Results 4,721-4,740 of 7,652 for speaker:Joanna Tuffy

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Report on Pension Charges: Discussion with Department of Social Protection (6 Feb 2013)

Joanna Tuffy: The first item today is the report on pension charges in Ireland. I welcome officials from the Department of Social Protection: Ms Patricia Murphy, principal officer, pensions and carers policy unit, and Mr. Robert Nicholson, assistant principal. I also welcome Mr. Andrew Nugent from the Pensions Board, Mr. Joe Morley from the Central Bank and Mr. Niall McGrath from PricewaterhouseCoopers....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Report on Pension Charges: Discussion with Department of Social Protection (6 Feb 2013)

Joanna Tuffy: On that point, it has been said to me that some companies seem to charge the pension fund levy to customers. I am not sure if this is when the person received the pension payment or when the person receives notice of charges but it was noted on a slip received by the person. Has the panel examined the allocation of the pension levy and whether this is being done fairly? Has the panel come...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Report on Pension Charges: Discussion with Department of Social Protection (6 Feb 2013)

Joanna Tuffy: I will come to the Senator when we come back to further questions. Senator Healy Eames asked how the group will liaise with the Minister in terms of ensuring the recommendations are implemented.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Report on Pension Charges: Discussion with Department of Social Protection (6 Feb 2013)

Joanna Tuffy: Will Senator Healy Eames allow Mr. Morley to finish? My understanding is that we are discussing the private sector, in which there are no set charges. The issue is whether the information on charges is transparent. I understand that one cannot say the charge for such a service must be X, because this is the private sector and it is competitive.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Report on Pension Charges: Discussion with Department of Social Protection (6 Feb 2013)

Joanna Tuffy: We should allow Mr. Morley to finish.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Report on Pension Charges: Discussion with Department of Social Protection (6 Feb 2013)

Joanna Tuffy: Will the delegation comment on that issue, in addition to the issue raised by Deputy Ryan and me about the private pension fund levy and the way it is dealt with in the report? Deputy Ryan asked how the issue is being addressed internationally.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Report on Pension Charges: Discussion with Department of Social Protection (6 Feb 2013)

Joanna Tuffy: Deputy O'Dea inquired whether it would be feasible to impose maximum charges.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Report on Pension Charges: Discussion with Department of Social Protection (6 Feb 2013)

Joanna Tuffy: I do not believe that the question Deputy Ó Snodaigh posed on whether charges could be applied retrospectively was answered.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Report on Pension Charges: Discussion with Department of Social Protection (6 Feb 2013)

Joanna Tuffy: I wish to ask a couple of questions. If the pension levy were being treated as though it were a charge on individuals who are paying into a pension fund, would that be appropriate or legal? A great deal of our interaction in respect of this matter is with pensioners or people who are paying into pension funds rather than with those in the industry. Ms Murphy referred to surveys of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Report on Pension Charges: Discussion with Department of Social Protection (6 Feb 2013)

Joanna Tuffy: I was inquiring about the pensions of people who are employed by State agencies.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Report on Pension Charges: Discussion with Department of Social Protection (6 Feb 2013)

Joanna Tuffy: Senator Healy Eames asked a question about the follow-up.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Report on Pension Charges: Discussion with Department of Social Protection (6 Feb 2013)

Joanna Tuffy: I think we have covered all the issues. I thank Ms Murphy and the other officials for attending. We will forward details of this meeting to the Minister also. If the witnesses have any further questions or if they could come back to us on the issues raised, we would appreciate it. I thank them for attending.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Habitual Residence Condition: Discussion with Pavee Point (6 Feb 2013)

Joanna Tuffy: I welcome representatives of Pavee Point for our discussion of the habitual residence condition: Ms Ronnie Fay, director, Ms Gabi F. Muntean, community development worker with the Roma project, and Ms Siobhan Curran, the Roma project co-ordinator. Apologies have been received from Ms Monika Makulova. I draw the witnesses' attention to the fact that by virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Habitual Residence Condition: Discussion with Pavee Point (6 Feb 2013)

Joanna Tuffy: Regarding the habitual residence condition, what is the Department of Social Protection looking for that makes it difficult for Roma people to comply?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Habitual Residence Condition: Discussion with Pavee Point (6 Feb 2013)

Joanna Tuffy: Deputy Ó Ríordáin had information that there were approximately 5,000 Roma in Ireland. How many Travellers are living in Ireland?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Habitual Residence Condition: Discussion with Pavee Point (6 Feb 2013)

Joanna Tuffy: This has been an informative meeting. As suggested by Deputy Ryan, we will send the recommendations to the Minister for Social Protection and ask for her response. On the matter raised by Deputy Ó Snodaigh, I do not think the committee has the capacity to ask the Minister for Justice and Equality to come before it. The clerk will write to him requesting information on the matter...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Habitual Residence Condition: Discussion with Pavee Point (6 Feb 2013)

Joanna Tuffy: Would Deputy Ó Snodaigh like the committee secretariat to write to the Department of Justice and Equality asking that it make a presentation on the strategy?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Habitual Residence Condition: Discussion with Pavee Point (6 Feb 2013)

Joanna Tuffy: We will communicate on the matter with the Department of Justice and Equality. The difficulty that arises is that this committee does not shadow that particular Department.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Habitual Residence Condition: Discussion with Pavee Point (6 Feb 2013)

Joanna Tuffy: We will start with sending letters to both Departments and will decide our next step at a future meeting. Any responses received will be forwarded to members and witnesses. I thank the witnesses for attending.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Staff Career Breaks (7 Feb 2013)

Joanna Tuffy: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will consider extending the incentivised career breaks, currently being offered to Gardaí, to the wider civil service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6465/13]