Results 2,481-2,500 of 3,444 for speaker:Shane Cassells

Public Accounts Committee: Comptroller and Auditor General 2016 Report
Chapter 16: Regularity of Social Welfare Payments
Chapter 17: Management of Social Welfare Overpayments
Chapter 18: Department Reviews of welfare Schemes, Social Welfare Appeals Process, Social Insurance Fund (7 Dec 2017)

Shane Cassells: Then it is a matter of trying to extrapolate, first, what this is based on and, second, if there are no proper reviews in place, how the Department can make a determination that there is fraudulent behaviour. The Department is giving the benefit of the doubt to the applicant that there is not extensive fraudulent behaviour. I am just saying, regarding making sure there is-----

Public Accounts Committee: Comptroller and Auditor General 2016 Report
Chapter 16: Regularity of Social Welfare Payments
Chapter 17: Management of Social Welfare Overpayments
Chapter 18: Department Reviews of welfare Schemes, Social Welfare Appeals Process, Social Insurance Fund (7 Dec 2017)

Shane Cassells: Why would the Department embark on the campaign that the Taoiseach led if Mr. McKeon, as Secretary General of the Department, says there is not extensive fraud? He cannot blame this on the red top media, which, by the way, is not a correct term, and say the tabloid media is driving it if the very Minister heading up the Department embarked on a campaign as well.

Public Accounts Committee: Comptroller and Auditor General 2016 Report
Chapter 16: Regularity of Social Welfare Payments
Chapter 17: Management of Social Welfare Overpayments
Chapter 18: Department Reviews of welfare Schemes, Social Welfare Appeals Process, Social Insurance Fund (7 Dec 2017)

Shane Cassells: Can Mr. McKeon explain the variation in the overpayments in respect of disability allowance?

Public Accounts Committee: Comptroller and Auditor General 2016 Report
Chapter 16: Regularity of Social Welfare Payments
Chapter 17: Management of Social Welfare Overpayments
Chapter 18: Department Reviews of welfare Schemes, Social Welfare Appeals Process, Social Insurance Fund (7 Dec 2017)

Shane Cassells: Yes.

Public Accounts Committee: Comptroller and Auditor General 2016 Report
Chapter 16: Regularity of Social Welfare Payments
Chapter 17: Management of Social Welfare Overpayments
Chapter 18: Department Reviews of welfare Schemes, Social Welfare Appeals Process, Social Insurance Fund (7 Dec 2017)

Shane Cassells: Yes.

Public Accounts Committee: Comptroller and Auditor General 2016 Report
Chapter 16: Regularity of Social Welfare Payments
Chapter 17: Management of Social Welfare Overpayments
Chapter 18: Department Reviews of welfare Schemes, Social Welfare Appeals Process, Social Insurance Fund (7 Dec 2017)

Shane Cassells: Will the Secretary General account for the variations on the gross figures for the State pensions, non-contributory, at a cost of €19 million, and State pension, contributory, at a cost of €93 million? If there are issues pertaining to people claiming pensions, and I acknowledge the Comptroller and Auditor General referred in his report to the people who have been jailed for...

Public Accounts Committee: Comptroller and Auditor General 2016 Report
Chapter 16: Regularity of Social Welfare Payments
Chapter 17: Management of Social Welfare Overpayments
Chapter 18: Department Reviews of welfare Schemes, Social Welfare Appeals Process, Social Insurance Fund (7 Dec 2017)

Shane Cassells: Mr. McKeon is reiterating as the Secretary General for the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection that there is not an extensive level of fraudulent level in the country.

Public Accounts Committee: Comptroller and Auditor General 2016 Report
Chapter 16: Regularity of Social Welfare Payments
Chapter 17: Management of Social Welfare Overpayments
Chapter 18: Department Reviews of welfare Schemes, Social Welfare Appeals Process, Social Insurance Fund (7 Dec 2017)

Shane Cassells: In fairness, it was the Department for Employment Affairs and Social Protection that effectively sensationalised it by the engagement process. Mr. McKeon is saying one thing on one hand and one on another.

