Results 5,701-5,720 of 25,844 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2015: Committee Stage (2 Dec 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I did not heckle the Minister of State. He would know it if I had done so.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2015: Committee Stage (2 Dec 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: They will.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2015: Committee Stage (2 Dec 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: The people will decide. Anyone who has a vote will decide.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2015: Committee Stage (2 Dec 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I will be brief because I have specific amendments regarding pensions, which I will table later. This section deals with changes in the normal retirement age and I ask the Minister of State to consider airline pilots and others in non-public sector jobs who have to retire at 55. They now cannot access their pension, or any State benefits, until the age of 67. This is something that cannot...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2015: Committee Stage (2 Dec 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I apologise for interrupting but are we on section 5 or section 6?

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2015: Committee Stage (2 Dec 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I am sorry. I am not trying to stop you. I am simply trying to keep up.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2015: Committee Stage (2 Dec 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: It is in the wrong section anyway.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2015: Committee Stage (2 Dec 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: Section 6 is carer's support grant and the amendments should be based on that.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2015: Committee Stage (2 Dec 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I apologise for interrupting Senator Cullinane. There might be a bit of a mix-up because we are on section 9, payment after death – carer's allowance. I am aware it reads slightly differently on the amendment.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2015: Committee Stage (2 Dec 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I second the amendment. I would like to set out the context for these amendments. The Minister of State mentioned certain labour activation measures on Second Stage. We have discussed them here. We can argue the toss on this issue. We will know the position in due course. Amendment No. 5 specifically looks for a report to be produced within four months of the passing of this Act which...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2015: Committee Stage (2 Dec 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: These allowances were still in place at that stage.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2015: Committee Stage (2 Dec 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I said I could be talking rubbish as well.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2015: Committee Stage (2 Dec 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I did.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2015: Committee Stage (2 Dec 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I completely, totally and utterly disagree with the Minister of State on this matter. I will debate with him on it in any House in four months' time. Perhaps neither of us will be in any House. Maybe the Minister of State will be in this House, or whatever.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2015: Committee Stage (2 Dec 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I hope the Minister of State will be here in the Seanad after the next election. Setting all the other cuts aside, no one can tell me that the abolition of the telephone allowance was the correct decision. The Minister of State said when explaining the abolition of the bereavement grant that families can always go to community welfare officers. I suggest that the period after a loved one...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2015: Committee Stage (2 Dec 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: As I said on Second Stage, the logic of merging the office of the Financial Services Ombudsman with the office of the Pensions Ombudsman is a retrograde step, particularly in light of all us agreeing the importance of pensions into the future. That is why I said we will oppose the section. I do not think it makes any sense. If anything, we should be better resourcing the office of the...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2015: Committee Stage (2 Dec 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I move amendment No. 11:In page 16, after line 35, to insert the following: "26.The Pensions Act 1990 is amended by inserting a new section 48A as follows:"48A.A solvent firm shall not be allowed to close a defined benefit pension scheme except where the scheme has reached a minimum 90 per cent funding standard.".". I referred to this issue on Second Stage. The purpose of the new section...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2015: Committee Stage (2 Dec 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: Yes.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2015: Committee Stage (2 Dec 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I move amendment No. 12:In page 16, after line 35, to insert the following:"26.The Pensions Act 1990 is amended by inserting a new section 48A as follows:"48A.An appeals mechanism for pension scheme members shall be put in place where trustees have decided upon reduced benefits for members, and such appeals mechanism shall ensure that any category of such pension scheme members have not been...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2015: Committee Stage (2 Dec 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I move amendment No. 13:In page 16, after line 35, to insert the following:"26.The State Airports (Shannon Group) Act 2014 is amended by inserting a new section 34A as follows:"34A.The IAS Scheme shall not be allowed to close its pension scheme except where the scheme has reached a minimum 90 per cent funding standard.".". I will also withdraw this amendment and reintroduce it on Report Stage.