Results 21-40 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill, 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (18 Dec 2002)

Mary Coughlan: I thank Senators for facilitating the speedy passage of the Bill. I wish them all a happy Christmas and a prosperous new year. Given the length of their campaign, I am sure they will enjoy the rest.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003: Second Stage. (25 Mar 2003)

Mary Coughlan: Tá luachair orm bheith ar ais arís sa Seanad le Bille eile a chur os a chomhair. I am pleased to bring the Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003 before Seanad Éireann. This is the second of two Bills to implement the €530 million social welfare package of budget 2003 which, for the first time, brings the projected level of social welfare expenditure in 2003 to over €10...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (25 Mar 2003)

Mary Coughlan: Maybe the Senator will run the Department for a week and then see how true it is.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (25 Mar 2003)

Mary Coughlan: We could jobshare for a week.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (25 Mar 2003)

Mary Coughlan: The Senator is not entitled to it anyway.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (25 Mar 2003)

Mary Coughlan: In other words, I made the Senator's speech for him.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (25 Mar 2003)

Mary Coughlan: This debate should have been held this morning. The Senator is under an illusion.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (25 Mar 2003)

Mary Coughlan: We were not champagne socialists.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (25 Mar 2003)

Mary Coughlan: Gabhaim buíochas leis na Seanadóirí uilig a bhí páirteach sa díospóireacht seo. B'fhéidir nach bhfuil muid uilig ar an taobh céanna ach is breá an rud go bhfuil ocáid agam agus ag mo Roinn éisteacht leis an méid atá le rá ag bunadh an tSeanaid mar gheall ar an Bhille tábhachtach seo. Bhí díospóireacht fada faoi sa Dáil nuair a luadh go leor de na rudaí a luadh anseo. My...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (25 Mar 2003)

Mary Coughlan: I appreciate that. I have looked at the permutations and the statistics on the second and third level options. The estimated cost for this year is €29.6 million for the entire provision at second and third level. In the main, people were coming from the live register – some were being paid unemployment benefit or assistance while others were in receipt of invalidity benefit. The total...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (25 Mar 2003)

Mary Coughlan: Coming from the west, I appreciate that. When the educational qualifications and attainments are considered, we would have concerns in regard to the west, the south-east and parts of Tipperary. In those areas, many people have not gone into third level education. This scheme has been helpful in getting people into third level and the argument has been cogently put that the primary three or...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (25 Mar 2003)

Mary Coughlan: Yes, I can certainly do that in the context of delivery.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (26 Mar 2003)

Mary Coughlan: There have been protracted discussions on the jobs initiative scheme. I am aware there were several public meetings, particularly in the Senator's constituency, because of the impact the scheme has had. This was to have been a one-year scheme which would lead to employment. As a consequence, it was seen as a pathway through which people could obtain work. The issue of income thresholds is an...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (26 Mar 2003)

Mary Coughlan: Some 410 recipients of the one parent family allowance are included in the jobs initiative programme. Of these, 395 will benefit from the transitional arrangements available under the one parent family payment scheme. There will be a loss but it will not be of the kind envisaged by those not in receipt of family income supplement. Take the case of single parents with one child who are in...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (26 Mar 2003)

Mary Coughlan: Unfortunately, that is the case. We were not aware that FÁS was going to increase the payment until we read about it in the newspapers. The decision could not be reversed. My Department will be in contact with recipients of the one parent family allowance. Approximately 400 will be advised on an individual basis to apply for family income supplement. The tax bands were left unchanged in the...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (26 Mar 2003)

Mary Coughlan: That would never happen to the Senator.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (26 Mar 2003)

Mary Coughlan: I am not taking for granted the sincerity of the views expressed but it is important to go back to the beginning and see why the schemes were set up in 1996 and 1997. The entire ethos of the scheme was to encourage people back into education and to give them the opportunity of second chance education. The scheme is not gone. That interpretation could be taken from the debate here. What has...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (26 Mar 2003)

Mary Coughlan: The prerogative of being in Opposition is that one can point out the inadequacies but there are never too many running up to tell me—

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (26 Mar 2003)

Mary Coughlan: —that if I put the €3 million back into the postgraduate scheme I will be able to counterbalance it by taking it from somewhere else. There were choices to be made and I had to make them. The independent Estimates review committee evaluated the schemes and recommended that people should not be paid during the summer. This applies to the participants who were in receipt of unemployment...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (26 Mar 2003)

Mary Coughlan: Deputy Ring may not believe me and I have to open my heart to him at this stage—