Results 26,741-26,760 of 28,255 for speaker:Éamon Ó Cuív

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (29 Nov 2023)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Invalidity pension.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (29 Nov 2023)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Particularly for unskilled people. They are expected to be able to do jobs they are clearly not qualified to do.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (29 Nov 2023)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Section 31 amends section 13(4B) of the principal Act. Section 31 (a)(ii) states: ...being a person born on or after 1 January 1958 who has attained pensionable age but has neither attained the age of 70 years nor been awarded a State pension (contributory)[.] That seems to imply that if you are earning €200 or €250 per week or another modest income and on a...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (29 Nov 2023)

Éamon Ó Cuív: What about a non-contributory pension?

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (29 Nov 2023)

Éamon Ó Cuív: What if it is over the threshold?

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (29 Nov 2023)

Éamon Ó Cuív: No.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (29 Nov 2023)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Okay. I am not going to be voting against the Government. The Minister can relax.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (29 Nov 2023)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Why, if you are drawing a pension and have made your call, would you be paying PRSI? Why does it not say “nor been awarded a State pension, contributory or non-contributory"?

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (29 Nov 2023)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Will the Minister come back to me between now and Report Stage.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (29 Nov 2023)

Éamon Ó Cuív: It is a possible but unlikely scenario. Most people on non-contributory pensions would not jump up that far over four years.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (29 Nov 2023)

Éamon Ó Cuív: It will be very complicated for the employers.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (29 Nov 2023)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Maybe the Minister will get me a further briefing opportunity on Report Stage.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (29 Nov 2023)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Okay.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (29 Nov 2023)

Éamon Ó Cuív: The number of voluntary contributors is small. There is a time limit within which it must be claimed. I think it is a year or two years.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (29 Nov 2023)

Éamon Ó Cuív: It would be hugely helpful if, when somebody goes off work and is drawing jobseeker's allowance for whatever reason and making no contribution, that person is notified of the option so people would not come back years later saying they did not realise they could make voluntary contributions.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (29 Nov 2023)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I agree, but when people leave employment and the system knows they are gone for a while, they should be positively told. I do not know the Minister’s experience but mine is that, while I find it easy to read contribution records, the date of birth is not on the new ones, which used to be very handy when somebody came in. Now you have to ask for the date of birth. On the other hand,...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (29 Nov 2023)

Éamon Ó Cuív: The point is an awful lot of people when they get the sheet do not understand it. Therefore, it would be important that people’s attention be drawn to the fact voluntary contributions are possible. Many people seem to come in too late in the day when they get to 66. I agree we have to get people to access contribution records. Not everybody within five or six years of pension age...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (29 Nov 2023)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I will be brief. I think more than 3.5 million people at any one time are benefiting from social welfare. That includes parents, and their offspring benefit if they are under 18. That is a huge number of citizens interacting with the social welfare system. When out canvassing you will hear people say, "I never benefited from social welfare". I say, "Do you have a child?", and they say,...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Network (30 Nov 2023)

Éamon Ó Cuív: 21. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the progress made in relation to the All-Ireland Strategic Rail Review; when it is intended to publish the final report; if, in light of the absence of an Executive in Northern Ireland, he intends implementing immediately the proposals that are totally within this jurisdiction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52622/23]

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Scéimeanna Tacaíochta Gaeilge (5 Dec 2023)

Éamon Ó Cuív: 72. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht cén líon scoláirí a d’fhreastail ar chúrsaí faoi Scéim na bhFoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge in 2019, 2022 agus 2023; cén líon teaghlach a choinnigh scoláirí a bhí cláraithe leis an scéim do na blianta sin; cé mhéad airgead a d’íoc an...