Results 741-760 of 4,399 for speaker:Martin Browne

Committee on Public Petitions: Business of Joint Committee (25 May 2021)

Martin Browne: I welcome all attendees to our meeting. Yesterday, the Ceann Comhairle of the Dáil, Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl, and the Cathaoirleach of the Seanad, Senator Mark Daly, appealed to everybody in the parliamentary community to continue to follow public health advice, to wear a mask and to maintain social distancing. I request that members, witnesses and staff use wipes and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (26 May 2021)

Martin Browne: 171. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her views on a case in which an employee who is in receipt of the pandemic unemployment payment and has not been told when they will be returning to work back by their employer despite the business having reopened; her views on whether it is appropriate for an employee who has been left in limbo by their employer is now...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Family Resource Centres (27 May 2021)

Martin Browne: 7. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his views on the amount of time that administrators in family resource centres spend making applications for funding. [28597/21]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Family Resource Centres (27 May 2021)

Martin Browne: I want to raise with the Minister how administrators and managers of the family resource centres spend a massive amount of time making applications for funding. I also want to raise the fact that the existing funding streams are too short.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Family Resource Centres (27 May 2021)

Martin Browne: I appreciate the Minister recently met the family resource centres but so have I, and I have been involved in the resource centre in Cashel since we built it. An amount of time is wasted and taken up by managers and administrators looking for funding. Let it be said that at times it is minuscule funding. The amount of work these managers and administrators put into running the centres is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Family Resource Centres (27 May 2021)

Martin Browne: We all agree the family resource centres are a model for providing therapeutic and drop-in services but in some cases the funding is so scarce that these centres find themselves unable to provide assurances to service users that the service they require will continue to be provided. In a recent discussion on mental health with the centres, they spoke of dealing with people who are ready to...

Committee on Public Petitions: Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman Reports 2018 and 2019: Discussion (25 May 2021)

Martin Browne: The Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman, FSPO, was set up in 2018. The powers of this ombudsman are among the strongest in the world for any specialist ombudsman. We will consider the annual reports of 2018 and 2019, together with other interesting issues that have arisen in more recent times, including: the effectiveness of the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman; the turnover...

Committee on Public Petitions: Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman Reports 2018 and 2019: Discussion (25 May 2021)

Martin Browne: I thank Mr. Deering for that comprehensive opening statement. I am quite sure there are plenty of questions to keep him busy for the next hour and a half. I will start with a few questions, which I will give to Mr. Deering in blocks of three if he does not mind. In the 2018 annual report, the FSPO stated that it wanted to "Improve the quality and speed of the management of existing and...

Committee on Public Petitions: Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman Reports 2018 and 2019: Discussion (25 May 2021)

Martin Browne: That is correct.

Committee on Public Petitions: Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman Reports 2018 and 2019: Discussion (25 May 2021)

Martin Browne: I have several more questions, after which I will bring in other members. Will Mr. Deering explain the difference between the role of the Central Bank and the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, CCPC, and that of the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman? Will he comment on resources and staff availability? He pointed out that despite the impacts of the pandemic, his office...

Committee on Public Petitions: Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman Reports 2018 and 2019: Discussion (25 May 2021)

Martin Browne: I thank Mr. Deering. There are two members wishing to speak, after which I will come back with more questions. I call Deputy Devlin.

Committee on Public Petitions: Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman Reports 2018 and 2019: Discussion (25 May 2021)

Martin Browne: Deputy Devlin was looking to come back in there.

Committee on Public Petitions: Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman Reports 2018 and 2019: Discussion (25 May 2021)

Martin Browne: I have some questions myself. Insurance is an issue that the FSPO has dealt with in recent years. It is something that has been under considerable scrutiny in the House too. I appreciate it is early days but has there been any noticeable decrease in the number of complaints on increases in premium rates since the new insurance regulations on personal injury pay-outs were introduced in...

Committee on Public Petitions: Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman Reports 2018 and 2019: Discussion (25 May 2021)

Martin Browne: I would appreciate that. I have a couple more questions about the attitude of the banks and the insurance companies, before Deputy Buckley comes in. From dealing with the banks on the tracker mortgage issue and insurance companies on the interruption clause and premiums, can the witnesses tell us whether there has there been any reform in the attitudes of the banks and insurance companies...

Committee on Public Petitions: Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman Reports 2018 and 2019: Discussion (25 May 2021)

Martin Browne: I am conscious of the time as we are coming near the two-hour mark. I do not see any other members wishing to get back in. Do you wish to make any closing remarks Mr. Deering?

Committee on Public Petitions: Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman Reports 2018 and 2019: Discussion (25 May 2021)

Martin Browne: On behalf of the committee, I thank Mr. Deering and Ms McGovern for their attendance and for giving us an insight into what they do. I hope that at some time down the line, they can come before the committee in person. The amount of work that they take undertake across society is clear. I would like to have them before the committee next time rather than virtually. I hope we can meet...

Committee on Public Petitions: Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman Reports 2018 and 2019: Discussion (25 May 2021)

Martin Browne: Next on the agenda was to be election of Vice Chairman. At the private meeting earlier, people informed us that they would not be around. It was agreed that it would be put off until the public meeting next month. We will put it back on the agenda for then. Is that agreed? Agreed. Does anyone wish to make a final comment before the meeting closes?

Committee on Public Petitions: Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman Reports 2018 and 2019: Discussion (25 May 2021)

Martin Browne: At our next public meeting we hope to have the Ombudsman for Children before the committee to discuss direct provision. Stay safe.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Family Resource Centres (27 May 2021)

Martin Browne: 37. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his views on the potential of family resource centres to play an enhanced role in providing counselling and therapy services in the community; his further views on providing these centres with more long-term funding to facilitate same and to provide a greater level of certainty in the ability to continue to...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Insurance Industry (27 May 2021)

Martin Browne: 126. To ask the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the fact that some foresters and tree surgeons have seen their insurance premia increase by over 100% since 2020; his plans to address this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28795/21]