Results 16,701-16,720 of 21,588 for speaker:Denis Naughten

Expenditure Response to Covid-19 Crisis: Statements (Resumed) (17 Sep 2020)

Denis Naughten: I welcome the opportunity to speak in this debate. I tabled a parliamentary question earlier in the week regarding an issue I raised in the House last week. I refer to the anomaly in respect of the temporary wage subsidy scheme, TWSS. The Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, will know that when this was first mooted I argued strongly that we need to maintain the link between employees and...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: National Broadband Plan (17 Sep 2020)

Denis Naughten: 34. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development when the 300 high-speed Internet hubs announced under the National Broadband Plan on 19 November 2019 will be delivered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24192/20]

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: LEADER Programmes (17 Sep 2020)

Denis Naughten: 29. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if the role that LEADER companies can play in supporting small rural businesses to overcome the challenges posed by Covid-19 has been explored; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24193/20]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (17 Sep 2020)

Denis Naughten: 122. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a candidate has to appeal the calculated grade in a subject in order to be able to sit the exam in that particular subject in November 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24537/20]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (17 Sep 2020)

Denis Naughten: 124. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the way in which the class ranking applied to students grades, particularly for students who switched schools in their senior cycle; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24581/20]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Carer's Allowance (22 Sep 2020)

Denis Naughten: 33. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will consider allowing discretion on the 18.5 hours per week employment exemption under the carer's allowance scheme in circumstances in which it has no impact on the level of care provided; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25004/20]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Carer's Allowance (22 Sep 2020)

Denis Naughten: The Minister has answered 28 Oral Questions since her appointment, not one of which has been in relation to carers. Carers are the backbone of our health and care system. There are over 4,400 full-time carers in my constituency of Roscommon-Galway and the vast majority of them have faced significant additional burdens as a result of Covid-19. It would be a terrible thing if their plight...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Carer's Allowance (22 Sep 2020)

Denis Naughten: I must say at the outset that I am specifically talking about situations where the people who are being cared for are in day care, in a training centre or in school. I accept that the amount of hours per week has been increased. I welcome it and supported the Minister's predecessor, former Deputy Regina Doherty, on moving it from 15 hours per week up to 18.5 hours a week. That is to be...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Carer's Allowance (22 Sep 2020)

Denis Naughten: We need to address anomalies across schemes and this is one such anomaly where it is 18.5 hours for carers and 19.5 hours for the community employment and rural social schemes. Having said that, for the specific cohort of people I am talking about, the person who is being cared for is not in their home - they are in day care, a training centre or school. If one takes the example of a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Carer's Allowance (22 Sep 2020)

Denis Naughten: 34. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will review the means threshold for the carer's allowance scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25005/20]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Carer's Allowance (22 Sep 2020)

Denis Naughten: This question also relates to carers. The income disregard for the carer's allowance was consistently increased during the 2000s and there was a policy decision to try to make as many people eligible as possible. However, in the last 12 years that income disregard has not been altered whatsoever. The failure to expand the disregard means that families on the average industrial income are...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Carer's Allowance (22 Sep 2020)

Denis Naughten: I am not comfortable with the phrase the Minister used about this being the most generous income disregard. It is but there is good reason for that. The reality is that every person, particularly an older person, who is kept out of a nursing home saves the taxpayer between €600 and €800 every week. If it is a child or adult with a profound disability, the savings are...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Carer's Allowance (22 Sep 2020)

Denis Naughten: I fully accept that the focus of the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection is on income support. The reality is that carer's allowance was never designed solely as an income support because of the income disregard that was introduced and the need to try to support as many older people as possible to remain in their own homes and, of course, to support younger people with...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Carer's Allowance (22 Sep 2020)

Denis Naughten: The Minister will be sick listening to me.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Marketing Programme (22 Sep 2020)

Denis Naughten: 884. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the funding spent by Bord Bia on the promotion of Irish beef in each of the past five years; the specific funding spent on the promotion of suckler beef in each corresponding year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25111/20]

Defence (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (Resumed) (23 Sep 2020)

Denis Naughten: I am sharing time with Deputy Tóibín. I welcome the opportunity to speak on this Bill. I want to put on record my acknowledgement that the Minister has remained in the House for the totality of the debate. I commend him on that because it does not often happen. I know it is difficult to do with the pressures of time under which he is working. An tUachtarán na...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Bus Services (24 Sep 2020)

Denis Naughten: 9. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 229 of 8 September 2020, the specific supports to be provided for small coach operators in view of the severe financial pressure being placed on businesses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25674/20]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Bus Services (24 Sep 2020)

Denis Naughten: The Government has allocated €10 million to the coach industry which is very welcome. The fund is to be distributed via Fáilte Ireland. However, to date not one cent has been allocated. The private hire market has completely collapsed. There are 1,700 operators in the country employing 11,500 people. The aforementioned fund is equivalent to €870 for each of those...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Bus Services (24 Sep 2020)

Denis Naughten: To synopsise what the Minister has just said, if you are not a licensed bus operator providing a licensed service, if you are not contracted to Bus Éireann, then there is nothing for you. As the Minister knows, the NTA has washed its hands of the industry outside of the licensed sector. I wrote to the Minister and the NTA in August regarding the private school bus operators who had...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Bus Services (24 Sep 2020)

Denis Naughten: The reality is that the taxi, chauffeur-drive and private school bus operators have been completely ignored by the Government to date. Five weeks ago, I wrote to the Minister regarding the private school bus operators but he has yet to respond to me. These operators do not come under the remit of the Department of Education and Skills which is only interested in those that are contracted to...