Results 19,981-20,000 of 24,567 for speaker:Róisín Shortall

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (29 Apr 2009)

Róisín Shortall: Question 111: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the position of the National Drug Strategy; the number of staff assigned to the development of the strategy; if this number has been decreased; when the strategy will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16743/09]

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (29 Apr 2009)

Róisín Shortall: Question 108: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the position of leased accommodation within his Department; the position in regard to the proposal of decentralisation as to the cost to date his Department has had in regard to leasing of property due to the stated proposal or to the capital cost of such a proposal; and if he will make a statement on the matter....

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (29 Apr 2009)

Róisín Shortall: Question 118: To ask the Minister for Finance the steps he is taking to ensure that the cycle to work scheme introduced in the Finance (No. 2) Act, 2008 can be availed of by all employees under the remit of his Department. [16931/09]

Written Answers — Money Advice and Budgeting Service: Money Advice and Budgeting Service (29 Apr 2009)

Róisín Shortall: Question 189: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the funding provided to the money advice and budgeting service for direct financial assistance for their clients in each of the past three years; and the criteria for the way this funding is allocated. [16930/09]

Social Welfare Bill 2009: Committee Stage (28 Apr 2009)

Róisín Shortall: I oppose this section. It allows for a person of any age on jobseeker's benefit to be denied payment on a day or several days on which he or she refuses to take a course when requested by a Department official. It is fair enough that people are asked and expected to take courses for their benefit, for self-development and to make themselves more employable. However, under the section there...

Social Welfare Bill 2009: Committee Stage (28 Apr 2009)

Róisín Shortall: My other concern is that there is no clear definition of what constitutes a development course; it is unclear what the term means. There is no reference to who would pay for the cost of attendance. The principle of the section is fine but where an unreasonable request is made and there are costs associated with attendance at a course which a given person may be unable to afford, then he or...

Social Welfare Bill 2009: Committee Stage (28 Apr 2009)

Róisín Shortall: The new clause gives regard to personal circumstances in the Bill. Curiously, however, it does not spell out factors such as age, physical well-being, education and family circumstances contained in section 5(a)(iii). Why is this not the case in respect of jobseeker's benefit? I am also concerned that placing the provision in the Bill rather than keeping it as an operational guideline,...

Social Welfare Bill 2009: Committee Stage (28 Apr 2009)

Róisín Shortall: To correct the Minister in the first instance, those under 20 years of age have rights too and we wish to ensure there is a balance such that unreasonable demands are not made of such people. This provision applies to a jobseeker of any age, not only those under 20 years. I agree with the proposal in principle. It is fine but there is simply no saver in terms of unreasonable demands made...

Social Welfare Bill 2009: Committee Stage (28 Apr 2009)

Róisín Shortall: I have been supportive of the principle of ensuring that people did not go straight from school or college onto the dole. That is a very bad outcome and a very bad start in life for people and there should be other options in terms of training and education. I am a little concerned that the Minister's proposals are more about cost cutting than actual activation. The concerns I have already...

Social Welfare Bill 2009: Committee Stage (28 Apr 2009)

Róisín Shortall: At the outset I said I support the thrust of this policy. It is right. However, I am concerned about the lack of flexibility and sympathy on the Minister's part regarding particular categories of people who, for one reason or another, do not fit into this model. I am not sure people realise what is being proposed here. It is not a situation where there is an entitlement to a jobseeker's...

Social Welfare Bill 2009: Committee Stage (28 Apr 2009)

Róisín Shortall: That is not the point.

Social Welfare Bill 2009: Committee Stage (28 Apr 2009)

Róisín Shortall: That is nonsense.

Social Welfare Bill 2009: Committee Stage (28 Apr 2009)

Róisín Shortall: That is fine.

Social Welfare Bill 2009: Committee Stage (28 Apr 2009)

Róisín Shortall: I said at the outset I fully support the thrust of the policy to ensure school leavers - 18 and 19 year olds - do not go straight on to the dole and that when they come out of school, they go into further education or training. My concern is about the manner in which the Minister is providing for that. It is a very strange way to bring about those changes. One would have expected a short...

Written Answers — Equal Opportunities Employment: Equal Opportunities Employment (28 Apr 2009)

Róisín Shortall: Question 112: To ask the Taoiseach the extent to which his Department is meeting the agreed national target figures for employment of persons with a disability; and when in each case this target will be met or surpassed. [16127/09]

Written Answers — Detention Centres: Detention Centres (28 Apr 2009)

Róisín Shortall: Question 276: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number and location of all detention places for young offenders; the average monthly occupancy rate in each facility for the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the adequacy of the number of such places. [16203/09]

Written Answers — Social Insurance: Social Insurance (28 Apr 2009)

Róisín Shortall: Question 360: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she will provide the schedule of the actual expenditure for each Estimate sub-heading for the first quarter of 2009 with a breakdown by social assistance and social insurance fund supported schemes; and if she will provide the actual income received by the Social Insurance Fund during this period. [16758/09]

Written Answers — Electric Vehicles: Electric Vehicles (28 Apr 2009)

Róisín Shortall: Question 397: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the way, in relation to a recent announcement by him and the ESB regarding plans to radically increase the usage of electrical vehicles, he will proceed with such moves; the time frame for same; if the roll-out of electric vehicles will provide significant employment opportunities in this field; and the main...

Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (28 Apr 2009)

Róisín Shortall: Question 399: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the position with regard to funding for the new home insulation grant scheme, recently announced under the National Insulation Programme; the reason specific classification and funding was allocated separately to middle income families and low income and local authority housing with both categories receiving...

Social Welfare Bill 2009: Committee Stage (28 Apr 2009)

Róisín Shortall: I was speaking about the cost of the self-administered pension schemes, of which there are 6,500 involving hundreds of millions of euro, which neither the budget nor the supplementary budget have touched. Not only are people able to get tax relief on earnings of €5.5 million but when they retire they can take €1.3 million out tax free. That is an outrageous situation for the Minister to...