Results 41-60 of 297 for speaker:John Paul O'Shea

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Schools Building Projects (19 Jun 2025)

John Paul O'Shea: 370. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the reason the building block extension grant application for a school (details supplied) was not successful; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33404/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (19 Jun 2025)

John Paul O'Shea: 434. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on the funding under the Strategic Infrastructure Fund to build a new Youthreach facility on the site of the existing college site (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33311/25]

Joint Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner's Pension) Bill 2025: Free Legal Advice Centres (18 Jun 2025)

John Paul O'Shea: No apologies have been received. Witnesses and members are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice that they should not criticise or make charges against any person or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable, or otherwise engage in speech that would be regarded as damaging to the good name of the person or entity. Therefore, if witnesses'...

Joint Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner's Pension) Bill 2025: Free Legal Advice Centres (18 Jun 2025)

John Paul O'Shea: Go raibh maith agat Eilis for your opening statement. I will now invite members to discuss the matter. I remind members participating remotely to use the raised-hand feature and to cancel it when they have spoken. Deputy O'Reilly has asked to speak first because she has another commitment. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Joint Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner's Pension) Bill 2025: Free Legal Advice Centres (18 Jun 2025)

John Paul O'Shea: There is an overall welcome for this Bill in the House across all parties. It is something that should be welcomed. I thank Ms Barry and Mr. Bowes for their contributions today and for their proposed amendments to the Bill. It is important that members go through the amendments. We got a fair understanding today of some of the amendments that have been put forward for very good reasons....

Joint Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner's Pension) Bill 2025: Free Legal Advice Centres (18 Jun 2025)

John Paul O'Shea: Regarding a date, the legislation allows for payments to be backdated to the date of whenever the judgment was made. Do the FLAC representatives think that this date is satisfactory? Would they like an alternative date?

Joint Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner's Pension) Bill 2025: Free Legal Advice Centres (18 Jun 2025)

John Paul O'Shea: As there are no further questions from members, I thank Ms Barry and Mr. Bowes for contributing to the meeting. We are grateful that they provided their briefing materials in advance of our discussion, which assisted the committee in its deliberations. We will suspend until 11 a.m. to facilitate the exchange of witnesses.

Joint Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Effect of Child-related Benefits on Child Poverty and Deprivation: ESRI (18 Jun 2025)

John Paul O'Shea: Witnesses and members are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice that they should not criticise or make charges against any person or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable, or otherwise engage in speech that would be regarded as damaging to the good name of the person or entity. Therefore, if witnesses' statements are potentially defamatory in...

Joint Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Effect of Child-related Benefits on Child Poverty and Deprivation: ESRI (18 Jun 2025)

John Paul O'Shea: I thank Dr. Doorley. Several members have indicated they wish to contribute, the first being Deputy Aird.

Joint Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Effect of Child-related Benefits on Child Poverty and Deprivation: ESRI (18 Jun 2025)

John Paul O'Shea: On my own behalf, I very much welcome the report that was published last week demonstrating that cash in kind benefits significantly reduce child income poverty and deprivation. I am interested in core welfare payments and the need to look at everything in the round, including the hot school meals programme, the free books scheme, free GP care for children under eight, the medical card...

Joint Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Effect of Child-related Benefits on Child Poverty and Deprivation: ESRI (18 Jun 2025)

John Paul O'Shea: Was that included?

Joint Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Effect of Child-related Benefits on Child Poverty and Deprivation: ESRI (18 Jun 2025)

John Paul O'Shea: Obviously without a medical card, the costs are quite high for a family.

Joint Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Effect of Child-related Benefits on Child Poverty and Deprivation: ESRI (18 Jun 2025)

John Paul O'Shea: One thing that has come back to us regarding the hot school meals programme is the cost savings for a family. The free book scheme has allowed families to have that extra bit of income too. In terms of data from the CSO, often there is a time lag. A lot of the figures released by the CSO did not take into account items introduced in budget 2024, for example, or budget 2025. How does...

Joint Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Effect of Child-related Benefits on Child Poverty and Deprivation: ESRI (18 Jun 2025)

John Paul O'Shea: Finally, on the proposal for a second child benefit scheme, the ordinary child benefit payment is €140 per month, which is €1,600 per year. Added to that is the child support payment, which is €50 for children under 12 and more than €60 for children over 12. How does the ESRI envisage a second tier child benefit payment would fit in with all of those schemes? I...

Joint Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Effect of Child-related Benefits on Child Poverty and Deprivation: ESRI (18 Jun 2025)

John Paul O'Shea: Is it too complicated? As Deputy O'Reilly and others have mentioned, if things are too complicated, people will not apply. Often, it is the people who really need to apply who find it too complicated and just do not bother.

Joint Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Effect of Child-related Benefits on Child Poverty and Deprivation: ESRI (18 Jun 2025)

John Paul O'Shea: In terms of the cost, it is estimated to be in excess of €700 million. How did the ESRI come up with that costing? Where does it see the means test sitting? Does the ESRI have a figure in mind for the means test, such as, let us say, anyone with more than €50,000 does not qualify? What is the ESRI suggesting in that regard?

Joint Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Effect of Child-related Benefits on Child Poverty and Deprivation: ESRI (18 Jun 2025)

John Paul O'Shea: It is good to see that the programme for Government commits to examining this and it is important that this committee would flesh that out in more detail. Do any other members have any comments or questions?

Joint Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Effect of Child-related Benefits on Child Poverty and Deprivation: ESRI (18 Jun 2025)

John Paul O'Shea: I call Senator Rabbitte.

Joint Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Effect of Child-related Benefits on Child Poverty and Deprivation: ESRI (18 Jun 2025)

John Paul O'Shea: And 50,000 out of income poverty.

Joint Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Effect of Child-related Benefits on Child Poverty and Deprivation: ESRI (18 Jun 2025)

John Paul O'Shea: I have a supplementary question. Has the ESRI done any research on the child support payment or the follow-up on that? Has there been a take-up on that? For example, it was mentioned that the 50% take-up on the working family payment is quite low. Has the ESRI done any research on the child support payment? I know many people might not be aware that there is an additional payment on top...