Results 3,861-3,880 of 26,225 for speaker:Seán Ó Fearghaíl

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Code (6 May 2015)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: I have the unenviable task of standing in for the inimitable Deputy O'Dea. This question seeks to explore with the Tánaiste what plans, if any, she has to extend access to social welfare benefits to the self-employed. The question is posed against the background of all of us in this House wishing to see the indigenous sector develop. We see access to welfare benefits as part of that...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Code (6 May 2015)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: Any of us in responding to this issue accepts that for the system to work a realistic contribution has to be made. As we look to the future and to the sort of economy we want to develop, we find we are all committed to developing indigenous small and medium sized enterprises. We all accept that in order to do that successfully the safety net of a social welfare benefit system does two...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Code (6 May 2015)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: In alluding to the means test, does the Tánaiste accept that, even as things are, there needs to be a communications campaign to make people's entitlements clear? Often, people do not distinguish between jobseeker's benefit and jobseeker's allowance. For some time, the Fianna Fáil position has been that we would favour the introduction on a voluntary basis of a phased scheme...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (6 May 2015)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: Like me, Deputy Joan Collins, was a member of Dublin City Council, and she saw the number of voids across the city council area. A significant amount of money has been given to local authorities to bring those voids into use. We also have a construction programme which is badly needed, which would develop social units. I do not believe that Deputy Collins believes that if we increase the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (6 May 2015)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: That is not true.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Code (6 May 2015)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: 4. To ask the Minister for Social Protection her plans to alleviate food poverty; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17373/15]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Code (6 May 2015)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: It is frightening to think that in the Ireland of today 10% of the population is experiencing food poverty. A recent study by the Vincentian Partnership for Social Justice acknowledged that after housing and child care costs, one of the biggest challenges facing the family budget is to provide food. We know that one in five children in Ireland go to bed hungry and one in six children go to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Code (6 May 2015)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: Does the Tánaiste accept that food poverty has a particularly negative effect on children? It affects their health, educational attainment and their behaviour in school. I welcome the increase in the budget for the school meals programme in the current year. That needs to be continued. Does the Tánaiste also accept that there perhaps needs to be a restructuring of the school...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Code (6 May 2015)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: I chair the board of management of a school which is not in DEIS but provides a breakfast service to the children. The Minister is missing my point. The meals programme is structured to incentivise schools to provide the lunch, because the greater subsidy is available for the lunch. There must be some reconfiguration of the system to incentivise the schools to provide the breakfast. It is...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Child Maintenance Payments (6 May 2015)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: 14. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of determination orders issued by the maintenance recovery unit of her Department that will be invalid after 2 July 2015; the financial loss to her Department; the reason this was not catered for in the legislation for jobseeker's transitional payment; in view of financial cuts to working lone parents, the reason her Department is now...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (6 May 2015)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: 26. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the current level of rent supplement to take account of rent increases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17332/15]

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Activation Projects (6 May 2015)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: 27. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the way she will ensure that persons with disabilities will not be inappropriately activated under the proposed JobPath measures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17333/15]

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: One-Parent Family Payments (6 May 2015)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: 43. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of recipients of one-parent family payments who are subjected to low-hour contracts and are therefore not in a position to increase their hours to avail of family income supplement; the average income loss to workers in this category from transferring to the jobseeker's allowance transitional payment; the number of lone parents who will...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: One-Parent Family Payments (6 May 2015)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: 46. To ask the Minister for Social Protection in view of stark evidence from the European Union's Survey on Income and Living Conditions 2013, which showed that consistent poverty rates for one-parent family households increased by 32%, from 17.7% to 23%, while there was no statistically significant increase in the general population, if she will suspend any further reform, until a proper...

Order of Business (7 May 2015)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: One very positive thing that could be said about the Government is that there are far more women involved at the heart of government than ever in the history of the State. That is what makes it a little odd that very little is being done about domestic violence and violence against women. Some months ago we were told in the House that moves were afoot to do something about the Government...

Order of Business (7 May 2015)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: It does.

Topical Issues: Hospital Waiting Lists (7 May 2015)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: I thank the office of the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this matter which is an important one for the country as a whole and, in particular, for the health service. Since the start of 2014 we have seen an almost continuous increase in waiting lists both for outpatient consultations and for scheduled day case and inpatient procedures. The latest figures for April are remarkable because they...

Topical Issues: Hospital Waiting Lists (7 May 2015)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: The Minister has my sympathy. He is reading out a response from the Minister, Deputy Varadkar, that is effectively a non-response. He talks about programmes, protocols and delivery units, but the reality is that the Minister, Deputy Varadkar, was faced with a crisis in accident and emergency departments last winter. His response was to create a situation where it was addressed to some...

Topical Issues: Hospital Waiting Lists (7 May 2015)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: It is getting worse.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospitals Expenditure (7 May 2015)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: 121. To ask the Minister for Health the amount paid to a company (details supplied) in Dublin 6 for transport services, in each of the past three years; the amount estimated that will be paid in respect of transport services at a hospital for the next 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17904/15]