Results 181-200 of 12,773 for speaker:Louise O'Reilly

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Child Poverty (19 Jun 2025)

Louise O'Reilly: The child poverty monitor published recently by the Children's Rights Alliance makes for very depressing and alarming reading. Far from being equal to its commitment to tackling child poverty, the Government is overseeing a rise in rates of child poverty. The Minister and I both know that the only way to address this issue in any meaningful way is through in-cash payments that are targeted...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Child Poverty (19 Jun 2025)

Louise O'Reilly: My worry is that we have had targets previously and they were missed by a mile. A concerted effort is needed. When we talk about deprivation and child poverty, we are talking about households in which members are unable to afford two pairs of properly fitting shoes that are in good condition and suitable for daily activities, or a warm waterproof coat. It is unimaginable that poverty on...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Child Poverty (19 Jun 2025)

Louise O'Reilly: The Minister must acknowledge that the direction of travel is not good, as we see from the SILC data. I respect what he is saying and it may be that the data starts going in a different direction, but I do not believe it will. A lot of the investment he mentioned involved one-off, non-recurring payments to deal with an acute cost-of-living crisis. That crisis has not gone away and is still...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Costs (19 Jun 2025)

Louise O'Reilly: I understand the need to get the money to where it needs to be. With the greatest of respect, the Minister does not need to do a review to understand that kids who are in foster care are among the most likely to be experiencing deprivation. They are effectively in the care of the State. I urge the Minister to look at that again because the means test is unfair. We are not talking in the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Eligibility (19 Jun 2025)

Louise O'Reilly: I ask the Minister to charge the people doing the review with the responsibility of looking at seasonal workers. To be frank, that is possibly the least that the Minister could do but I ask that he do that. There should be some engagement about the people who are excluded with the trade union, Fórsa, because it represents the bulk of the secretaries and caretakers. It is not just them...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Costs (19 Jun 2025)

Louise O'Reilly: 87. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he is aware of the considerable financial burden the cost of school tablets imposes on parents; if he will consider expanding the back-to-school payment or introducing a device allowance for children attending schools that require tablets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33102/25]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Costs (19 Jun 2025)

Louise O'Reilly: The issue of having to purchase devices is coming into my office a lot. It is probably coming into everyone's office at this stage. While obviously there is a benefit to parents of not having to buy schoolbooks, that benefit is entirely undermined if they then have to spend the equivalent amount or more. I welcome the Minister's recent announcement of the extension of the back-to-school...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Eligibility (19 Jun 2025)

Louise O'Reilly: 85. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he is aware of the groups excluded from the jobseeker’s pay-related benefit, in particular the seasonal, casual, short-time or part-time workers such as school caretakers and secretaries who could benefit considerably from receiving the jobseeker’s pay-related benefit in lieu of the jobseeker’s...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Eligibility (19 Jun 2025)

Louise O'Reilly: Maidin mhaith do gach duine. As is often the case, my question is very simple and straightforward. It gives the Minister the chance to explain why a category of workers, particularly those in seasonal, casual, short-term or part-time employment, such as school caretakers and secretaries but not exclusively, are excluded from the Government’s new pay-related jobseeker's benefit.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Eligibility (19 Jun 2025)

Louise O'Reilly: I will hold the Minister to that. I will be back here in September to check against delivery, as the Government often states regarding its statements. The Minister has not advanced any satisfactory justification for why the group has been excluded. He states they can predict they are going to be unemployed, but even if you know you are going to be broke or are surprised by being broke...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (19 Jun 2025)

Louise O'Reilly: 148. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he is aware of a cohort of people in the State with five plus years of PRSI contributions who are only entitled to the minimum rate of jobseeker’s pay-related benefit; if he is aware that this group, due to historically favourable circumstances in the housing market may have had the means to purchase a house, pay...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (19 Jun 2025)

Louise O'Reilly: 156. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he is aware that employers are not obligated to make pension contributions during unpaid maternity leave unless stipulated in the employment contract; if he is aware of the hardship this incurs on new mothers and parents later in life; if he plans to address the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33105/25]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Data Protection (19 Jun 2025)

Louise O'Reilly: 162. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if, further to the most recent fine imposed on his Department by the data protection commissioner for deficiencies in compliance with data protection rules, he will provide details of each Government Department or agency that this data was shared with; if he will confirm that the data in question has been deleted by his...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (19 Jun 2025)

Louise O'Reilly: 180. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he is aware of the fact that when custody is split between two separated or divorced co-parents there is no mechanism by which both co-parents may each receive half of the children’s allowance; the children’s allowance instead, when there is a mother and father co-parenting, goes to the mother regardless of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks and Wildlife Service (19 Jun 2025)

Louise O'Reilly: 314. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will confirm unequivocally whether he is satisfied that the current policies, priorities, decisions and actions of his Department, including in particular, the National Parks and Wildlife Service, both should and do always treat the protection of public health and safety of citizens (especially but not exclusively,...

Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 2025: Second Stage (18 Jun 2025)

Louise O'Reilly: It sometimes strikes me that if it was not for incompetence, there would be no competence at all with this Government. There are 15,500 people homeless. Of those, 5,000 are children. That is evidence for anyone with eyes to see that the Government’s policy is failing. They do not need us to tell them - Government members should be able to see that for themselves. I am sure they do...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (18 Jun 2025)

Louise O'Reilly: The Taoiseach had five minutes. If he did have an answer, he could have given it in five minutes.

Public Transport Experience: Motion [Private Members] (18 Jun 2025)

Louise O'Reilly: I thank the Deputies for tabling this motion and giving us the chance to have this discussion. The Minister of State said the implementation of the new fares strategy is making fares fairer. It is for some people, definitely, but for the people I represent in Dublin Fingal West, since Darragh O'Brien became transport Minister, the cost of commuting from Balbriggan and Skerries has increased...

Joint Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner's Pension) Bill 2025: Free Legal Advice Centres (18 Jun 2025)

Louise O'Reilly: I apologise to our witnesses because I will have to leave to speak in the Dáil. If I leave, I can catch up afterwards with the transcript. It is my intention to submit the amendments that have been given to us by FLAC for consideration. We will have a chance on Committee Stage to discuss them in detail and, I hope, discuss them with members of the Department. Like Ms Barry, I am...