Results 2,401-2,420 of 4,782 for speaker:Olwyn Enright

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (4 Mar 2008)

Olwyn Enright: This is like a rule that someone dreamed up when a payment was introduced but no one examined it afterwards to see if there was any real logic behind it.

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (4 Mar 2008)

Olwyn Enright: I appreciate that if someone is out for a day or two, the situation is different but when a person is out for significant periods or anything over a week or two, it is very unfair that he or she suffers a loss for three days. I will be interested to hear the Minister's logic. He discussed the issue on Committee Stage but I was not convinced by his argument. It is penal to leave the initial...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (4 Mar 2008)

Olwyn Enright: I do not have difficulty with the principle of a swipe card and moving to a more technologically based payments system. I am concerned, however, as regards the teething problems, particularly in respect of elderly social welfare recipients, who at present can sign cheques authorising nominees to collect payments on their behalf. They exercise control in so far as their signature is on the...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (4 Mar 2008)

Olwyn Enright: That is fair enough. I shall sit down and hear it.

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (4 Mar 2008)

Olwyn Enright: I gave information in that regard.

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (4 Mar 2008)

Olwyn Enright: I move amendment No. 15: In page 6, between lines 7 and 8, to insert the following: 3.—The Minister shall, within three months of the commencement of this Act, lay before each House of the Oireachtas, a report on the prospect of removing the Habitual Residence Condition from the Child Benefit payment. I will be very brief because we have discussed this issue in some detail. I want to...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (4 Mar 2008)

Olwyn Enright: I move amendment No. 17: In page 6, between lines 20 and 21, to insert the following: 5.—The Minister shall, within three months of the commencement of this Act, lay before each House of the Oireachtas, a report on the number of eligible persons and proportion thereof availing of the Family Income Supplement. I will be brief because I know a review is being carried out. When will it be...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (4 Mar 2008)

Olwyn Enright: I move amendment No. 18: In page 6, between lines 20 and 21, to insert the following: 5.—The Minister shall, within three months of the commencement of this Act, lay before each House of the Oireachtas, a report on how the Rent Supplement Scheme could be improved to— (a) make it more responsive to beneficiaries needs, (b) reflect changing rental markets.

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (4 Mar 2008)

Olwyn Enright: I move amendment No. 19: In page 6, between lines 20 and 21, to insert the following: 5.—The Minister shall, within three months of the commencement of this Act, lay before each House of the Oireachtas, a report on the number of eligible persons and proportion thereof availing of the Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance, among low income families. I made two points. First, the...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (4 Mar 2008)

Olwyn Enright: I appreciate it makes a difference. It is the scale of the difference it makes in light of the cost of education that is the point. The cost of everything has risen, be it school books or clothing. The entire cost of the return to school has risen. From that perspective, I reiterate that I ask the Minister to look at it.

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (4 Mar 2008)

Olwyn Enright: I move amendment No. 22: In page 7, between lines 11 and 12, to insert the following: 6.—The Minister shall, within three months of the commencement of this Act, lay before each House of the Oireachtas, a report on supports available to individuals in receipt of Illness Benefit. The Minister answered my queries on this on Committee Stage. The only point I want to make in terms of illness...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (4 Mar 2008)

Olwyn Enright: I move amendment No. 23: In page 7, between lines 25 and 26, to insert the following: 8.—The Minister for Social and Family Affairs shall, within three months of the commencement of this Act, lay before the Houses of the Oireachtas a report on the progress to date in replacing the One Parent Family Payment with the new parental allowance for all low income families. I appreciate the...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (4 Mar 2008)

Olwyn Enright: His predecessor flew quite a few. We are on the same issues and the difficulty is we have no proposals. I support the idea of people being facilitated to get back into the workforce and to get back into education and training. Of course that is important. I was concerned with the mandatory nature of I do not know what because it was discussion rather than a concrete proposal. The...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (4 Mar 2008)

Olwyn Enright: Is the Minister proposing to publish a separate Bill this year or to bring it forward in the social welfare Bill following the next budget?

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (4 Mar 2008)

Olwyn Enright: I am concerned that another year has gone by. His predecessor, Deputy Brennan, as far back as 2004 had proposals on this matter. It is the pace of progress with which I am most concerned.

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (4 Mar 2008)

Olwyn Enright: Is it in order for me to discuss amendments Nos. 24 and 25 together?

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (4 Mar 2008)

Olwyn Enright: The Minister has no objection.

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (4 Mar 2008)

Olwyn Enright: I move amendment No. 24: In page 8, between lines 1 and 2, to insert the following: 9.—The Minister shall, within one month of the commencement of this Act, lay before each House of the Oireachtas, a report on the progress of the National Carers Strategy. On amendment No. 24, I was disappointed the national carers' strategy was not published, as per the original commitment, by the end of...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (4 Mar 2008)

Olwyn Enright: Will the strategy group set up under the Department of the Taoiseach look at the issue of young carers also?

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (4 Mar 2008)

Olwyn Enright: I move amendment No. 25: In page 8, between lines 1 and 2, to insert the following: 9.—The Minister shall, within three months of the commencement of this Act, lay before each House of the Oireachtas, a report on the levels of support available to young carers.