Results 3,841-3,860 of 28,162 for speaker:Catherine Murphy

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (25 Oct 2013)

Catherine Murphy: One of the things that was very evident during the Celtic tiger era was that there was virtually full employment. There is no real evidence, therefore, that people are lazy or that they will not take up employment. What has always been evident is the fact that a certain percentage of those on the live register were people who were in transition between jobs. In the late 1970s and early...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (25 Oct 2013)

Catherine Murphy: I wonder sometimes about the economics of this matter. If I remember rightly, the Minister made the point last year that she was not going to be able to avail of the mortgage interest supplement for the first year. She said she was going to try to force the banks to deal with people. They have done that, but very slowly. The Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform examined...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (25 Oct 2013)

Catherine Murphy: Are sections 15 to 18 being taken together? Is it not possible to debate them together?

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (25 Oct 2013)

Catherine Murphy: Current legislation allows trustees of occupational pension schemes to lower the pension benefit payable to a person by taking into account State pension entitlements to which that person is entitled. Do the changes today permit the trustees of an occupational pension scheme to reduce the benefit payable to any person who reaches the age of 65 on or after 1 January 2014? Will this have a...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (25 Oct 2013)

Catherine Murphy: In regard to the fiduciary responsibilities of those who administer occupational schemes, the Minister has put in place a regime to ensure the schemes are properly funded. Part of the funding will be based on calculations trustees have made in order to provide pensions from the age of 65. Has any consideration been given to the additional obligations they may incur to fill the gap that is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: FÁS Local Training Initiatives Funding (5 Nov 2013)

Catherine Murphy: 258. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views that in the absence of a second free HGV driving test as part of the FÁS-CPC driving course, in cases where the first test has been failed, imposes onerous and often impossible costs on course participants who otherwise would have fully completed their course; if he will give consideration to funding a second driving test; and...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Health and Safety Regulations (5 Nov 2013)

Catherine Murphy: 403. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will confirm that the Health and Safety Authority retains powers conferred by the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 in respect of the operations of Irish Water and agents contracted by it to carry out installation works of water meters; if not, if he will indicate the way construction works undertaken by Irish Water...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Back to Education Allowance Eligibility (5 Nov 2013)

Catherine Murphy: 480. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will confirm that applicants for back to education allowance who deferred an offer of a place in 2012 will be assessed according to 2012 and not 2013 criteria; if exceptional circumstances may apply in case of a person (details supplied) who deferred, so that this person may avail of back to education allowance this year; and if she will...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Tobacco Control Measures (5 Nov 2013)

Catherine Murphy: 1010. To ask the Minister for Health if the increase of the tobacco retailers licensing charge proposed in Budget 2014 is purely a revenue-raising facility or if it is designed primarily as a public health promoting measure; if the former, if he has taken into account the potential loss to the State of revenues by an increase in black-market trade which may result from this measure; and if he...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Eligibility (5 Nov 2013)

Catherine Murphy: 1060. To ask the Minister for Health the weighting policy that is applied to the circumstances of applications of discretionary medical cards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45884/13]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Nuclear Power Plants: Discussion with Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland (5 Nov 2013)

Catherine Murphy: I welcome the delegates. People are becoming more aware that certain environmental factors may pose a potential health risk, from telecommunications masts right through to the issue we are discussing today. The delegates spoke about how they have mapped the various facilities. The proposed reprocessing plants, as well as the Sellafield site, are all on the west coast of Britain and thus in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Nuclear Power Plants: Discussion with Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland (5 Nov 2013)

Catherine Murphy: What were the scenarios that Dr. McGarry tested? Would the location for the Fukushima plant have been tested for its proximity to a fault line? It certainly was the one that had an impact not just locally, but across most of the globe.

Cannabis Regulation: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (6 Nov 2013)

Catherine Murphy: I would like to thank Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan for providing the opportunity for this debate. I also thank him for choosing to do it by way of a motion and for specifying the situation from his point of view and how he sees it rolling out. It takes political courage to do this. Obviously, he has put together a detailed Bill that will be debated in the future. Despite the fact that the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Overseas Missions (6 Nov 2013)

Catherine Murphy: 22. To ask the Minister for Defence if he will confirm the number of Defence Forces personnel who may be sent to conflict zones abroad with the approval of only part of the three elements of the triple lock mechanism, Government approval, Dáil approval and a UN Security Council mandate; if he will provide the numbers of such personnel who are currently working overseas; the numbers in...

Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (7 Nov 2013)

Catherine Murphy: The legacy of a Government can be seen in how its budgets shape society. Before the current Government commenced its work, much was said about what this country would be like when its term was completed. The budgets so far are not shaping things in the way most people expected and this is part of the reason people are becoming worn out by the process. It is evident that it is essential we...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Tourism Promotion (7 Nov 2013)

Catherine Murphy: 29. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has considered providing State support for an enhanced Hallowe'en festival here in view of the Celtic origins of Samhain and the extent to which Hallowe'en is celebrated around the world, particularly in Britain and the US; if his attention has been drawn to the potential boost to tourism such a festival may represent in view of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Environmental Pillar (7 Nov 2013)

Catherine Murphy: I am concerned some measures have started to work and that we might be going backwards with some of what is included in the legislation. I am not an enthusiast for the institutional arrangements which have been devised. There continues to be too close a relationship between the Custom House, the Minister and local authorities and I would rather see a greater disconnect. I do not doubt...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Ibec (7 Nov 2013)

Catherine Murphy: I shall follow up on one of the points I raised on Second Stage. If others do not table an amendment on the rebate, as I expect they will, I certainly intend to do so. I cannot see how the 100% difference can be carried, particularly in the retail area. In towns and villages around the country vacant premises are much more noticeable than the vacant houses in housing estates.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Ibec (7 Nov 2013)

Catherine Murphy: That will be a serious problem. It might have been possible to sustain it in a city environment but I do not think one size fits all in that case. I certainly agree with the witness on that issue. In respect of the elimination of town councils, I am surprised that a group such as IBEC did not seek a change in the county council system, as opposed to the town council system. Please do not...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Ibec (7 Nov 2013)

Catherine Murphy: If Mr. McCabe says that the bigger ratepayers are disproportionately impacted and the same take must come from the business sector, presumably, he is talking about a redistribution between the large, medium and small. Has IBEC done any calculations on the impact on the smaller ones? In fact, proportionately, the SME sector would probably be the largest employer. I presume that would impact...