Results 2,421-2,440 of 3,777 for speaker:Marc Ó Cathasaigh

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: General Scheme of the Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Jan 2023)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: I thank Mr. Bolger for his opening presentation and the much more in-depth document that underpins it. I will raise a number of issues one by one, rather than overwhelming Mr. Bolger with questions. Essentially, Mr. Bolger broke his presentation into three different aspects and my questions will follow each one. On the idea of a central processing agency, CPA, Mr. Bolger said it was "a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: General Scheme of the Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Jan 2023)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: I understand that point of view but I am not sure that I agree with it. We know that a lot of people who will find themselves in auto-enrolment will find themselves very passively in auto-enrolment. I do not know if I envisage a huge preponderance of those customers sitting down and sorting through different types of pension offerings. Even when I try to renew my own health insurance, for...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: General Scheme of the Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Jan 2023)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: It is definitely a lacuna in what we have been presented with in the general scheme, as Ms Kelly said, and it is completely silent about these issues on my reading. As for the alignment with occupational pension schemes, it comes back to the central processing agency, CPA, and the fact we envision people moving in and out of this auto-enrolment. It would be hoped, and it will not be the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: General Scheme of the Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Jan 2023)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: It goes back to the issue of the €20,000 as a threshold point, because very often that will be a second income in the house, and if the primary income is above €49,000, even if a person is earning below €20,000 and wanted to make pension provision, he or she might be far better off going for the 40% tax relief route rather than the top-up. It is one of the issues I would...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: General Scheme of the Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Jan 2023)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: I thank Dr. Begg. I understand even from his opening statement that what he feels he is able to comment on with respect to this Bill might be quite limited. We had a statement that kind of amounted to Fr. Jack's that would be an ecumenical matter, perhaps, if I understand it properly. I will stay relatively specific in terms of the heads of Bill that actually deal with the Pensions...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: General Scheme of the Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Jan 2023)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: Dr. Begg is content essentially that the provisions within the draft heads are strong enough for the Pensions Authority to exercise its role.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Climate Change Policy (18 Jan 2023)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: 700. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide details of the outputs from her Department’s actions in the Climate Action Plan Annexe of Actions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63623/22]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Climate Change Policy (18 Jan 2023)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: 701. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the School Sector Climate Action Mandate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63624/22]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings Scheme Bill: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Dec 2022)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: I thank the witnesses for the presentation. We might have the sequencing a little bit out of order in terms of when we brought the Department in because we still have a lot of work to do. The witnesses will have seen that we had representatives of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, ICTU, in with us last week and it raised a lot of interesting aspects of this Bill. It is a significant...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings Scheme Bill: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Dec 2022)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: Somebody under the age of 23 could opt in.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings Scheme Bill: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Dec 2022)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: It might be interesting for us to see the underpinning research. If we are basing this on college participation, we are expecting people to have at least a level 8 qualification at the age of 23. If we are speaking about the volatility of people in that demographic, many will end up with an occupational pension as opposed to an auto-enrolment pension. I am concerned for people who go...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings Scheme Bill: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Dec 2022)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: I noted a similar concern to that outlined by the Chair. Let us take hospitality for example. If the age limit of 23 is retained, there will be an incentive to employers to employ people under the age of 23 because it will be cheaper. They will not have that contribution to make. I want to examine the figures in the context of people in full-time education or employment in those age...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings Scheme Bill: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Dec 2022)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: We have to figure out whether that means they are in full-time employment-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings Scheme Bill: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Dec 2022)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: Just looking at that, this longitudinal research probably has not been done. As I said earlier, if we are saying that people are in college until the age of 23, we will expect a decent proportion of them to enter higher-paid work, probably into an occupational pension, or to an income point where they will say that the 40% tax relief is going to be a lot more advantageous to them than...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Energy Prices (13 Dec 2022)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: Proving that patience is a virtue, Deputy Leddin has been reached for Question No. 72.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: EU Directives (13 Dec 2022)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: I have 11 and a half minutes left on the clock and two Deputies who have waited very long and very late. If we can be a little economical with our time, we will see if we can reach both of those questions.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Energy Prices (13 Dec 2022)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: This question will be introduced by Deputy Carroll MacNeill.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Management (13 Dec 2022)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: 358. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the board of management of a school (details supplied) that was established as a regional school solution for two school planning areas has the authority to alter the school's catchment area boundary; if not, if that catchment area boundary must remain as the boundary of the relevant school planning areas; and if she will make a statement...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Disability Services (8 Dec 2022)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: 11. To ask the Minister for Health the steps that his Department is taking to address the barriers to the recruitment of occupational therapists into the HSE, particularly to address the delays in the provision of handwriting assessments for children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61337/22]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Disability Services (8 Dec 2022)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: I will start with a specific question and then broaden the discussion out. The specific question is on the issue of handwriting assessments, and the broader issue concerns occupational therapy. I ask the Minister the steps his Department is taking to address the barriers to the recruitment of occupational therapists into the HSE, and particularly to address the delays in the provision of...