Results 301-320 of 904 for speaker:Ray Butler

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Job Creation Targets (30 May 2013)

Ray Butler: 174. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the current figures in relation to direct job creation and sustainability associated with the industrialisation of the wind energy project, applicable specifically to the midlands counties' 1150 turbines and broken down under headings (details supplied), as well as distinguishing between imported labour and indigenous...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Wind Energy Strategy (30 May 2013)

Ray Butler: 180. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views in relation to the electricity market here, which is a single 5000 MW market covering the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland; the amount of electricity sourced from wind energy currently connected into the grid here; the proportion available from the Republic of Ireland and the proportion from Northern...

Order of Business (12 Jun 2013)

Ray Butler: When is publication expected of the trusts Bill, to reform and consolidate the general law relating to trustees so as to deal better with and protect trust assets?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Third Level Student Grant System: Discussion with SUSI (19 Jun 2013)

Ray Butler: I thank Ms Stewart and her officials for their presentation. Our meeting a couple of weeks ago was very informative and I was pleased to note the changes made in SUSI. When local authorities and vocational education committees handled third level grants, I used to deal with students who did not receive grant payments until after Christmas. Unfortunately, in the case of SUSI the work done...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Third Level Student Grant System: Discussion with SUSI (19 Jun 2013)

Ray Butler: One would have expected officials from the Department and staff from SUSI to have met representatives of the 26 local authorities and vocational education committees which previously operated the student grant system. Unfortunately that was not the case, and it was a matter of having all hands on deck. We have learned a great deal and moved on. The documentation provided to students was a...

Order of Business (26 Jun 2013)

Ray Butler: When is publication expected of the Family Law Bill to make provision for pension adjustments in the context of separation agreements and certain other reforms in family law?

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Revised) (26 Jun 2013)

Ray Butler: I wish to comment on pensions. I welcome the Minister's warning that people should not rely on the State pension. When I was self-employed I paid into a pension for nearly 17 years but I received my first statement only since the Government took office. I was taken aback by it and did not know what the statement was for. For 16 years I did not know what had happened to my pension....

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Revised) (26 Jun 2013)

Ray Butler: There is a similar scheme in England where the employer and the employee pay into a fund.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Revised) (26 Jun 2013)

Ray Butler: There are different circumstances in this country. I hope the economy will pick up before we introduce the scheme. I welcome the initiative. A person who contributes to a pension is entitled to information on the scheme. Unfortunately, under the old system no information was provided and transactions were conducted behind closed doors. Even if a person contributed to a pension he or she...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Revised) (26 Jun 2013)

Ray Butler: I am sure many rural Deputies will support this point. The community welfare offices were closed in rural areas. I would like to know what savings were made on the closure of these offices. In Summerhill, County Meath, Age Action Ireland was providing an office free of charge to the community welfare officer to meet the people from the area. That was pulled overnight. I heard that...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Revised) (26 Jun 2013)

Ray Butler: I know I have been hounding the Minister for the past 18 months to two years on the issue of the self-employed and that a report has been compiled, although I am unsure whether it has been finalised. Self-employed persons pay the S class stamp at the rate of 4%. Such businesses may not be doing as well as they were during the Celtic tiger era and there has been a slowing down in the...

Other Questions: Roads Maintenance (27 Jun 2013)

Ray Butler: 67. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the measures that he has taken to protect the regional and road network, with particular emphasis on the road network in County Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31083/13]

Order of Business (3 Jul 2013)

Ray Butler: Members opposite were there for long enough.

Order of Business (4 Jul 2013)

Ray Butler: I was going to speak about the Central Bank (consolidation) Bill but I will not do so. The consumer and competition Bill is currently being prepared. I would like to see legislation on banks that have written off debts and sold it on to companies that are popping up all over the place. They are buying debt for very little and making people’s lives a misery. It is a huge issue. I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Pre-Budget Consultation Process: Discussion with Minister for Social Protection (10 Jul 2013)

Ray Butler: I apologise for my late arrival. I had an engagement in my constituency with the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Hayes. Will the Minister indicate if any changes are to be made to social protection for the self-employed this time around? We are entering our third year in government and I am aware that reports have been commissioned. We have yet to see those reports but we must start...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Pre-Budget Consultation Process: Discussion with Minister for Social Protection (10 Jul 2013)

Ray Butler: I share those sentiments because I have had a similar experience in my constituency office.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Pre-Budget Consultation Process: Discussion with Minister for Social Protection (10 Jul 2013)

Ray Butler: I would like to address the Minister on parliamentary questions concerning the Department of Social Protection. When I was first elected, I met the community welfare officer. She invited me to a meeting with a couple of the officials from the head office in Navan, and we sat around a table and I got names and numbers. There is also the direct line. I am not being party political in saying...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Pre-Budget Consultation Process: Discussion with Minister for Social Protection (10 Jul 2013)

Ray Butler: I agree with the Chairman. It should be used as a last resort and not willy-nilly.

Leaders' Questions (16 Jul 2013)

Ray Butler: Did Noel Davern write that?

Leaders' Questions (16 Jul 2013)

Ray Butler: Where is the question if it is Leaders' Questions?