Results 2,381-2,400 of 5,732 for speaker:Fidelma Healy Eames

Seanad: Social Welfare Appeals System: Motion (7 Nov 2012)

Fidelma Healy Eames: I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after ??Seanad Éireann?? and substitute the following: "- notes the importance of transparency and independence (actual and perceived) in the social welfare appeals system; - notes that the appeal process has a statutory basis in both primary and secondary legislation and that appeals officers are quasi judicial officers and are required to be, and...

Seanad: Social Welfare Appeals System: Motion (7 Nov 2012)

Fidelma Healy Eames: I am referring to the people who are unemployed, of whom 300,000 would have been-----

Seanad: Social Welfare Appeals System: Motion (7 Nov 2012)

Fidelma Healy Eames: It is a very busy Department. I acknowledge the system has been improving and waiting times have been reduced. For example, 15 additional appeals officers have been appointed, the number of appeals closed out in a year is now 34,000 and processing times have been reduced by ten weeks. This is not to say further improvements cannot be made. I see that as the benefit of this motion and...

Seanad: Social Welfare Appeals System: Motion (7 Nov 2012)

Fidelma Healy Eames: Can I follow up with a few more questions?

Seanad: Social Welfare Appeals System: Motion (7 Nov 2012)

Fidelma Healy Eames: I had always thought all lead speakers got the same amount of time.

Seanad: Social Welfare Appeals System: Motion (7 Nov 2012)

Fidelma Healy Eames: I meant the lead party speakers.

Seanad: Social Welfare Appeals System: Motion (7 Nov 2012)

Fidelma Healy Eames: I will conclude. Can we simplify the application procedure to cut down on the need for appeals due to incomplete applications? Website application options should also be available whereby, if the right information is not submitted, it will be refused and the applicant will know. That could aid the situation. I ask why social welfare offices do not always answer the main telephone - if one...

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Nov 2012)

Fidelma Healy Eames: He did not say that at all.

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Nov 2012)

Fidelma Healy Eames: I support the call for an independent investigation into what exactly is going on in family planning clinics throughout the country. The issue is that we do not know what is going on. If there is malpractice or if women's lives are being put at risk, we need to know. The Leader might advance this to see what exactly can be done and what will be done by the Government on this issue. I call...

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Nov 2012)

Fidelma Healy Eames: Is this an appropriate intervention?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Special Needs Education: Discussion with Special Needs Parents Association (7 Nov 2012)

Fidelma Healy Eames: The witnesses are very welcome. I apologise for missing their presentation. I hope they have noticed an appreciable difference in the special needs assistant system in the past two years. We did a great deal of work on it here two years ago because we were at crisis point at that stage. I would like to hear a "Yes" or "No" response from the witnesses to that comment. Our focus of...

Seanad: Ireland's Presidency of the Council of the European Union: Statements (25 Oct 2012)

Fidelma Healy Eames: I welcome the Minister of State and congratulate her on her appointment as Vice President of the European People's Party, EPP. I wish to discuss three issues. The communique between Chancellor Merkel and the Taoiseach is significant because it acknowledges Ireland's unique problem of legacy debt. Will we have a legacy debt deal before we take over the Presidency of the European Union?...

Seanad: Ireland's Presidency of the Council of the European Union: Statements (25 Oct 2012)

Fidelma Healy Eames: Such initiatives would make life much easier for businesses. I also apologise for being away from the House last week. My final question is on the five targets for Europe 2020 which I am excited about. The first target is for 75% of 20 to 64 year olds to be employed by 2020. The second target aims to have 3% of EU GDP invested in research and development. The third target deals with...

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Oct 2012)

Fidelma Healy Eames: This morning, I read with a sense of disbelief and outrage that the ESB is pressing ahead with price rises of 6% although it has made profits of ¤213 million in the first six months of this year. While it is good news that it is making a profit, it is not good news that the board is pressing ahead with the price hike. This affects every household in the country. Some people's bills are as...

Seanad: Social Protection: Statements (Resumed) (24 Oct 2012)

Fidelma Healy Eames: Is it the computer system or a lack of willingness to tackle the issue?

Seanad: Social Protection: Statements (Resumed) (24 Oct 2012)

Fidelma Healy Eames: Does the Minister agree with the principle that there should be a cap on the amount of welfare one family receives?

Seanad: Social Protection: Statements (Resumed) (24 Oct 2012)

Fidelma Healy Eames: I would strongly urge the Minister to consider that.

Seanad: Social Protection: Statements (Resumed) (24 Oct 2012)

Fidelma Healy Eames: Was this 100,000 new people?

Seanad: Social Protection: Statements (Resumed) (24 Oct 2012)

Fidelma Healy Eames: Is that 300,000 people on the schemes?

Seanad: Social Protection: Statements (Resumed) (24 Oct 2012)

Fidelma Healy Eames: Is that 300,000 people on the schemes?