Results 2,341-2,360 of 11,469 for speaker:Ivana Bacik

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Dec 2011)

Ivana Bacik: I am not responding to the Senator.

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Dec 2011)

Ivana Bacik: In fact, I am not responding to Senator O'Brien.

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Dec 2011)

Ivana Bacik: When I was Deputy Leader last Thursday I gave a full response to Senator O'Brien's query about homelessness and the Government's mortgage arrears policy.

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Dec 2011)

Ivana Bacik: I gave a full response when I was Deputy Leader last week and I certainly do not intend to give a response today because that has been done. I am calling for a debate in the new year on the reports that have been published by the Catholic Church's own internal body, the National Board for Safeguarding Children, on a number of dioceses and child protection policies in those dioceses. Some of...

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Dec 2011)

Ivana Bacik: Some parties were never involved in it.

Seanad: Credit Institutions (Eligible Liabilities Guarantee) (Amendment) Scheme 2011: Motion (1 Dec 2011)

Ivana Bacik: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Irish Film Board (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (1 Dec 2011)

Ivana Bacik: I saw them on set. Just as the Minister was on the set of the Titanic film, they were on the campus of Trinity College. Perhaps we should refer to Dollywood for Dublin.

Seanad: Irish Film Board (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (1 Dec 2011)

Ivana Bacik: At 12.30 p.m. on Tuesday, 6 December 2011.

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Dec 2011)

Ivana Bacik: I am not clear to what Senator O'Brien's amendment to the Order of Business relates.

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Dec 2011)

Ivana Bacik: It is a matter of grave concern that ratings agencies are considering downgrading the credit ratings of almost all of the eurozone member states, including our own. It puts into perspective the very difficult decisions that had to be made in the budget.

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Dec 2011)

Ivana Bacik: We are dealing with extreme difficulties across the eurozone and a financial crisis in this country.

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Dec 2011)

Ivana Bacik: In regard to Senator O'Brien's point on the disability allowance, that a budget which is brought forward in such a difficult economic climate does not include a reduction in either the basic rate of social welfare payment or of child benefit must be seen as a significant achievement.

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Dec 2011)

Ivana Bacik: Let us not forget that the cuts in social protection are €190 million less than what was projected in the plan for last year. There has been a significant safeguarding of the social protection budget in the face of extreme constraints.

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Dec 2011)

Ivana Bacik: We will have a full debate on the changes to the disability allowance. They are being made in the context of structural changes the Minister is making-----

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Dec 2011)

Ivana Bacik: -----in order to ensure that everybody has an entitlement to one weekly income support payment only. She is trying to align different social welfare payments. Her objective is to ensure that the rate of payment for claimants of disability allowance is aligned with the jobseeker's allowance in order to discourage people from entering training or employment at a very young age.

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Dec 2011)

Ivana Bacik: Furthermore, and some Members seem to have missed the small print on this, the Minister is introducing a compensatory measure whereby the entitlement to domiciliary care allowance will be extended to 16 and 17 year olds.

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Dec 2011)

Ivana Bacik: Under the new arrangement, 16 and 17 year olds will qualify for the domiciliary care allowance.

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Dec 2011)

Ivana Bacik: My second point relates to another extremely serious and topical matter, namely, the climate change talks currently taking place in Durban.

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Dec 2011)

Ivana Bacik: Reports today suggest that China is ready to do a deal on climate change. This constitutes a major development which feeds into what the EU has been demanding for some time. I ask the Leader to arrange a debate on this issue in the new year.

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Dec 2011)

Ivana Bacik: Alternatives must be credible.