Results 7,221-7,240 of 28,255 for speaker:Éamon Ó Cuív

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: That is rubbish.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: It is.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: There is only one circumstance.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Many issues have been raised. Since I came into the Department, we have been involved in much reform. A further Bill will come to the House this week which will prove this and deal with the introduction of the internship in order that private employers can take on people as interns. There is also the new Tús scheme, although I understand Senator Norris has a difficulty with the name...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: That Bill will come to the House later this week. I hope it is the bridgehead of a twin-track approach to this issue which would, on the one hand, facilitate those with a capacity to work but would retain payments proportionate to their needs and, on the other, would then allow us, by differentiating between the levels of capacity, to pay more money to those who have the type of disability...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I will give way.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Exactly.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: That might be so, and I empathise with the Senator's point. However, I can find groups representing other disabilities who will come back and show there is an even greater cost of disability in their area. My view is that this has to be tackled - for the blind and for the disabled generally. However, there is no way to tackle it if we are not willing to bite the bullet and grade. We have...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Good. It is a new beginning.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Exactly. I hope that, subject to the normal checks, Garda clearance and so on, we can increase the number of home visits, day care centres and so on. Those involved in these schemes are often very good at this work which they are very willing to do. A point was made about the price of electricity going up. It is a fair one, which is why it was vital that we were not sneaky and did not cut...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: No.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Did the Senator say that everyone who is not able to work should be given the full allowance?

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I do not know who they are.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: There are people in that group who have the capacity to work.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: On the last point, I fully agree with Senator Buttimer. I suggested to my Department and to FÁS that a compendium of the assistance available to employ people with disabilities should be compiled. I have asked for the production of a single document to include-----

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I am referring to my role as Minister.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I believe we should do a lot more to ensure, not only for financial gain but also for personal and social well-being, that people can work. Most people who can work would prefer to work and are better off, socially and mentally, when working. There is good medical evidence to bear this out. I am putting all this information together because many people are not aware of the different...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Including everyone. That means one has to make a call - which can be appealed - on the level of support, disability, ability, capacity, call it whatever one wants in the negative or the positive, of each individual. One then tries to tailor an individual package to that person's requirements and assist him or her to obtain the maximum out of life. This is the way social welfare should be...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Similarly in the situation in which we find ourselves, my belief is quite simple. If we did not have the bottle to make the adjustment to allow us to continue to fund the services of the State, I would not be here talking about cutting pensions and other payments. We would be talking about a one third cut of everything across the board because the State would run out of borrowed money and...

Written Answers — Social Insurance: Social Insurance (15 Dec 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Estimates regarding potential yields and costs resulting from changes to the PRSI system are calculated by the Department of Social Protection, based on macro-economic projections produced by the Department of Finance. The estimate of a yield of €119m from the abolition of the PRSI ceiling for ordinary employees was based on projections produced in 2009. Final economic projections for 2010...