Public Accounts Committee: Comptroller and Auditor General 2016 Report
Chapter 16: Regularity of Social Welfare Payments
Chapter 17: Management of Social Welfare Overpayments
Chapter 18: Department Reviews of welfare Schemes, Social Welfare Appeals Process, Social Insurance Fund (7 Dec 2017)

Shane Cassells: There was a fourth element that was discussed in this committee, which is that it potentially leads to the stigmatisation of those in receipt of payments as well in terms of reinforcing a position in society. Mr. McKeon said in his opening statement the Department was trying to move from the stigmatisation of destitution to an essential component of welfare but in fact it had the converse...

Public Accounts Committee: Comptroller and Auditor General 2016 Report
Chapter 16: Regularity of Social Welfare Payments
Chapter 17: Management of Social Welfare Overpayments
Chapter 18: Department Reviews of welfare Schemes, Social Welfare Appeals Process, Social Insurance Fund (7 Dec 2017)

Shane Cassells: What was the total cost of it?

Public Accounts Committee: Comptroller and Auditor General 2016 Report
Chapter 16: Regularity of Social Welfare Payments
Chapter 17: Management of Social Welfare Overpayments
Chapter 18: Department Reviews of welfare Schemes, Social Welfare Appeals Process, Social Insurance Fund (7 Dec 2017)

Shane Cassells: On the recovery of overpayments, and write offs, a total of almost €3 million was written off in 2016, which is a substantial sum. Will Mr. McKeon deal with the analysis by the Comptroller and Auditor General in terms of the processes for recovering overpayments? There were a number of significant amounts that have not been recovered. I note that Mr. McKeon says many were in the...

Public Accounts Committee: Comptroller and Auditor General 2016 Report
Chapter 16: Regularity of Social Welfare Payments
Chapter 17: Management of Social Welfare Overpayments
Chapter 18: Department Reviews of welfare Schemes, Social Welfare Appeals Process, Social Insurance Fund (7 Dec 2017)

Shane Cassells: In 162 cases, there were €149,000

Public Accounts Committee: Comptroller and Auditor General 2016 Report
Chapter 16: Regularity of Social Welfare Payments
Chapter 17: Management of Social Welfare Overpayments
Chapter 18: Department Reviews of welfare Schemes, Social Welfare Appeals Process, Social Insurance Fund (7 Dec 2017)

Shane Cassells: I regret that I do not have the page reference in front of me. Could Mr. McKeon touch on that point in terms of the amount of money that was written off in 2016 of nearly €3 million.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Government Reform (7 Dec 2017)

Shane Cassells: 24. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if plans have been drawn up or considered to reinstate certain former borough and town councils; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52276/17]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Funding (7 Dec 2017)

Shane Cassells: 37. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his views on expressions of concern by a group (details supplied) at a hearing of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government on the underfunding of local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52277/17]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Minor Works Scheme Applications (6 Dec 2017)

Shane Cassells: 124. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when the minor works grant will be paid to a school (details supplied) in County Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52246/17]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Minor Works Scheme Applications (6 Dec 2017)

Shane Cassells: 125. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason for the delay in schools receiving the minor works grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52247/17]

Other Questions: Garda Deployment (5 Dec 2017)

Shane Cassells: 44. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí in each Garda station in County Meath as of 1 November 2017; the number of community gardaí in the division; and the number of Garda Reserve members and new recruits assigned to the division since recruitment resumed in 2014. [51660/17]

Other Questions: Garda Deployment (5 Dec 2017)

Shane Cassells: My question is in the same vein as that of Deputy Eugene Murphy, except that I am seeking data in regard to County Meath. I make no apologies for pressing the case for my county, because I see the pressure the division is under. This year, for example, the chief superintendent has had to pull the traffic corps from the north of the county and apply it in places like Ashbourne because of the...

Other Questions: Garda Deployment (5 Dec 2017)

Shane Cassells: I thank the Minister for his response. This is the third occasion in the past month on which I have raised directly with him the issue of garda numbers and crime-related matters in County Meath. I fully appreciate that in our earlier exchanges, the Minister dealt with the macro issue of Garda resources on a national level. I will continue, however, to press the case for Meath for the...