Results 1,461-1,480 of 5,269 for speaker:Joan Collins

Topical Issue Debate: Further Education and Training Programmes (28 May 2014)

Joan Collins: That is not true.

Garda Síochána (Amendment) Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) [Private Members] (28 May 2014)

Joan Collins: I positively endorse the Garda Síochána (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2014. I fully supported it a year ago and on a number of occasions during the "Shattergate" era I said that Deputy Wallace had proposed a credible Bill that could have been accepted by the Government a year ago. I have heard a number of Deputies on the other side of the House say that all these investigations have...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Pensions Levy (4 Jun 2014)

Joan Collins: 18. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when the PRD or pension levy, introduced in 2009 via the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2009, will be abolished or revised to exclude workers earning less than €60,000 per annum. [23651/14]

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Private Residential Tenancies Board (4 Jun 2014)

Joan Collins: 113. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government regarding the Private Residential Tenancies Board rent controls study, the date on which the study commenced; the specific terms of reference; the person conducting the study; and when it is due to be published. [23753/14]

Local and Community Development Programmes: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (5 Jun 2014)

Joan Collins: It is very important to put on record that local development companies are non-profit organisations at the moment. They deliver programmes to tackle poverty and social exclusion, provide assistance for enterprise creation, support the long-term unemployed, and offer education and child support in partnership with Departments and agencies. The LDCs have 20 years experience in implementing...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Public Sector Staff Retirements (5 Jun 2014)

Joan Collins: 66. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of public service employees that have been forced out of employment at age 65, from 1 January 2014 to date, who do not have a contributory pension entitlement until age 66; and if any of these persons have been adversely effected by the PRSI band changes. [23988/14]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (10 Jun 2014)

Joan Collins: 83. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the mechanism her Department has in place to respond to a family or persons facing eviction from private rented accommodation because a landlord is increasing the rent. [24276/14]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (10 Jun 2014)

Joan Collins: The Minister is aware there are now more families being forced to become homeless because of the increase in private rents around the city, particularly in my area, Dublin 12, where rents have gone up by some 14% to 16% in the past six months. We are trying to manage a situation where people are coming in to us, saying their rents have been increased and they cannot get anywhere else because...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (10 Jun 2014)

Joan Collins: I put it to the Minister that it is not a question of supply but of landlords increasing rents to a level that people receiving rent allowance cannot pay. It is also due to many landlords specifying "no rent allowance" or "work references only". That is a form of apartheid towards unemployed people who need rent allowance to secure private rented accommodation. I am glad to hear the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (10 Jun 2014)

Joan Collins: That service should be set up where it is needed throughout the country. Even if it is not necessary now, it will be needed very soon. This is not just a phenomenon in Dublin; it has happened in Cork and other urban areas. The Minister should immediately instruct community welfare officers and inform local representatives and the local authorities that if a problem arises where somebody...

Other Questions: Social Welfare Benefits Applications (10 Jun 2014)

Joan Collins: 86. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she is satisfied with the processing times for current social welfare payments that require a medical assessment. [24201/14]

Other Questions: Social Welfare Benefits Applications (10 Jun 2014)

Joan Collins: The Minister is probably aware of the long period of time it takes for the processing of claims for social welfare payments, particularly for people seeking a disability or invalidity allowance, whether they are agreed or refused. Almost everybody who comes to my office in regard to this problem has been waiting six, seven, eight or nine months or even longer for the claim to be dealt with....

Other Questions: Social Welfare Benefits Applications (10 Jun 2014)

Joan Collins: The Minister may be satisfied that she has cut the processing times down from what they were two years ago, but there are still people coming to my office who have been waiting longer than that. This happens in particular when the Department comes back to the person seeking another letter from the doctor or more medical evidence in regard to the claim and application. Recently, we found we...

Other Questions: State Pensions Reform (10 Jun 2014)

Joan Collins: 87. To ask the Minister for Social Protection her plans to address the unfair and disproportionate impact that the change to the PRSI bands has had on women's pensions and, in particular, low-paid female workers. [24126/14]

Other Questions: State Pensions Reform (10 Jun 2014)

Joan Collins: In April 2012 the pensions policy officer of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, ICTU, met representatives of the Department of Social Protection and was informed that it accepted congress's assertion that those with an average number of 29 annual contributions stood to lose €1,500 a year for life from next September. This is a grossly inequitable cut which targets a section of the...

Other Questions: State Pensions Reform (10 Jun 2014)

Joan Collins: In April I tabled a question in which I asked the Minister to provide a rate band analysis of all State pension contributory awards since 1 September 2012, broken down by number of awards, gender and percentage of overall awards. Her reply contained a tabular statement which was quite detailed and showsed that 27% of those in the 20-29 rate band were female and that 8% were male and that 9%...

Other Questions: State Pensions Reform (10 Jun 2014)

Joan Collins: It is great to see 17,000 pensioners living longer and having a productive working life. However, the point I am making is that the Minister's changes in September 2012 disproportionately affected women, especially older women, and the evidence supports this.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (10 Jun 2014)

Joan Collins: 96. To ask the Minister for Social Protection her plans to deal with the increases in rent prices in urban areas as they relate to persons on rent allowance. [24199/14]

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Money Advice and Budgeting Service (10 Jun 2014)

Joan Collins: 110. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will reverse the decision to end the Lough payment scheme also known as MABSlink. [24200/14]

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Haddington Road Agreement Implementation (10 Jun 2014)

Joan Collins: 273. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will clarify if the new entrants in the public sector under the Croke Park agreement were paid 10% less start pay; under the Haddington Road agreement this 10% was to be reinstated for these new entrants in November 2013; when this increase will take place and will it be backdated to November 2013. [24623/14]