Results 7,021-7,040 of 12,637 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Exceptional Needs Payments (24 Apr 2013)

Willie O'Dea: The Minister is a bluffer. The unemployment rate is the same.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Exceptional Needs Payments (24 Apr 2013)

Willie O'Dea: How many are back in employment?

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Exceptional Needs Payments (24 Apr 2013)

Willie O'Dea: Tell that to the Minister's friends in the media.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Exceptional Needs Payments (24 Apr 2013)

Willie O'Dea: Labour Party members might be fooled into believing that, but no one else does.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Exceptional Needs Payments (24 Apr 2013)

Willie O'Dea: Protect child benefit - vote Labour.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Exceptional Needs Payments (24 Apr 2013)

Willie O'Dea: It would take a lot more than the Minister to excite me.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Disability Allowance Payments (24 Apr 2013)

Willie O'Dea: 4. To ask the Minister for Social Protection her plans for the future of the domiciliary care allowance and the disability allowance in view of the Advisory Group on social welfare and taxation;; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19153/13]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Disability Allowance Payments (24 Apr 2013)

Willie O'Dea: There are very strong commitments to the disabled in the manifestos of both Government parties to the disabled. There are also strong commitments in the programme for Government. However, since the Government has taken office, we have seen the disability awareness initiative reduced by 72% and the Department of Education and Skills has reduced funding for students with disabilities by 20%....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Disability Allowance Payments (24 Apr 2013)

Willie O'Dea: I am.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Disability Allowance Payments (24 Apr 2013)

Willie O'Dea: The reasoning underlying the report's primary suggestion is that the receipt of disability allowance at the age of 16 would encourage people to leave school and become full-time participants of the social welfare system. There is not a shred of evidence to support that. All the anecdotal evidence available to me points in the opposite direction. What sort of committee would come up with a...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Disability Allowance Payments (24 Apr 2013)

Willie O'Dea: We never proposed a change in this regard.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Disability Allowance Payments (24 Apr 2013)

Willie O'Dea: How will this proposal bring that about? That has nothing to do with my question.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Disability Allowance Payments (24 Apr 2013)

Willie O'Dea: I am talking on behalf of parents.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Disability Allowance Payments (24 Apr 2013)

Willie O'Dea: How does the Minister's proposal do that? She cannot give any reassurance in that regard.

Other Questions: Rent Support Schemes (24 Apr 2013)

Willie O'Dea: In respect of the question of transferring rent supplement to the local authorities, the Minister may or may not be aware that her own Department supplied a document to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Education and Social Protection late last year to say that this would happen on 1 January 2013. Now we are told that extensive and intensive negotiations are taking place. Is this another...

Topical Issue Debate: Pension Provisions (24 Apr 2013)

Willie O'Dea: I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me to raise this very important issue arising from the report on pensions the Government commissioned from the OECD. The OECD report reveals a very serious situation - a looming time bomb. As somebody said, the time bomb has been ticking for some time but the ticking is getting ever louder. I raise this issue to ascertain the Government's position...

Topical Issue Debate: Pension Provisions (24 Apr 2013)

Willie O'Dea: The report makes certain recommendations about public sector pensions. It is stated a single scheme should be devised for both public servants and those who would otherwise have private pensions. Does the Minister agree with this? The report states the incentives for people to save are not properly aligned with the notion of maximising the retirement benefit for low and middle income...

Topical Issue Debate: Pension Provisions (24 Apr 2013)

Willie O'Dea: The Minister has been in office for two years. What are her proposals?

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Unemployment Levels (24 Apr 2013)

Willie O'Dea: 9. To ask the Minister for Social Protection her views on addressing the problem of under-employment across the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18954/13]

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Youth Guarantee (24 Apr 2013)

Willie O'Dea: 26. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the progress she has made on implementing a youth guarantee scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18946/13]