Results 61-80 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (26 Mar 2003)

Mary Coughlan: No matter what the Senators say, some listen and they have lists of things that must be done. When the opportunity arises, they will be done.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (26 Mar 2003)

Mary Coughlan: I do not think that my mind will be changed or that I will be able to persuade the Members of the Opposition to change theirs. We will leave it at that. I am not in a position to accept the amendment. Amendment put. Tá

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (26 Mar 2003)

Mary Coughlan: I can see why this amendment is a hardy annual in discussions on the Social Welfare Bill. Heretofore, the rate of the increases has been well above that of inflation. Annual inflation is at 4.8%. The minimum rate increase is above that and takes inflation into consideration. I appreciate that there have been increases in some household expenditure but there have been reductions in many other...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (26 Mar 2003)

Mary Coughlan: The Minister for Finance would be delighted if he could get the crystal ball into which Senator Hayes is peering regarding inflation at the end of the year.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (26 Mar 2003)

Mary Coughlan: Yes. We could bet the whole Department on the horse and then we would have no problems.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (26 Mar 2003)

Mary Coughlan: Yes, and I would be a recipient from my own Department when finished. Many items have increased in price and others have decreased. The information made available through the household budget survey and through the CPI has indicated that prices of essential clothing and footwear have declined over the past year by 7.8%. Likewise, the costs of furnishings, household equipment and routine...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (26 Mar 2003)

Mary Coughlan: I certainly take into consideration the Senator's view on the national anti-poverty strategy. The strategy has been very comprehensive, and most people, be they elected representatives or pillars of the community, have accepted it. A review of the strategy is now taking place, and will go before the European Commission by July 2003. That will afford an opportunity to me and anyone else...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (26 Mar 2003)

Mary Coughlan: No, you try to avoid those if at all possible. We will not get into football, for Cork is doing quite well in the league at the moment, and Donegal is not doing particularly well anywhere. We are going to be relegated, so we will skip that analysis. The review of the strategy will certainly be very helpful to us all when we examine what targets are to be set. The strategy covers not only...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (26 Mar 2003)

Mary Coughlan: Much as the Senator would love me to do that, he must also appreciate that those matters are for the budget. I cannot state how anything is to be achieved next year.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (26 Mar 2003)

Mary Coughlan: It certainly was. God loves those who try. I am in no position to make such a statement. I have all the policies, strategies and targets in place. My Department and I intend to move towards achieving those targets. However, I cannot tell the House what will be in the next Social Welfare Bill, for we are only now finalising this one. I would hate to pre-empt the House's decision. Amendment put. Tá

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (26 Mar 2003)

Mary Coughlan: There is a very simple answer to that question; it is a demographic issue. In many European countries there is higher GDP expenditure on social protection because they have a greater number of elderly persons than we do at present. In the seven year period, 1990 to 1996, EU social protection expenditure as a percentage of GDP rose on average by 2.9% from 25.5% to 28.4% as a result of the...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (26 Mar 2003)

Mary Coughlan: Our economic growth and success have shown the reason there has been a slight decrease in GDP expenditure. We have a system which is different from that in many of our European Union counterparts. The way in which social protection is evaluated is quite different from the way we look at it. The main areas of social protection in the European Union focus on old age which is not necessarily the...

Seanad: Order of Business: Motion. - Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse: Statements. (7 Oct 2003)

Mary Coughlan: Ar dtús báire ba mhaith liom leithscéal a ghabháil ar son an Aire Oideachais agus Eolaíochta, Nollaig Ó Díomasaigh, nach bhfuil ábalta a bheith anseo. Tá lúcháir orm a bheith ar ais sa Seanad agus fearaim fáilte ar ais roimh na Seanadóirí.

Seanad: Order of Business: Motion. - Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse: Statements. (7 Oct 2003)

Mary Coughlan: The Taoiseach and the Minister for Education and Science have previously expressed their regret at Ms Justice Laffoy's decision to resign from her position as chairperson of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse and have stated their appreciation of the work she carried out over the last number of years. I wish to place on record that I too regret that Ms Justice Laffoy has decided to...

Seanad: Order of Business: Motion. - Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse: Statements. (7 Oct 2003)

Mary Coughlan: Irrespective of which way one proceeds, the choice is not simple. The Government made its decision in the best interest of the victims and it was the right decision. The Government embarked on a process to bring healing and closure to those citizens who suffered abuse while in institutional care in 1998. We have been true to our word.

Seanad: Tax Compliance. (11 Nov 2003)

Mary Coughlan: Ar dtús báire ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil leis an Seanadóir as ucht ócáid a thabhairt dom cur in iúl don Seanadóir agus don Seanad an méid a bheidh le rá agus an freagra atá agam ar an díospóireacht seo. I thank the Senator for raising the issue. The supplementary welfare allowance scheme provides for the payment of a weekly or monthly supplement in respect of rent to...

Seanad: Estimates for 2004: Motion. (19 Nov 2003)

Mary Coughlan: The Deputy better not refer to other places.

Seanad: Estimates for 2004: Motion. (19 Nov 2003)

Mary Coughlan: It was last Saturday.

Seanad: Estimates for 2004: Motion. (19 Nov 2003)

Mary Coughlan: We have heard that for years.

Seanad: Estimates for 2004: Motion. (19 Nov 2003)

Mary Coughlan: Ar dtús, ba mhaith liom a rá go bhfuil lúcháir orm bheith ar ais sa Teach le bheith páirteach sa díospóireacht thábhachtach seo.