Results 21,881-21,900 of 24,567 for speaker:Róisín Shortall

Financial Services Regulation. (26 Sep 2007)

Róisín Shortall: The Minister must tell the House today whether or not he finds it acceptable that people are forced into the hands of moneylenders who can legitimately charge exorbitant rates of interest. The Minister's predecessor promised to introduce legislation to limit the level of interest which could be charged. Does the Minister intend to proceed with legislation and, if so, at what point does he...

Financial Services Regulation. (26 Sep 2007)

Róisín Shortall: What is the Minister doing about it?

Financial Services Regulation. (26 Sep 2007)

Róisín Shortall: What about limiting the interest which can be charged?

Social Welfare Benefits. (26 Sep 2007)

Róisín Shortall: I am concerned that 18 months have elapsed since the discussion paper was published and it is still not clear how the Minister intends to proceed with those proposals. I appreciate the Minister referred to the fact that the income limits are being raised but that is only one aspect. He also said the implementation group would look at the non-income elements. I wish to ask about the income...

Social Welfare Benefits. (26 Sep 2007)

Róisín Shortall: For how long will the pilot schemes run? When does the Minister expect to be in a position to take a decision on expanding the proposals? Where stands the issue of cohabitation? How does the Minister intend to proceed on the matter?

Social Welfare Benefits. (26 Sep 2007)

Róisín Shortall: The introduction of the half-rate carer's allowance has been a very welcome development but it has thrown up several anomalies. I would like clarification on these from the Minister as I have been unable to get it from his Department. I refer, for example, to whether a person who is in receipt of a qualified adult allowance will be entitled to half rate carer's allowance. Will a person who...

Social Welfare Appeals. (26 Sep 2007)

Róisín Shortall: Question 105: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he is satisfied with the adequacy of procedures for determining social welfare claims in view of the fact that almost half of all appeals made to the Social Welfare Appeals Office in 2006 were successful; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21098/07]

Social Welfare Appeals. (26 Sep 2007)

Róisín Shortall: The annual report of the appeals officer which was published last June stated that a majority of the appeals heard were upheld. He referred to the serious problems arising from inadequate information being provided to clients on their entitlements. He drew attention to serious delays in the response from deciding officer to queries from his office. These are quite serious indictments....

Social Welfare Appeals. (26 Sep 2007)

Róisín Shortall: Does the Minister accept that there is a specific problem in respect of medical evidence? Most Members regularly come across the problem at constituency clinics of people with substantial medical difficulties who submit medical evidence but are refused the payment for which they are applying. The figures from the appeals office bear this out. Only 25% of appeals relating to disability...

Social Welfare Appeals. (26 Sep 2007)

Róisín Shortall: The vast majority of appeals are upheld.

Financial Services Regulation. (26 Sep 2007)

Róisín Shortall: Question 107: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the steps he is taking to assist service providers in combating and alleviating personal debt; the progress made by his Department in regard to the preparation of legislation to make it illegal to charge exorbitant interest rates to low income families, as promised in a television interview in October 2006; the details of the...

Financial Services Regulation. (26 Sep 2007)

Róisín Shortall: There is no doubt that MABS provides a very worthwhile service throughout the community. I was disappointed to note that the legislation to put this on a statutory footing will not be ready until next year. It has been promised for some time and it is regrettable there is yet a further delay. My question is not about MABS but rather that moneylenders can legitimately charge exorbitant...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (5 Jul 2007)

Róisín Shortall: Question 60: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the number of posts decentralised to date as part of his Department's decentralisation programme; the location of the decentralised posts in each case; the corresponding number of posts that have been reduced from his Department's Dublin offices to date; and the overall net loss or gain in terms of post numbers as a result of the...

Written Answers — Foreign Adoptions: Foreign Adoptions (5 Jul 2007)

Róisín Shortall: Question 73: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will revise the arrangement in respect of assessment for foreign adoptions whereby couples completing a three month course before they can start the assessment process with a social worker currently can not opt to take the course in an area of the country with short waiting times and are restricted to their own area; the reason...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (5 Jul 2007)

Róisín Shortall: Question 106: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the action that has been taken to secure a step-down facility for a person (details supplied) in Dublin 11; and when the person will be able to move out of hospital. [19629/07]

Written Answers — Accident and Emergency Services: Accident and Emergency Services (5 Jul 2007)

Róisín Shortall: Question 107: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the steps that have been introduced to reduce waiting periods for patients attending the accident and emergency department in the Mater Hospital; if she will examine the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9 who was left in considerable pain; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19630/07]

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (5 Jul 2007)

Róisín Shortall: Question 108: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the arrangements which have been made for the care of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 11 who is in the care of the Health Service Executive. [19632/07]

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (5 Jul 2007)

Róisín Shortall: Question 109: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the reason for the excessive delay in completing the review of the DTSS scheme; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that medical card holders are being denied access to dental treatment due to this delay; and if she will take immediate steps to resolve this matter. [19635/07]

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (5 Jul 2007)

Róisín Shortall: Question 111: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of posts decentralised to date as part of her Department's decentralisation programme; the location of the decentralised posts in each case; the corresponding number of posts that have been reduced from her Department's Dublin offices to date; and the overall net loss or gain in terms of post numbers as a result of the...

Written Answers — Rail Services: Rail Services (5 Jul 2007)

Róisín Shortall: Question 118: To ask the Minister for Transport and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No 72 on 28 June, 2007, the reason the introduction of a rail freight subsidy on a per tonne basis for materials that are transferred from existing road freight onto rail freight was not included as part of the programme for Government; and his plans to revise his policy in this respect. [19387/07]