Results 5,421-5,440 of 6,188 for speaker:Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Revised) (7 Feb 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I would consider it a matter of fact that the amendment would not have prevented that. I consider it an objective fact. Leaving aside the amendment for a moment, the question remains: what is happening? We have one year and three months until the directive expires. What is the Department's plan? What will the proposed approach towards those claimants be in one year and three months?

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services (7 Feb 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 72. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he is aware that the 220 and 220X bus service in Ballincollig, Cork is experiencing significant delays, with buses only turning up every 90 minutes regularly on what is supposed to be a 15 minute interval service at peak times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5175/24]

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Revised) (7 Feb 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I should clarify; I made an error there. There is a cliff edge at age 12 as well but it is the cliff edge at seven that I was actually thinking of. When they move from the one-parent family payment to the transitional payment, they can no longer claim working family payment with that. Those 5,000 people will lose their working family payment when they move on to the transitional payment.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Revised) (7 Feb 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I have three quick questions. I once again flag the fact that people on the working family payment do not get fuel allowance. It is a peculiar sort of exclusion. Is that something the Department has discussed? People on the working family payment are typically those who have relatively low incomes. I will also flag an issue that is not the Department's responsibility but it might be able...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Revised) (7 Feb 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Will it be in quarter 4?

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Revised) (7 Feb 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I will also say that it was a useful and positive intervention in the budget. I acknowledge that. Some members of this committee recommended it and it will make a significant difference. One final point occurred to me there, and this is a slightly unusual one. I do not totally understand the logic of it myself. I refer to the Christmas and the spring bonus for the illness benefit. It...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Revised) (7 Feb 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I wish to clarify a point. The Town Centre First policy is a joint policy between the Department of Rural and Community and Development and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. I want to understand which funding is provided by the Minister's Department and which is provided by the Department of housing.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Transport (13 Feb 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I support the comments made by Deputy Clarke on this issue. On top of the issue of transport to school, I also flag the issue of transport between school campuses. The proposal put forward by the Minister's Department for Owenabue Educate Together national school sees the school split between two campuses for its temporary accommodation. Split campuses are rarely ideal. However, in a...

Business Costs for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises: Motion [Private Members] (14 Feb 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I thank the Regional Group for bringing forward this motion. It is timely and we support the principles within it, although our approach to resolving these issues may be somewhat different. For more than a year, Sinn Féin and, in particular, Deputy O'Reilly have been highlighting the crisis facing SMEs, particularly in the hospitality and retail sectors. In the city of Cork, we have...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Energy Poverty: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I thank the witnesses for coming in. I share the point made by Deputy Ó Cathasaigh that it is always great when we have officials from two Departments attending, particularly when the Ministers are not attending because all of the officials can contribute, which leads to a fruitful discussion. That is not their fault but it is a source of regret all the same. My first question is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Energy Poverty: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: A person can qualify for the warmer homes scheme if he or she receives a disability or partial capacity allowance but not if it is an invalidity pension. Maybe the angle is that the invalidity pension is a means-tested payment. Having said that, these are primarily people who are either not going to work again for a very long time or may never work again. A means test is done usually...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Energy Poverty: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Okay. Actually I came at that a little wrongly. Mr. Deegan is correct when he says it is the other way around, but the point is that there are people in receipt of the invalidity pension who might well qualify under a means test but have chosen an invalidity payment because of medical criteria and it might be easier to get if they have the contributions. Some people who are on the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Energy Poverty: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: There are a few issues in that. What Mr. Deegan said about the close alignment of the fabric and the heat pump is coherent. It ensures the impact on that house and householder is as efficient as possible. However, the downside is that we are proceeding slowly with the stock as whole. I am not saying that is necessarily wrong. My colleague, Deputy O'Rourke, raised the issue of biofuel...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Energy Poverty: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I have one more question and then I have two more pieces. That report is not from a million years ago but things develop quickly in this arena. That document is from February 2022 and I imagine some of the studies and considerations it was working off were from 2020, 2021 and so on. Things have evolved. We have our first HVO refinery now in my constituency, as it happens. That is not the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Energy Poverty: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Okay.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Energy Poverty: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I thank Mr. Deegan. I have two more questions-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Energy Poverty: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: -----and I will ask them together. I imagine this comes up often but I am concerned at the skills deficit and the fact there is obviously contract within construction and all that kind of stuff. There is a pipeline delay with apprenticeships, especially for electricians and probably plumbers and heating engineers as well. Is that an ongoing conversation with the Department of enterprise?...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Energy Poverty: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I asked a question that was touched on but not answered. It was about the relationship between the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications and the Department of housing. Mr. Deegan touched on it in some of his answers. Different local authorities tell me different things. However, they indicate that the funding they get from the Department of Housing is not adequate to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Energy Poverty: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: That concludes our business in public session. I propose that the committee go into private session to consider other business. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Paediatric Orthopaedic and Urology Services: Motion [Private Members] (20 Feb 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I commend the work my colleague David Cullinane has put into this motion. I say to the families, parents and advocates who are present here today and outside the House that I hope it gets widespread support in the House. In 2017, the Minister, Deputy Harris, promised that no child would be left waiting for longer than four months for surgery for scoliosis and spina bifida. The...