Results 6,121-6,140 of 7,024 for speaker:Willie Penrose

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Employment Rights (20 Feb 2018)

Willie Penrose: I hope I get a little latitude. Bogus self-employment contracts effectively deny workers the same level of protection and entitlement their employed colleagues enjoy. I note the report commissioned by my colleague, Deputy Joan Burton, has finally been published. Bogus self-employment is a scourge of many industries, hitting the construction industry, the gig economy and the IT sector...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Employment Rights (20 Feb 2018)

Willie Penrose: With our Protection of Employment (Measures to Counter False Self-Employment) Bill 2018 we certainly do not want to interfere with the status of genuinely employed self-employed people or bring them into an employee framework. No one is interested in that because those thousands of people provide jobs and work extremely hard. A common misconception is that parties are free to choose whether...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Employment Rights (20 Feb 2018)

Willie Penrose: I know the Minister will support it next week.

Other Questions: Departmental Priorities (20 Feb 2018)

Willie Penrose: 46. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the policy changes she plans to pursue in 2018; her priorities in view of the publication of the social impact assessment of budget 2018; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8346/18]

Other Questions: Departmental Priorities (20 Feb 2018)

Willie Penrose: My question refers to a study which came out earlier in the month. It is similar to the equality budgeting strategy. I note that the social impact assessment of the welfare and tax measures in the 2018 budget was published utilising the simulating welfare and income tax changes, SWITCH, model developed by the Economic and Social Research Institute, ESRI, which I recall being introduced some...

Other Questions: Departmental Priorities (20 Feb 2018)

Willie Penrose: Indeed, the assessment supports the implementation of the national social target for poverty reduction and reducing consistent poverty from 4% to 2% or thereabouts in 2020. It will take significant funding to achieve that and to improve living standards. Social transfers and taxes have a significant role in that, which we support. I also support the Minister's priorities regarding lone...

Other Questions: Departmental Priorities (20 Feb 2018)

Willie Penrose: I acknowledge the improvements that have been made and those to which the Minister is committed. I have always acknowledged her efforts in that regard. I look forward to being pleasantly surprised if this application goes straight through the system. I know there has to be an assessment and an adjudication but if this 89 year old woman was in a nursing home, it would cost €950 a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Dormant Accounts Fund (20 Feb 2018)

Willie Penrose: 61. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the amount of funding she sought from the Dormant Accounts Fund; the criteria for the selection of projects to receive funding; the number of projects that sought funding from her Department; if there was a public request for submissions; and the details of projects that sought funding. [8350/18]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Rights (20 Feb 2018)

Willie Penrose: 72. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to amend the Employment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2017 to reduce the look-back reference period to 13 months or less and narrow the bands of hours into which persons can be placed; and her further plans to provide a definition in law for casual employment. [8349/18]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Humanitarian Assistance Scheme (20 Feb 2018)

Willie Penrose: 81. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she is satisfied with the operation of the humanitarian assistance scheme; the number of persons that applied for assistance following storm Eleanor; the amount awarded; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8348/18]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Family Support Services (20 Feb 2018)

Willie Penrose: 83. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when the report on the working family payment to replace family income supplement will be published. [8347/18]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Compliance (20 Feb 2018)

Willie Penrose: 154. To ask the Minister for Finance the number of persons that paid tax in each of the past ten years as casual workers; if the Revenue Commissioners have specific practices and procedures to deal with the tax compliance responsibilities of casual workers and their employers; if so, the practices and procedures in this regard; if the normal PAYE rules including rules relating to cessation of...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: National Planning Framework (20 Feb 2018)

Willie Penrose: 519. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the input he made to the national planning framework; the additional capital investment he has secured in the national development plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8367/18]

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Walks Scheme (20 Feb 2018)

Willie Penrose: 520. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the way in which he plans to meet the programme for a partnership Government commitment to double the number of walks on the walks scheme; the number of extra walk routes that will be added in 2018; the locations of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8368/18]

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Western Development Commission Remit (20 Feb 2018)

Willie Penrose: 521. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development his plans for the Western Development Commission; the role it will have in relation to the national development plan; the work under way to address the depopulation of the counties under its remit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8369/18]

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Greenways Development (20 Feb 2018)

Willie Penrose: 522. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development his plans to encourage and support the roll-out of greenways; the funding and policy support available under the outdoor recreation infrastructure scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8370/18]

Supporting the Suckling Sector: Motion [Private Members] (21 Feb 2018)

Willie Penrose: I will concentrate on the importance of the Mercosur negotiations. If their outcome and that of Brexit are not successful from our perspective, it is conceivable that our beef industry will be obliterated. Ireland's interest in the EU-Mercosur talks is clearly centred on beef. Irish farmers are understandably concerned that the EU may grant significant access to the EU for Mercosur beef....

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Banking (21 Feb 2018)

Willie Penrose: 50. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development when the report on public banking based on the Sparkassen model will be considered; when it will be published; the roadmap for implementation of this initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8506/18]

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Action Plan for Rural Development Implementation (21 Feb 2018)

Willie Penrose: 63. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development when a status and implementation report on the action plan for rural development will be provided; the main progress made in 2017; the expected progress in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8510/18]

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Broadband Scheme (21 Feb 2018)

Willie Penrose: 69. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the role of his Department in the roll-out of rural broadband; the responsibilities he has in this area; the action he has planned; the progress made to date by the implementation group on the mobile phone and broadband taskforce report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8507/18]