Results 6,381-6,400 of 19,409 for speaker:Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Social Welfare Code (30 Mar 2011)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: Question 23: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will reverse the cut of 4% to the so called working age social welfare rates and the cut to child benefit introduced by the previous Government in Budget 2011 and if so when [6137/11]

Social Welfare Code (30 Mar 2011)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: I do not know whether the Minister remembers the comments made by her colleague, the current Minister of State, Deputy Shortall, in the wake of last year's budget. As her party's then spokesperson on social protection, she said the cuts to social welfare rates, including child benefit, were "a blatant and unjustified attack" on the weakest people in society.

Social Welfare Code (30 Mar 2011)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: Does the Minister recall that Deputy Shortall also said that "the Government has lost all sense of the fact that carers, widows, people with disabilities, single parents and the unemployed depend on their weekly payments for their very survival", that "the decision to cut these basic rates cannot be defended", that "families who are already struggling to keep their heads above water will...

Social Welfare Code (30 Mar 2011)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: This is a strange situation because if the qualified adult dependent claimed in his or her own right, the State would probably incur greater costs in the longer term. I am trying to get recognition for qualified adult dependents. The number of people who would avail of opportunities for retraining or community employment is not large. I ask the Minister to investigate whether it is...

Departmental Offices (30 Mar 2011)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: Question 25: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if there is any planned changes to the locations of local social welfare offices; if she has satisfied herself that considerations of ease of access by local persons have been prioritised and the steps she will take in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5999/11]

Departmental Offices (30 Mar 2011)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: The Minister mentioned that the Department sought to acquire such buildings through the OPW. Will some of these be rented from companies such as Treasury Holdings, which owe the State a great deal of money through NAMA and so on, or will they be purchased outright by the Department? The Minister made the point that the Department is aware of some of the changes needed. Currently, some...

Social Welfare Code (30 Mar 2011)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: I note what the Minister has stated. The value-for-money review of the disability allowance scheme is quite a detailed report which was produced by the Department only in November 2010. The recommendations have far-reaching consequences, and while some of the proposals are positive, others are potentially negative, including the one highlighted in the question, which would affect many...

Child Support (30 Mar 2011)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: Is the Minister aware that the cost of child benefit payments to non-resident children in 2010 came just to €15 million, 0.1% of the Department's overall €20 billion budget? With the downturn in the economy and the subsequent return of many EU nationals to their home states, this figure will continue to decrease. The programme for Government commits to seeking a change on this benefit...

Social Welfare Appeals (30 Mar 2011)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: Domiciliary care allowance is listed in the table. Before the election, I was told the appeals took an average of 49 weeks, almost a year. My office contacted the Department the week before last and was told that appeals submitted 17 months ago are now being assessed. A period of 17 months is unacceptable. Domiciliary care allowance is a small payment but for many people, especially when...

Employment Rights (30 Mar 2011)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: I hope the Minister will be in contact with the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation because there is potential, based on the figures, to recoup up to €2 billion in payments. That is a quick estimate based on the amount of claims disposed of. There were 200 claims in the past year for which figures are available. In the period between the claim being registered and the outcome I...

Universal Service Charge: Motion (Resumed) (30 Mar 2011)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: Last night I sat through the Private Members' debate from start to finish. At one stage, it was like waking up after a nightmare and I had to try to figure out whether the nightmare was real. I had one of those moments when the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Hayes, quoted the Democratic Programme. It was one of the most bizarre incidents I have ever witnessed in this House. Given the way...

Written Answers — Health Service Staff: Health Service Staff (30 Mar 2011)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: Question 42: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the progress made to date and plans for the transfer of community welfare officers to her Department including clarification on where the CWOs will be located; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6000/11]

Written Answers — Disconnection of Utilities: Disconnection of Utilities (30 Mar 2011)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: Question 92: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the number of households disconnected by Airtricity in the first two months of this year. [6096/11]

Written Answers — Stardust Disaster: Stardust Disaster (30 Mar 2011)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: Question 99: To ask the Minister for Justice and Law Reform the progress made on the establishment of a committee to monitor the progress of the victims of the Stardust fire disaster and to ensure that counselling and medical treatment where necessary and appropriate are afforded to the survivors and the bereaved at the expense of the State as recommended by the Coffey report on the matter....

Written Answers — Stardust Disaster: Stardust Disaster (30 Mar 2011)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: Question 105: To ask the Minister for Justice and Law Reform if he will forward the report of the independent examination by a person (details supplied) submitted by the Stardust victims committee for a reopened inquiry into the stardust fire disaster, which overturned the probable arson theory of the Stardust tribunal, to the Director of Public Prosecutions. [6105/11]

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (30 Mar 2011)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: Question 108: To ask the Minister for Justice and Law Reform the position regarding immigration status in respect of a person (details supplied) and if he will confirm whether he is entitled to avail of accommodation in a RIA centre. [6126/11]

Making Committees Work in the 31st Dáil: Statements (31 Mar 2011)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: Tá sé tábhachtach sula dtosóimid ag cur coistí nua ar bun sa téarma Dála seo, agus nuair a bheidh an Seanad ann, go bhféachaimid ar choistí i gcoitinne agus conas is féidir athruithe a dhéanamh. Is é sin an príomhrud; mura bhfuil rud ag obair i gceart, caithfear díriú isteach air agus déanamh cinnte de go bhfuil athruithe curtha i bhfeidhm a léireoidh don domhan go...

Making Committees Work in the 31st Dáil: Statements (31 Mar 2011)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: I was busy, and Deputy Finian McGrath helped me out on the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Women's Rights on occasion. I also attended a number of other committees because as it was a small party at the time, I had a number of portfolios and there were a range of committees, for example, the Committee on European Affairs, Foreign Affairs, Justice, Defence and Women's Rights, and...

National Commemorative Programmes (31 Mar 2011)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: Question 6: To ask the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport if he will elaborate on the programme for Government commitment to develop a cultural plan for future commemorative events; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6187/11]

National Commemorative Programmes (31 Mar 2011)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: I wish the Minister well with the work in front of him. I encourage him to put this name forward to be the lead Minister on commemorations because he has an interest in this area. In the past, the Minister for Defence worked with the Taoiseach on the 1916 commemorative committees. However, these events would be more appropriate to the Minister's remit. Given the major challenges we face,...