year to say that this would happen on 1 January 2013. Now we are told that extensive and intensive negotiations are taking place. Is this another...
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Disability Allowance Payments (24 Apr 2013)
Willie O'Dea: There are very strong commitments to the disabled in the manifestos of both Government parties to the disabled. There are also strong commitments in the programme for Government. However, since the Government has taken office, we have seen the disability awareness initiative reduced by 72% and the Department of Education and Skills has reduced funding for students with disabilities by 20%....
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Disability Allowance Payments (24 Apr 2013)
Willie O'Dea: I am.
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Disability Allowance Payments (24 Apr 2013)
Willie O'Dea: The reasoning underlying the report's primary suggestion is that the receipt of disability allowance at the age of 16 would encourage people to leave school and become full-time participants of the social welfare system. There is not a shred of evidence to support that. All the anecdotal evidence available to me points in the opposite direction. What sort of committee would come up with a...
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Disability Allowance Payments (24 Apr 2013)
Willie O'Dea: We never proposed a change in this regard.
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Disability Allowance Payments (24 Apr 2013)
Willie O'Dea: How will this proposal bring that about? That has nothing to do with my question.
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Disability Allowance Payments (24 Apr 2013)
Willie O'Dea: I am talking on behalf of parents.
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Disability Allowance Payments (24 Apr 2013)
Willie O'Dea: How does the Minister's proposal do that? She cannot give any reassurance in that regard.
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Disability Allowance Payments (24 Apr 2013)
Willie O'Dea: 4. To ask the Minister for Social Protection her plans for the future of the domiciliary care allowance and the disability allowance in view of the Advisory Group on social welfare and taxation;; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19153/13]
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Exceptional Needs Payments (24 Apr 2013)
Willie O'Dea: A situation in which the Minister was more than willing to take over.
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Exceptional Needs Payments (24 Apr 2013)
Willie O'Dea: The Minister has slashed special needs payments.
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Exceptional Needs Payments (24 Apr 2013)
Willie O'Dea: The Minister is a joke. She has some neck.
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Exceptional Needs Payments (24 Apr 2013)
Willie O'Dea: Protect child benefit - vote Labour.
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Exceptional Needs Payments (24 Apr 2013)
Willie O'Dea: I understand that.
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Exceptional Needs Payments (24 Apr 2013)
Willie O'Dea: The Minister was not too worried about spending hard-working taxpayers’ money when she was on this side of the House.
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Exceptional Needs Payments (24 Apr 2013)
Willie O'Dea: Did the Government target the rich? Why did it not target those earning over €100,000?
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Exceptional Needs Payments (24 Apr 2013)
Willie O'Dea: The Government’s solution is to crush the poor. Is that Labour Party policy?
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Exceptional Needs Payments (24 Apr 2013)
Willie O'Dea: Get off the stage.
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Exceptional Needs Payments (24 Apr 2013)
Willie O'Dea: On a point of order, how many people has the Government got back to work?