Results 27,461-27,480 of 28,255 for speaker:Éamon Ó Cuív

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Implications of Means Testing: Department of Social Protection (20 Mar 2024)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Yes, there is no need for the officials to reply to each of my questions today.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Implications of Means Testing: Department of Social Protection (20 Mar 2024)

Éamon Ó Cuív: That is not the issue I raised.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Implications of Means Testing: Department of Social Protection (20 Mar 2024)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I am talking about the means test and the IQA. It is only on the wealth or income of the dependent. Some people knew, for example, to put all the savings in the pensioner's name if they were the earner. In most cases it was the male earner. I would say that was 80% of the cases I came across. It is unbelievable that people get penalised for putting things in joint accounts and that the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Implications of Means Testing: Department of Social Protection (20 Mar 2024)

Éamon Ó Cuív: There are two scenarios. One is a couple where one dominated and another one is where couples know the rules and can avoid this pitfall. Then there are people who shared and never bothered to check. They never even dreamt that they would be penalised for putting everything together. I have had pensioners who have inherited properties and needed to put the couple’s name on it. I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Implications of Means Testing: Department of Social Protection (20 Mar 2024)

Éamon Ó Cuív: They cannot. The pensioner has a contributory pension. How can you penalise them?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Implications of Means Testing: Department of Social Protection (20 Mar 2024)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Once again, remember, there were marriage bars. Many coupled reared families because it was the habit. The numbers are going down. The obvious thing to do is not start the third world war. We have enough with Putin trying to start a war without the Department of Social Protection. I am suggesting to go the other route. There is a decreasing number of these. They are there because it...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Implications of Means Testing: Department of Social Protection (20 Mar 2024)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Initially, when the scheme came in, if you had €100 a week in farm income, that is, assessed farm income after the means test with farm assist, when you went for the scheme, that was left to you and you got the full amount of money for the work you did, the same as the person working beside you. That is as simple as it was. Then they made a change and if you had €100 assessed...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Implications of Means Testing: Department of Social Protection (20 Mar 2024)

Éamon Ó Cuív: How does Mr. Egan explain to pensioners, specifically non-contributory pensioners, how €200 PAYE is different from €200 self-employed? That is a simple question.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Implications of Means Testing: Department of Social Protection (20 Mar 2024)

Éamon Ó Cuív: No. They come off. It is net income. We know that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Implications of Means Testing: Department of Social Protection (20 Mar 2024)

Éamon Ó Cuív: What is the rationale behind the difference?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Implications of Means Testing: Department of Social Protection (20 Mar 2024)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Implications of Means Testing: Department of Social Protection (20 Mar 2024)

Éamon Ó Cuív: The issue of carers needs to be considered in its own right. The means test is a huge issue. There are calls to abolish it and I understand the rationale behind the calls. However, I can hear the alarms bells ringing in Government Buildings and in the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform. In a situation like this, the income thresholds need to be increased. The...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: National Security (21 Mar 2024)

Éamon Ó Cuív: 55. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence whether there have been any discussions at an EU level in relation to introducing extra obligations on member states in relation to defence; whether Ireland has been a part of these discussions; and the stance Ireland has taken in the discussions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13034/24]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Network (21 Mar 2024)

Éamon Ó Cuív: 80. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when it is intended to agree and implement the All Island Strategic Rail Review; the reason for the delay in doing so; whether in the meantime it is intended to do preliminary work on those elements of the strategy totally within the remit of the Irish State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13032/24]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services (21 Mar 2024)

Éamon Ó Cuív: 84. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the steps he is taking to ensure that adequate resources are provided to the NTA in order that bus services on the main radial routes into and from Galway, including the services from Casla (route 424), Clifden, Headford and Kilcolgan can meet current demand; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13031/24]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (21 Mar 2024)

Éamon Ó Cuív: 126. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade when a decision will be made in relation to a passport application lodged by a person in County Galway (details supplied); the reason for the delay in issuing said passport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13383/24]

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (21 Mar 2024)

Éamon Ó Cuív: 339. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the reason for the delay with the commencement of the Leader Programme in County Galway; the number of companies that will deliver the Leader Programme there; the areas they will cover; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13470/24]

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (21 Mar 2024)

Éamon Ó Cuív: 340. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the arrangements that have been made to deliver SICAP on the offshore Islands off the coast of Galway; when delivery of the Programme will commence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13469/24]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Vacant Properties (11 Apr 2024)

Éamon Ó Cuív: 32. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government when statistics for the vacant homes grant for quarter 4 of 2023 and quarter 1 of 2024 will be published; whether he is satisfied with the uptake of the grant to date, including the number of applications, the number of approvals and the number of grants paid; if he has any proposals to improve the terms of the scheme or its...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (11 Apr 2024)

Éamon Ó Cuív: The Independent Reporting Commission, IRC, is the statutory body established under the Fresh Start agreement of 2015 to report on measures aimed at ending paramilitarism. The reports of the commission provide a comprehensive insight into the work being done to tackle this problem. One of the recommendations of the fifth report, the most recent report, was that the two Governments should...