Results 2,321-2,340 of 26,021 for speaker:Kieran O'Donnell
- Social Welfare Bill 2010: Second Stage (Resumed) (9 Dec 2010)
Kieran O'Donnell: Apart from the Minister, not a single Fianna Fáil Deputy is in the Chamber. They promised the Carer's Association and disability groups that there would not be a cut in their payments. In my own constituency of Limerick East, I know the work carers do. The Government is taking â¬8 per week from their allowance. This is the equivalent of â¬35 per month or more than â¬400 per year....
- Social Welfare Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Dec 2010)
Kieran O'Donnell: I will bring this back to practicalities and we are dealing with section 3. With regard to carer's allowance and payments to blind persons, the disabled and widows, what is the logic behind the cuts? In my dealings with the Minister I have always found him to be a fair and decent man but these actions are illogical. Deputy Ring made reference to the carers earlier, and we all deal with...
- Social Welfare Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Dec 2010)
Kieran O'Donnell: No, it should be abolished at the lower rate for a three year period.
- Social Welfare Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Dec 2010)
Kieran O'Donnell: I refer to the 8.5% rate that applies to people on low income.
- Social Welfare Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Dec 2010)
Kieran O'Donnell: No.
- Social Welfare Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Dec 2010)
Kieran O'Donnell: No, that is not what I am arguing. The minimum wage is too low to be reduced. If the Government wants to reduce costs for employers, it should abolish the 8.5% PRSI rate for a number of years to encourage employers to retain staff and recruit new employees.
- Social Welfare Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Dec 2010)
Kieran O'Donnell: What does the Minister mean? My point is that one must approach this matter in an integrated manner. Will the Minister justify reducing the minimum wage and increasing tax for those earning the minimum wage? These are the facts. I ran the numbers to show that those earning â¬17,992 per annum working a 40 hour week at an hourly rate of â¬8.65 pay a 2% levy or â¬359.84 on annual...
- Social Welfare Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Dec 2010)
Kieran O'Donnell: The family is bigger.
- Social Welfare Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Dec 2010)
Kieran O'Donnell: I can only speak from experience. When we had our third child we found that our costs increased exponentially. There is a logic for the higher payment.
- Social Welfare Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Dec 2010)
Kieran O'Donnell: It is illogical that the reduction in the payment for the third child is twice as high as for other children. This is an ill thought out proposal.
- Social Welfare Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Dec 2010)
Kieran O'Donnell: I ask the Minister to reconsider his proposals. One cannot have a position, in an economic crisis, of the better off gaining from a budget while the less well-off pay more. The Government must reconsider its budget.
- Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2010: Second Stage (9 Dec 2010)
Kieran O'Donnell: I was looking at last year's Budget Statement by the Minister for Finance, Deputy Brian Lenihan, and found the two last lines interesting: "Our plan is working. We have turned the corner". I find this ironic because neither of these statements has come true. With regard to section 2, are the adjustments being made to pensions being made by way of a levy or cut?
- Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2010: Second Stage (9 Dec 2010)
Kieran O'Donnell: It is a cut rather than a levy. Will the Minister of State outline whether the Government considered a levy rather than a cut? Let me deal with the minimum wage. While we all believe the country should be competitive, we must strike a balance. The Taoiseach's salary was â¬228,187 and is being reduced by â¬14,000, bringing it down to â¬214,187. This is a reduction of roughly 6%, yet the...
- Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2010: Second Stage (9 Dec 2010)
Kieran O'Donnell: When one is considering measures that have moral authority, one must note the reduction in the minimum wage is double the reduction proposed for the Taoiseach. A salary of â¬214,187 does not compare with the minimum wage of â¬15,912. The Taoiseach's salary is approximately 13 times the minimum wage. The annual minimum wage currently amounts to â¬17,992 if one works a 40-hour week. It is...
- Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2010: Second Stage (9 Dec 2010)
Kieran O'Donnell: Obviously, the Deputy is pally with him.
- Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2010: Second Stage (9 Dec 2010)
Kieran O'Donnell: On a point of order-----
- Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2010: Second Stage (9 Dec 2010)
Kieran O'Donnell: Many of the people on the minimum wage are in casual labour. They are working with an employer-----
- Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2010: Second Stage (9 Dec 2010)
Kieran O'Donnell: It is a point of information. They could find themselves moving to two or three new employments in a year. If they move from one employment they will certainly be on the lower wage.
- Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2010: Second Stage (9 Dec 2010)
Kieran O'Donnell: Tell that to someone on the minimum wage.
- Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2010: Second Stage (9 Dec 2010)
Kieran O'Donnell: I would hope so.