Results 7,961-7,980 of 12,637 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014: Committee Stage (11 Jun 2014)

Willie O'Dea: I will be moving amendments Nos. 4 and 8, and I support all the amendments Nos. 1 to 8, inclusive. With the benefit of reflection, I am unsure whether we will achieve our desired objective but as the previous speaker indicated, that is due to the tight timeframe. We discussed Second Stage of this Social Welfare and Pensions Bill last week and I received a communication from the Bills Office...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014: Committee Stage (11 Jun 2014)

Willie O'Dea: I take the Minister's point on the deadline for implementing the EU directive, but even if she considers that the provisions of section 16 should be in this Bill, as opposed to in standalone legislation, surely, when the time of the deadline was known, it would have been possible to publish the Bill a week or two sooner so that the Second Stage debate would have been earlier. Why publish the...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014: Committee Stage (11 Jun 2014)

Willie O'Dea: I was in government in 2007 when this case was taken. Without breaching Cabinet confidentiality, of course, the matter was discussed, but it did not require a change in legislation. I do not see why it requires a change in legislation now, seven years later.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014: Committee Stage (11 Jun 2014)

Willie O'Dea: To have a competition.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014: Committee Stage (11 Jun 2014)

Willie O'Dea: It would also lead to a lower rate of supplement being paid and could save money for the State, which is quite bizarre. We will resubmit the amendment on Report Stage.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014: Committee Stage (11 Jun 2014)

Willie O'Dea: I have a point on the section. Is the Minister aware of the submission we received from FLAC? It suggests the newly inserted subsection says subsections 1(d) and 1(e) are unnecessary and add nothing to what preceded them. Not only this but they could give rise to wrong interpretations. FLAC recommends that these provisions be deleted so perhaps the Minister could consider this between now...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014: Committee Stage (11 Jun 2014)

Willie O'Dea: I move amendment No. 16:In page 19, between lines 29 and 30, to insert the following:"(2) The powers conferred on the Minister by sections 13, 14 and 15 shall not be utilised until after the Department of Social Protection make all reasonable efforts to recover these payments through installed repayments.".The Bill contains provisions with regard to where the Department of Social Protection...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014: Committee Stage (11 Jun 2014)

Willie O'Dea: I move amendment No. 19: In page 21, between lines 30 and 31, to insert the following:“(2) Failure of the trustees to notify members of changes as outlined under this section shall be deemed an offence as prescribed under section 3 of the Pensions Act 1990.”.A new obligation is imposed on trustees but there is no sanction if they do not fulfil the obligation.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Eligibility (12 Jun 2014)

Willie O'Dea: 117. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will enhance the community employment scheme in order to increase opportunities to carers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25130/14]

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Eligibility (12 Jun 2014)

Willie O'Dea: 118. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she has considered revising the habitual residence requirement for carers to provide more flexibility to those in receipt of the carer's allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25131/14]

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Offices (17 Jun 2014)

Willie O'Dea: 355. To ask the Minister for Social Protection her views on the lack of a public toilet facility available to customers at the Finglas Social Welfare Office; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25836/14]

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local and Community Development Programme Planning (17 Jun 2014)

Willie O'Dea: 431. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the social inclusion community activation programme will replace the community development programme; if he is further aware that tendering for SICAP will not be permitted by national organisations and that Pobal has suggested that women's networks form a consortium to...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014: Report Stage (18 Jun 2014)

Willie O'Dea: I move amendment No. 1:In page 6, to delete lines 5 to 37, and to delete page 7.When Members were discussing this Bill on Committee Stage, I made the point that only a few days had elapsed between the conclusion of Second Stage and the beginning of Committee Stage. If my recollection is correct, I recounted at the time that on the first day of the Second Stage debate, I received an urgent...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014: Report Stage (18 Jun 2014)

Willie O'Dea: Deputy Naughten referred to the mass meeting at Cappataggle and we have had a few of them in the south as well, with mass meetings about the closure of local post offices. Government Deputies were the most vocal in their undying loyalty to the preservation of the post office network. All we were missing in some places was a stack of bibles, and if they were available every one of the...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014: Report Stage (18 Jun 2014)

Willie O'Dea: The Minister must take us for fools. As far as I can make out, her argument comes to this.

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014: Report Stage (18 Jun 2014)

Willie O'Dea: In 2007 the European Court of Justice indicated there had to be a competition with the provision of services from the social welfare Department. The competition took place and An Post won it. At the time, the relevant legislation was from 2005 and it specifically mentioned An Post. The Minister has now told us that somebody could now have a better chance of challenging the legislation if...

Leaders' Questions (18 Jun 2014)

Willie O'Dea: It is inconsistent because nothing is being done to help the other people.

Nursing Home Support Scheme (Amendment) Bill 2014: First Stage (18 Jun 2014)

Willie O'Dea: I move:That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to allow for the provision of a home care package to a person who qualifies for and is being offered long-term residential care in circumstances where a suitable home care package can be devised for that person and such package is less costly on the State than the long-term residential care being offered and to provide for...

Nursing Home Support Scheme (Amendment) Bill 2014: First Stage (18 Jun 2014)

Willie O'Dea: I move: "That the Bill be taken in Private Members' time."

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (18 Jun 2014)

Willie O'Dea: We were told that those who proposed amendments were confined to two minutes’ speaking time. Does the Minister have limitless time to reply?