Results 3,241-3,260 of 11,785 for speaker:Niall Collins

Older Citizens: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (23 Oct 2013)

Niall Collins: We discussed the medical card issue in the House a little over two weeks ago and the Minister was present for that debate. On that occasion I gave him the details of a constituent of mine from Caherguillamore in Bruff, County Limerick, and I regret to say that I have not heard from him in that respect in the intervening two weeks. I did not even get an acknowledgment from him that he would...

Older Citizens: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (23 Oct 2013)

Niall Collins: Why are the public representatives-----

Older Citizens: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (23 Oct 2013)

Niall Collins: -----the Ministers and the Minister of State present, not going into RTE and facing the people and telling them why the Government has changed the policy? It is not good enough that the Government sent in a relatively unknown public servant-----

Older Citizens: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (23 Oct 2013)

Niall Collins: -----who, when he was pressed on three occasions, finally coughed it out that there has been a change in policy. I ask the Minister of State to take that point on board. Regarding medical cards for children under five which the Government has announced, that appears to be a robbing Peter to pay Paul exercise. While everybody concurs that giving children under the age of five a medical card...

Older Citizens: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (23 Oct 2013)

Niall Collins: Many people have said it.

Older Citizens: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (23 Oct 2013)

Niall Collins: It is on the record - shop around and perhaps look on e-tenders, effectively. It is not good enough. Many people know that the bereavement grant goes to the undertaker and that the undertaker does not get paid until the estate of the deceased person goes through probate and is finally signed off. The undertaker is then paid out of the proceeds. The bereavement grant keeps the undertaker...

Older Citizens: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (23 Oct 2013)

Niall Collins: -----to community welfare officers to try to extract an exceptional needs payment to pay for a funeral when the Government has also squeezed the exceptional needs payment budget of the community welfare officers. The Government should not tell them that they can go somewhere else where there is a fund of money when it has squeezed that also. There are two points I want the Minister of...

Older Citizens: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (23 Oct 2013)

Niall Collins: -----namely, the bereavement grant and the medical cards issue, and the individual cases I outlined for the Minister.

Older Citizens: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (23 Oct 2013)

Niall Collins: Burn the bondholders and get your money. That is your plan.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Site Acquisitions (23 Oct 2013)

Niall Collins: 110. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason for the lack of progress in securing a new site for the provision of a new school building (details supplied) in County Cork; if his attention has been drawn to the serious overcrowding in this school and that funding was ring fenced for the purchase of a site; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45284/13]

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Oil and Gas Exploration (24 Oct 2013)

Niall Collins: 23. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the progress he has made in developing a new fiscal and regulatory framework for the oil and gas exploration industry in Ireland; the persons he has consulted in developing this new framework; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44956/13]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Protection Issues (5 Nov 2013)

Niall Collins: 61. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the timeframe for the completion and publication of the investigation into the removal of two children from members of an ethnic minority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46615/13]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Protection Issues (5 Nov 2013)

Niall Collins: The question is based on the recent taking into care by the Garda Síochána of children in Athlone and Tallaght.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Protection Issues (5 Nov 2013)

Niall Collins: We all agree it was difficult in this situation for An Garda Síochána to get the balance right. Obviously, protecting vulnerable children and children at risk is a priority for all of us, but we also have to recognise people's basic human rights. As I stated in my introduction, there were two cases, in Athlone and Tallaght. It must be pointed out that there are also data...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Protection Issues (5 Nov 2013)

Niall Collins: It merits consideration by the Minister and his Department to complete such an investigation in the first instance. Serious consideration should be given to a joint assignment by the said two ombudsmen, Ms Emily Logan and the Garda Ombudsman. The Garda Ombudsman has a lot of experience in dealing in detail with investigations into An Garda Síochána. I do not wish to attribute...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Insolvency Service of Ireland Staff (5 Nov 2013)

Niall Collins: 64. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the anticipated number of cases to be completed by the personal insolvency regime by the end of 2013; the total number of personal insolvency practitioners appointed to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46616/13]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Insolvency Service of Ireland Staff (5 Nov 2013)

Niall Collins: For the benefit of those watching, I will outline my question which relates to the work to date of the Insolvency Service of Ireland. My concern arises because we missed a number of deadlines in getting the service up and running. There is a question mark over the appointment of personal insolvency practitioners who numbered so few at the outset of the service.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Insolvency Service of Ireland Staff (5 Nov 2013)

Niall Collins: I am sure the Minister will agree that with only 72 personal insolvency practitioners operating, the service is wholly inadequate. If one averages that out across the counties of Ireland, that amounts to only three personal insolvency practitioners per county. There are approximately 120,000 mortgages in arrears of more than 90 days and there is another large cohort of people who are...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Insolvency Service of Ireland Staff (5 Nov 2013)

Niall Collins: One could also view this morning's news of AIB’s arrangement with the Irish Mortgage Holders' Association, an arrangement set outside of the parameters of the insolvency legislation, as pointing to a perceived failure of the legislation. The point is that the banks still have a veto in the whole process, while all the cards are stacked against those who find themselves in mortgage...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Insolvency Service of Ireland Staff (5 Nov 2013)

Niall Collins: How many?