Results 6,581-6,600 of 19,409 for speaker:Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Pension Provisions (15 Jun 2011)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: Question 28: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she is concerned that many older persons will be refused fuel allowance as a consequence of the raising of the pension age in view of the high number of avoidable deaths caused by the cold each year. [15458/11]

Pension Provisions (15 Jun 2011)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: My question concerns the fuel allowance and the consequences of the change. Given the changes signalled in the social welfare legislation before the House, a certain category of individuals will be affected from 2014 onwards. I am concerned that people whose contracts will finish when they are 65 will not be entitled to a fuel allowance. Is there any intention to ensure that those who...

Pension Provisions (15 Jun 2011)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: The Minister is saying no account is taken at this stage of the effects of the change to the fuel allowance provided for in the social welfare legislation being taken today. As of 2014, those who are 65 will not be entitled to a fuel allowance until they are 66. After 2021, the age of entitlement will be 67. Am I correct in stating one cannot qualify for a fuel allowance until one is on...

Pension Provisions (15 Jun 2011)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: Question 31: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the reason she will not conduct and publish a cost-benefit analysis of using the PRSI system not only to collect the auto-enrolment pension contributions that are proposed by the National Pensions Framework but also to manage that money and make payments rather than handing those responsibilities over to the private pension industry. ...

Pension Provisions (15 Jun 2011)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: I thank the Minister for her answer, which goes beyond the answer I received to a written question I tabled recently. I welcome the fact that she said part of the State mechanism may be able to tender for this work. I do not think it should be limited to the NTMA, and the State itself should be involved to a greater degree. Does the Minister agree that before the crash, and in spite of huge...

Pension Provisions (15 Jun 2011)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: Yes.

Pension Provisions (15 Jun 2011)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: Can the Minister confirm that there is no preferred option at this stage? Without substantial changes to the private pensions industry, it should not be considered suitable, given that there is a need for greater transparency on costs. Up to 30% of a pensioner's lump sum is often swallowed up in charges. The return on private pension assets was recently only 1%, whereas the return from the...

Pension Provisions (15 Jun 2011)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: Question 68: To ask the Minister for Social Protection her views that her plans to raise the pension age amount to a 16% cut to pension entitlements; and if she will abandon her plans to raise the pension age [15338/11]

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 Jun 2011)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: Earlier I spoke about the gap in terms of encouraging employers. I agree with the Minister that not all employers are greedy or disrespect their workers. Many employers have built up loyalty to their staff by taking account of their interests but I refer to those who pay rates that are at or around the minimum wage. There is a strong incentive to reduce wages or maintain them at low levels...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 Jun 2011)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: I move amendment No. 3: In page 6, before section 4, to insert the following new section: "4.—The provisions of section 3 shall apply to new jobs only.". The amendment relates to the previous section so I will not say too much about it. The purpose is to ensure that the intention of section 3 would apply to new jobs only. We debated the issue and I took note of what the Minister said,...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 Jun 2011)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: I move amendment No. 5: In page 6, before section 4, to insert the following new section: "4.—Twelve months following the passage of the Act the Minister shall report to the Dáil on the impact of its operations including— (a) the number of new jobs created; (b) wage trends over the period with particular attention to the scale of wage reductions to the €356 level; and (c) the number of...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 Jun 2011)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: I welcome the Minister's commitment to answering the key points I have included in the amendment through parliamentary questions or committee discussions, if the committee so wishes. Maybe in future we should insert such a commitment in writing in legislation such as this to provide a guarantee that changes will be reviewed, even if only on a once-off basis rather than continuously - not...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 Jun 2011)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: Section 6, dealing with the State pension transition, is the first of the sections dealing with the raising of the State pension age. The Minister claims the logic to such a move is because people are living longer. However, in the case of the State pension transition I question this logic. The timeframe for the changes to the age also leave much to be desired. Over the next several years...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 Jun 2011)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: I have not heard anything to dissuade my opposition to the changes proposed in the section. People who normally at 65 would receive the State transition pension will now be forced to receive jobseeker's allowance, jobseeker's benefit or a supplementary welfare allowance depending on their circumstances. The difference between what they would receive weekly if in receipt of a State transition...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 Jun 2011)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: It is a pity those amendments were ruled out of order. I understand some of the logic behind the action but as I indicated earlier in the debate, it is difficult for Members of the Opposition in that we cannot make changes, even if progressive amendments are involved, because there would be a charge to the Exchequer. Any change to a Bill dealing with social welfare or finance in general...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 Jun 2011)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: This section obviously just clarifies the operation of the revised qualifying criteria for the payment. The change made last year introduced a restriction on entitlement for families where the youngest child reaches 14 years. It was a major change, which at the time I said was regressive without activation measures or the change in the economic climate. It meant that young single families...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 Jun 2011)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: There seems to be a bit of confusion among some of the NGOs about the purposes of this section. FLAC and the INOU both raised concerns about this in submissions. In the briefing we received from the officials on the Bill, they explained the purpose of this. Sometimes it is hard to glean the exact intention behind a legislative provision. Rather than raising their concerns, I will briefly...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 Jun 2011)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: I move amendment No. 9: In page 19, before section 16, to insert the following new section: "16.—Participants in the National Internship Scheme shall enjoy rights and protections including but not limited to the following: (a) A written statement of terms and conditions from the employer and requiring the approval of the Department; (b) Annual leave; and (c) Minimum notice before dismissal...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 Jun 2011)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: It has been an interesting debate. I learned a little more than I knew previously. It was interesting to hear interns being called internees. As far as I am aware there is only one internee and he was sitting behind me in the Chamber.

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 Jun 2011)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: Did he not do well? He served a very interesting internship. Like interns, internees have very few rights as well. The purpose of the amendment was to try to ensure, even though it is specified in the legislation interns are not employees, that interns should still get as much protection as we can afford to give them so that the rights and conditions we have managed to secure over the...