Results 2,121-2,140 of 12,585 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Other Questions: Anti-Poverty Strategy (19 Jun 2018)

Willie O'Dea: The question is self-explanatory.

Other Questions: Anti-Poverty Strategy (19 Jun 2018)

Willie O'Dea: I thank the Minister for the enormous amount of information she has given me. I got everything but an answer to my question, which concerns when the plan will be published.

Other Questions: Anti-Poverty Strategy (19 Jun 2018)

Willie O'Dea: Why has it not been published to date? I welcome the fact that there is an anti-poverty strategy. Even though the economy is in better shape, problems persist and poverty does not seem to be reducing in tandem with economic growth. For example, 10,000 people are homeless, 50,000 lone parents are classified as living in deprivation, 102,000 people are considered to be the working poor, and...

Other Questions: Anti-Poverty Strategy (19 Jun 2018)

Willie O'Dea: Are there any plans to ring-fence some funding to achieve the Government's objectives? In the absence of ring-fencing, targets often turn into aspirations.

Other Questions: Legislative Measures (19 Jun 2018)

Willie O'Dea: It is all about equality.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Fraud (19 Jun 2018)

Willie O'Dea: Nobody on any side of the House condones welfare fraud, but does the Minister agree that the proper figure for such fraud is in the order of €40 million and not €500 million as some have suggested? It has been suggested to me that there may be some legal or constitutional difficulty with limiting the publication to cases of more than €5,000. Is that the case? If it is...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Fraud (19 Jun 2018)

Willie O'Dea: Does the Minister agree that less than 10% of the money "lost" by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection is a result of deliberate fraud?

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Fraud (19 Jun 2018)

Willie O'Dea: I take it the Minister agrees with my contention that less than 10% of the money lost by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection relates to deliberate fraud. I think the figure is €40 million as opposed to several hundred million euro, which is lost as a result of errors on the part of the Department itself or of genuine mistakes on the part of individuals. ...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Fraud (19 Jun 2018)

Willie O'Dea: I know that.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Fraud (19 Jun 2018)

Willie O'Dea: We cannot have people saying that fraud amounts to €500 million. We all know who said that.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Fraud (19 Jun 2018)

Willie O'Dea: Is the Minister suggesting that they will stop because there is a list?

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Fraud (19 Jun 2018)

Willie O'Dea: 38. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to publish the names of those who have been convicted of committing welfare fraud in excess of €5,000; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26411/18]

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Fraud (19 Jun 2018)

Willie O'Dea: As the Minister is aware, there was a great deal of opposition to the proposal first announced by her predecessor to publish the names of people who had been convicted of welfare fraud. She will also be aware that there is a section which provides for this in the famous Social Welfare, Pensions and Civil Registration Bill 2017, Committee Stage of which we are still awaiting. I want to find...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Pensions Reform (19 Jun 2018)

Willie O'Dea: 36. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason under the total contributions approach to pensions that is due to replace the current averaging approach, the baseline for qualification is forty years despite previous indications that it would be 30 years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26410/18]

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Pensions Reform (19 Jun 2018)

Willie O'Dea: I tabled this question to elicit some clarification on the Government's proposed total contributions system for contributory old age pensions. A baseline of 30 years was discussed initially but the recently published Government paper refers to a baseline of 40 years. I understand from some comments made by the Minister at a committee meeting that the matter has not yet been finalised. I...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Pensions Reform (19 Jun 2018)

Willie O'Dea: It is reassuring that the final determination has not yet been made on whether the baseline will be 30 or 40 years. In view of the fact that the self-employed only started making pension contributions in 1988, no self-employed person will qualify for the full pension in the year in which the new system kicks in. Does the Minister accept that such a scenario would be unfair? The Minister...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Pensions Reform (19 Jun 2018)

Willie O'Dea: I simply made the point that a 40-year baseline would discriminate against the self-employed who only joined the contributory pensions system in 1988, as the Minister correctly noted. I have another question on an issue about which I and other Deputies are receiving queries. The first hurdle to overcome before qualifying for a contributory old age pension is to have 520 paid contributions....

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Pensions Reform (19 Jun 2018)

Willie O'Dea: They are only used in calculating the amount of a pension.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Child Benefit Reform (19 Jun 2018)

Willie O'Dea: Can I take it that the Mangan report is effectively a dead letter now? Does the Minister have plans to make further changes? I am not referring to increases, but to structural reforms in the child benefit system. For example, one of the suggestions in the Mangan report was for larger amounts to be paid to lower income families. However, I recognise that this would be a form of means testing.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Child Benefit Reform (19 Jun 2018)

Willie O'Dea: 34. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will address her recent comments on child benefit; her plans generally for this universal payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26409/18]