Results 81-100 of 12,667 for speaker:Louise O'Reilly

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Costs (19 Jun 2025)

Louise O'Reilly: The issue of having to purchase devices is coming into my office a lot. It is probably coming into everyone's office at this stage. While obviously there is a benefit to parents of not having to buy schoolbooks, that benefit is entirely undermined if they then have to spend the equivalent amount or more. I welcome the Minister's recent announcement of the extension of the back-to-school...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Eligibility (19 Jun 2025)

Louise O'Reilly: 85. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he is aware of the groups excluded from the jobseeker’s pay-related benefit, in particular the seasonal, casual, short-time or part-time workers such as school caretakers and secretaries who could benefit considerably from receiving the jobseeker’s pay-related benefit in lieu of the jobseeker’s...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Eligibility (19 Jun 2025)

Louise O'Reilly: Maidin mhaith do gach duine. As is often the case, my question is very simple and straightforward. It gives the Minister the chance to explain why a category of workers, particularly those in seasonal, casual, short-term or part-time employment, such as school caretakers and secretaries but not exclusively, are excluded from the Government’s new pay-related jobseeker's benefit.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Eligibility (19 Jun 2025)

Louise O'Reilly: I will hold the Minister to that. I will be back here in September to check against delivery, as the Government often states regarding its statements. The Minister has not advanced any satisfactory justification for why the group has been excluded. He states they can predict they are going to be unemployed, but even if you know you are going to be broke or are surprised by being broke...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (19 Jun 2025)

Louise O'Reilly: 148. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he is aware of a cohort of people in the State with five plus years of PRSI contributions who are only entitled to the minimum rate of jobseeker’s pay-related benefit; if he is aware that this group, due to historically favourable circumstances in the housing market may have had the means to purchase a house, pay...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (19 Jun 2025)

Louise O'Reilly: 156. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he is aware that employers are not obligated to make pension contributions during unpaid maternity leave unless stipulated in the employment contract; if he is aware of the hardship this incurs on new mothers and parents later in life; if he plans to address the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33105/25]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Data Protection (19 Jun 2025)

Louise O'Reilly: 162. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if, further to the most recent fine imposed on his Department by the data protection commissioner for deficiencies in compliance with data protection rules, he will provide details of each Government Department or agency that this data was shared with; if he will confirm that the data in question has been deleted by his...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (19 Jun 2025)

Louise O'Reilly: 180. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he is aware of the fact that when custody is split between two separated or divorced co-parents there is no mechanism by which both co-parents may each receive half of the children’s allowance; the children’s allowance instead, when there is a mother and father co-parenting, goes to the mother regardless of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks and Wildlife Service (19 Jun 2025)

Louise O'Reilly: 314. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will confirm unequivocally whether he is satisfied that the current policies, priorities, decisions and actions of his Department, including in particular, the National Parks and Wildlife Service, both should and do always treat the protection of public health and safety of citizens (especially but not exclusively,...

Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 2025: Second Stage (18 Jun 2025)

Louise O'Reilly: It sometimes strikes me that if it was not for incompetence, there would be no competence at all with this Government. There are 15,500 people homeless. Of those, 5,000 are children. That is evidence for anyone with eyes to see that the Government’s policy is failing. They do not need us to tell them - Government members should be able to see that for themselves. I am sure they do...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (18 Jun 2025)

Louise O'Reilly: The Taoiseach had five minutes. If he did have an answer, he could have given it in five minutes.

Public Transport Experience: Motion [Private Members] (18 Jun 2025)

Louise O'Reilly: I thank the Deputies for tabling this motion and giving us the chance to have this discussion. The Minister of State said the implementation of the new fares strategy is making fares fairer. It is for some people, definitely, but for the people I represent in Dublin Fingal West, since Darragh O'Brien became transport Minister, the cost of commuting from Balbriggan and Skerries has increased...

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

Louise O'Reilly: I apologise to our witnesses because I will have to leave to speak in the Dáil. If I leave, I can catch up afterwards with the transcript. It is my intention to submit the amendments that have been given to us by FLAC for consideration. We will have a chance on Committee Stage to discuss them in detail and, I hope, discuss them with members of the Department. Like Ms Barry, I am...

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

Louise O'Reilly: We are definitely not talking about opening up any floodgates, given that the numbers are so small. I appreciate that there are some difficulties in terms of the date of the judgment and people who would have qualified before, but I do not think it is anything we should not be able to get over. FLAC's amendments address these issues. In the event that the amendments are not successful and...

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

Louise O'Reilly: Is it the case that, for the majority group, the preference is that they would be encompassed by the scheme and that would make sense?

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

Louise O'Reilly: FLAC has pointed out in its submission that the group we are talking about here are, for obvious reasons, lone parents and, therefore, the group most likely to have children at risk of poverty. I hope that we as a committee can work to strengthen and improve the legislation. I intend to submit those amendments and we will have an opportunity at that stage to have that discussion. I thank...

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

Louise O'Reilly: I apologise for not being here at the beginning. I was speaking in the Chamber, but I did read the submission. There is some very interesting information in it. It references the need to reduce the barriers to work. I am sure I am not the only person grossly offended by Simon Harris telling people to just get off their backside and get a job and that will get them out of poverty, which,...

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

Louise O'Reilly: There is a range of issues there. The one around childcare is really important because that is a big consideration for people who need to go to work. There is no variability. If you are on a low income or you are a multimillionaire, you are likely paying the same for childcare. There is absolutely no distinction made there. In terms of assessing the at risk of poverty and the levels of...

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

Louise O'Reilly: Does Dr. Doorley think that would be worth doing or is it not as significant a factor? I know the at-risk-of-poverty rates are higher for one-parent households that have teenagers in them but is the difference not enough to warrant the complexity that might be created or would it be worth exploring?