Results 3,381-3,400 of 24,567 for speaker:Róisín Shortall

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (24 Jun 2008)

Róisín Shortall: Question 398: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the standards, guidelines and regulations pertaining to roof gardens when planning applications for developments with roof gardens are under consideration by a local authority; and the noise mitigation measures that are required of developments with roof gardens. [24376/08]

Order of Business (25 Jun 2008)

Róisín Shortall: It is three or four years since the Minister for Social and Family Affairs promised to reform the one-parent family payment. The Taoiseach and all Members of the House will be aware of the urgent need to remove the poverty traps for lone parents——

Order of Business (25 Jun 2008)

Róisín Shortall: ——and to remove the obstacles to low-income parents living together or getting married. Why is there such a delay in bringing forward the legislation? Will the Taoiseach indicate what work is being done and when we can expect to see the legislation?

Order of Business (25 Jun 2008)

Róisín Shortall: I am sorry, a Cheann Comhairle, but the legislation has been promised now for four years and it is on the current list. Can the Taoiseach give some indication of when we can expect the legislation this year?

Anti-Poverty Strategy. (25 Jun 2008)

Róisín Shortall: Question 69: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if her attention has been drawn to recent research undertaken by the Vincentian Partnership for Social Justice, which indicates that many low-income family types are unable to meet basic living costs; her views on the findings of the report; and the way she will act upon it. [24771/08]

Anti-Poverty Strategy. (25 Jun 2008)

Róisín Shortall: I asked for the Minister's opinion on the research conducted by the partnership. We would all acknowledge the work of its constituent members in respect of poverty. What are the Minister's opinions on the partnership's findings? While the research established that there have been improvements in many sectors, the partnership's approach to measuring what is required to survive and make ends...

Anti-Poverty Strategy. (25 Jun 2008)

Róisín Shortall: I did not say that.

Anti-Poverty Strategy. (25 Jun 2008)

Róisín Shortall: I thought a second round of supplementary questions was allowed.

Anti-Poverty Strategy. (25 Jun 2008)

Róisín Shortall: Perhaps the Chair would indicate when we reach a certain time to ensure that a second round of supplementaries is allowed.

Employment Rights. (25 Jun 2008)

Róisín Shortall: Question 71: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the work that has been carried out by her Department in relation to the commitment in the programme for Government to examine the possibility of introducing paternity benefit. [24802/08]

Employment Rights. (25 Jun 2008)

Róisín Shortall: There is a recognition in the programme for Government of the need to support parents in spending more time with their children. The Government also made a commitment in it to examine the possibility of introducing paternity benefit. It seems little progress has been made on that. That area comes under the remit of the Minister's Department. I do not understand why consideration of such...

Employment Rights. (25 Jun 2008)

Róisín Shortall: We are talking about paternity benefit. Entitlement would be based on the person's insurance record, which comes within the remit of the Minister's Department. I do not see the difficulty in establishing that entitlement, just as entitlement may be established in respect of any other social welfare payment. That is what the commitment in the programme for Government is about. Parents are...

Employment Rights. (25 Jun 2008)

Róisín Shortall: Is the Minister personally committed to the introduction of such a benefit?

Employment Rights. (25 Jun 2008)

Róisín Shortall: Does she have a view on it?

Social Welfare Benefits. (25 Jun 2008)

Róisín Shortall: Will the Minister accept that as the scheme operates, community welfare officers are put in an invidious position, given that sometimes they have to decide between making a person homeless or allowing that person to continue living in substandard accommodation? Often these are the two choices available to a community welfare officer. The inspection of accommodation is very important and...

Social Welfare Benefits. (25 Jun 2008)

Róisín Shortall: What does that mean? Does it mean making them homeless?

Social Welfare Benefits. (25 Jun 2008)

Róisín Shortall: Why is that the case?

Social Welfare Benefits. (25 Jun 2008)

Róisín Shortall: The reason there are few notifications is that there are very few inspections. The level of inspections needs to be increased if standards in private rented accommodation are to be improved. Will the Minister accept that in many situations where a community welfare officer points out that the standard of the accommodation is inadequate, the alternative is that the person becomes homeless?...

Social Welfare Benefits. (25 Jun 2008)

Róisín Shortall: Nobody denies that welfare rates have increased fairly significantly in recent years. Will the Minister engage on this one issue? Does she accept that one cannot operate a one-size-fits-all approach in regard to social welfare payments? This is the fundamental point being made in the Vincentian Partnership research. For example, in regard to child rearing costs one cannot say it costs...

Social Welfare Benefits. (25 Jun 2008)

Róisín Shortall: They include CORI. It is an agreed grouping.