Results 6,981-7,000 of 7,024 for speaker:Willie Penrose

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Coillte Annual Report 2018: Discussion (3 Dec 2019)

Willie Penrose: I welcome our guests. Ms Gray appeared before the committee eight or nine months ago. The presentation was very interesting. It set out a strong trend for Coillte into the future. We all agree that Coillte has an important role to play in terms of regional biodiversity. It also has an important role in employment in the rural economy by providing approximately 12,000 jobs. It is highly...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Coillte Annual Report 2018: Discussion (3 Dec 2019)

Willie Penrose: Is it anticipated it would increase again this year?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Coillte Annual Report 2018: Discussion (3 Dec 2019)

Willie Penrose: Surely the witnesses can agree that when a forestry commission was set up in Scotland action was accelerated and targets were met as opposed to when there was a system something similar to our system., What did Coillte do with the money it got for the wind farms? The company made a mess of that because it did not realise the extent of the negativity towards wind farms in rural...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Coillte Annual Report 2018: Discussion (3 Dec 2019)

Willie Penrose: It is a good point.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: State Pensions Reform (4 Dec 2019)

Willie Penrose: 38. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to review the qualification age for the contributory and non-contributory State pension; the number of persons who will be impacted by the increase in the qualification age for the State pension in 2021; the number who have 20 or more years of PRSI contributions; the transition measures she plans to put in place;...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: State Pensions Reform (4 Dec 2019)

Willie Penrose: In 50 years' time, Ireland will have the lowest proportion of older people in the European Union. The figure here will have be nearly 20% below the EU average, as we currently have the youngest population and the third highest fertility rate. Consequently, contrary to the scaremongering about a demographic time bomb in which everybody, including the Taoiseach, is engaging, the percentage of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: State Pensions Reform (4 Dec 2019)

Willie Penrose: I must contradict what the Minister said about the European trend and the average age of retirement. The average EU pension age will only rise to 66 years of age by the middle of this century. Why is it necessary for Ireland to be in the vanguard and to do more than every other European country is doing? It is not fair on those who have worked and paid taxes all their lives. I know the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: State Pensions Reform (4 Dec 2019)

Willie Penrose: I have no problem changing my mind.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: State Pensions Reform (4 Dec 2019)

Willie Penrose: Many people are being forced to retire at 65 based on contracts. They can already spend a year on jobseeker's benefit. The Minister has already created an extension to the jobseeker's benefit rules to allow them to go to 66. What will happen to continue it to 67 and to 68 if the Government extends it? How many will be affected by this change? If we are to continue to pay jobseeker's...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Community Employment Schemes Supervisors (4 Dec 2019)

Willie Penrose: 68. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when she plans to address the status of community employment supervisors and provide for their payments as per the Labour Court recommendation of 2008; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46862/19]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Live Register Data (4 Dec 2019)

Willie Penrose: 51. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of persons on the live register who had previous stated employment in the construction sector; the breakdown of the figure for areas termed as unemployment blackspots; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50365/19]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Unemployment Levels (4 Dec 2019)

Willie Penrose: 62. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of unemployment blackspots nationwide; her activation plans to increase employment in these areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50364/19]

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Transport (5 Dec 2019)

Willie Penrose: 50. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of armoured logistics vehicles purchased for the Defence Forces in each of the years 2017, 2018 and to date in 2019, in tabular form; if extra armoured logistics vehicles will be purchased in 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50951/19]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Meetings (5 Dec 2019)

Willie Penrose: 55. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if EU security issues were discussed at the October 2019 EU General Affairs Council meeting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50948/19]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: International Relations (5 Dec 2019)

Willie Penrose: 56. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has spoken recently to the new Canadian Foreign Minister; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50950/19]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (5 Dec 2019)

Willie Penrose: 121. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when a school (details supplied) will be ready for completion and occupation; the date for occupation of the school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51009/19]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service Expenditure (5 Dec 2019)

Willie Penrose: 140. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the transport budget for the Prison Service in 2019 and 2020, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50952/19]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Transport Data (5 Dec 2019)

Willie Penrose: 141. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of new Garda public order unit vans that came into the fleet in 2018 and to date in 2019, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50953/19]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Equipment (5 Dec 2019)

Willie Penrose: 142. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if funding has been secured in 2020 for the upgrade of existing boats or extra boats for the Garda water unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50954/19]

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Ministerial Meetings (5 Dec 2019)

Willie Penrose: 154. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the bilateral meetings she has had with her EU counterparts to date in 2019, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50955/19]