Results 901-920 of 1,338 for speaker:Kathleen O'Meara

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2005: Committee Stage. (8 Mar 2005)

Kathleen O'Meara: Losing the rent allowance is a disincentive to going back to work.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2005: Committee Stage. (8 Mar 2005)

Kathleen O'Meara: I thank the Minister for his reply and his comments on cohabiting couples, to which I did not refer. It is a difficult area. In the context of what Senator Cox said, we should support families and promote child-rearing in a family unit, whatever that might look like. We should not create a disincentive to the development of stable relationships for lone parents for their own benefit and also...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2005: Committee Stage. (8 Mar 2005)

Kathleen O'Meara: I move amendment No. 3: In page 6, before section 2, to insert the following new section: "2.—The Minister shall within 6 months from after the passing of this Act prepare and lay before both Houses of the Oireachtas a report on the social welfare treatment of income from SSIAs.". The amendment is straightforward. Will the Minister explain the Department's thinking on the social welfare...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2005: Committee Stage. (8 Mar 2005)

Kathleen O'Meara: I thank the Minister for his reply. The SSIA scheme was designed as an incentive to save. However, if commentaries are anything to go by, it will create an incentive to spend when it matures, which goes against the whole spirit of the scheme. The matter is hard to judge. If the limit is set too low, it would create not only an incentive to spend but in some ways a need to spend. As we are...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2005: Committee Stage. (8 Mar 2005)

Kathleen O'Meara: I move amendment No. 4: In page 6, before section 2, to insert the following new section: "2.—The Minister shall within 6 months from after the passing of this Act prepare and lay before both Houses of the Oireachtas a report on the status of the 16 social welfare cuts imposed prior to the commencement of the term of office of the present Minister.". The amendment is self-explanatory. I...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2005: Committee Stage. (8 Mar 2005)

Kathleen O'Meara: I thank the Minister for setting out those matters. The cuts have been so substantially reversed that one can only ask why they were made in the first instance.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2005: Committee Stage. (8 Mar 2005)

Kathleen O'Meara: I support Senator Terry's amendment and the sentiments she expressed. It is extremely important for people to be equipped with all necessary information about preparing for life when they become pensioners. The legislation provides an extremely important framework in that regard. I agree with Senator Terry's assertion that it is extremely difficult to make one's way through the pensions Act....

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2005: Committee Stage. (8 Mar 2005)

Kathleen O'Meara: I support the comments of Senator Terry, particularly with regard to the need for people to be fully supported in providing for their future retirement. I have always found it interesting that Irish people like to invest in property. If we ask them why, they often say it is for their pension. They have a greater sense of security from investment in property than from investment in pension...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2005: Committee Stage. (8 Mar 2005)

Kathleen O'Meara: I propose that we keep to the original agreed Order of Business.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2005: Report and Final Stages. (8 Mar 2005)

Kathleen O'Meara: I second the amendment. I support what Senator Terry said about the consumer and the protection of the consumer. We only have to think of the changes brought in on the way banks publish details which were hidden in the past, such as APR rates on loans. It became necessary to specify clearly what banks were required to publish for the customer. If it had not been required in the legislation,...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2005: Report and Final Stages. (8 Mar 2005)

Kathleen O'Meara: I second the amendment and support the idea of a bond, in principle. I would be interested to hear the Minister's response to this proposal. As Senator Terry said, it has been found necessary to put such a bonding system in place in other sectors. Given the impact on people of losing their pensions, should a provider fail to do what it says it will do, the idea certainly seems to be worth...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2005: Report and Final Stages. (8 Mar 2005)

Kathleen O'Meara: I second the amendment. What Senator Terry stated is important. Her suggestion that the Minister may have changed his mind since speaking on the Bill in the Dáil is a matter of some consequence. I would like to hear the Minister's response because important issues relate to the amendment. I thank Senator Terry for proposing it.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2005: Report and Final Stages. (8 Mar 2005)

Kathleen O'Meara: I thank the Minister and his officials for their work on this important legislation. The Minister has onerous responsibilities. The Bill shows this clearly, as it ranges from social welfare to pensions and people's futures. These futures rely on decisions made by the Minister. I acknowledge the work of Senator Terry in raising a number of important issues regarding pensions. SSIAs are very...

Seanad: Order of Business. (9 Mar 2005)

Kathleen O'Meara: It was the Sunday Independent.

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2005: Second Stage. (9 Mar 2005)

Kathleen O'Meara: The Government took money out of the pockets of the elderly. Is the Senator proud of that?

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2005: Second Stage. (9 Mar 2005)

Kathleen O'Meara: I would not be laughing.

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2005: Second Stage. (9 Mar 2005)

Kathleen O'Meara: Did the Senator read the report?

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2005: Second Stage. (9 Mar 2005)

Kathleen O'Meara: Muck-spreading will get the Senator nowhere.

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2005: Second Stage. (9 Mar 2005)

Kathleen O'Meara: I have done so.

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2005: Second Stage. (9 Mar 2005)

Kathleen O'Meara: Good for them. I have a great deal to quote from it.