Results 181-200 of 7,024 for speaker:Willie Penrose

Order of Business. (17 Feb 2005)

Willie Penrose: Why should I leave the House? That is nonsense.

Order of Business. (17 Feb 2005)

Willie Penrose: It was sent on 11 February to the Minister's Department.

Order of Business. (17 Feb 2005)

Willie Penrose: It is a farce coming in here.

Social Welfare Code. (23 Feb 2005)

Willie Penrose: Question 63: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his plans for the reform of the social welfare provisions available to lone parents; if he has considered the recent statistics published by the CSO on the number of births occurring outside marriage; his views on the recent EU survey which found that lone parents are extremely vulnerable to poverty; and if he will make a...

Social Welfare Code. (23 Feb 2005)

Willie Penrose: I thank the Minister for his reply. Can we all accept that the best route out of poverty is through work, a proposition which is a mantra at this stage? Is it not ironic that some of the barriers to employment for lone parents and many other parents on low income have been put in place by the Minister's Department and by policy decisions taken in the Department, not by the Minister but by his...

Social Welfare Benefits. (23 Feb 2005)

Willie Penrose: Question 66: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he has completed his considerations of a proposal to extend free travel here to Irish emigrant pensioners in Britain; the decision which has been reached in this respect; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6109/05]

Social Welfare Benefits. (23 Feb 2005)

Willie Penrose: I exhort the Minister to continue his examination of the free travel scheme and to arrive at a conclusion quickly. During the course of a recent visit by Deputy Stagg and I we met numerous groups from Coventry, Birmingham, Luton, London, Cricklewood and so on for whom this matter and access to RTE, TG4 and TV3 were the main issues of concern raised repeatedly at our meetings with them. I ask...

Social Welfare Benefits. (23 Feb 2005)

Willie Penrose: In the context of the various points raised in the Minister's reply and the obstacles which emanate from the interpretation of article 12 of the EC treaty, I suggest he set up an expert group under the chairmanship of, perhaps, Professor Gerry Whyte, Trinity College, who is an expert on constitutional law and has also written extensive books on social welfare. In this way the Minister would...

Social Welfare Code. (23 Feb 2005)

Willie Penrose: I thank the Minister for his reply and acknowledge that he has increased the capital disregards, which is very welcome. The Minister referred to the value of the home being disregarded for social welfare schemes. This is not strictly the case when applied to carers. I am aware of a carer who owns a house but who moved into her 95 year old father's home to care for him. She earns a rental...

Social Welfare Benefits. (23 Feb 2005)

Willie Penrose: Question 69: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his views on the recent error which led to some social welfare recipients receiving a double payment in one week and no payment the following week; if he has taken steps to ensure that this does not happen again; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5888/05]

Social Welfare Benefits. (23 Feb 2005)

Willie Penrose: While errors can happen, this error was unfortunate because it affected recipients of the weekly retirement pension, carer's allowance, invalidity pension and lone parent's allowance. One cannot blame them for assuming they had received a bonus and proceeding to spend the money on various items at Christmas, as is the propensity at that time of year. It came as a major shock to them to learn...

Social Welfare Benefits. (23 Feb 2005)

Willie Penrose: Santa often arrives twice.

Social Welfare Benefits. (23 Feb 2005)

Willie Penrose: The constituents of Kildare North and Meath may get some special payments if they only hold their breath.

Social Welfare Benefits. (23 Feb 2005)

Willie Penrose: And now he has finished.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (23 Feb 2005)

Willie Penrose: Question 120: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he is engaged in discussions with the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government regarding a possible waiver scheme for social welfare recipients; if so, the nature and content of such discussions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5887/05]

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (23 Feb 2005)

Willie Penrose: Question 147: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the steps she will take to have a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath admitted to St. James's Hospital or St. Vincent's for a surgical bed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6368/05]

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (23 Feb 2005)

Willie Penrose: Question 148: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the reason ENT services were discontinued at Longford County Clinic, Longford; if her attention has been drawn to the significant imposition that this will be upon persons who wish to avail of the service; if her attention has further been drawn to the fact that there are over 100 patients at the present time awaiting...

Written Answers — Sports Capital Programme: Sports Capital Programme (23 Feb 2005)

Willie Penrose: Question 167: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he will approve funding for a sports capital application for a club (details supplied) in County Westmeath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6363/05]

Written Answers — Sports Capital Programme: Sports Capital Programme (23 Feb 2005)

Willie Penrose: Question 168: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if approval will be given to an application by a sports club (details supplied) in County Westmeath for capital funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6364/05]

Written Answers — Sports Capital Programme: Sports Capital Programme (23 Feb 2005)

Willie Penrose: Question 169: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if approval will be given to a sports club (details supplied) in County Westmeath for capital funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6365/05]