Results 241-260 of 327 for long speaker:Joan Collins

Topical Issue Debate: Homeless Persons Supports (20 Jan 2015)

Joan Collins: ...the additional beds that were provided - this is the area on which Members and the homeless services must focus, namely, the question of how to work with those 70 people and possibly get them either into long-term accommodation or into an area in which they feel safe. I again ask the Minister of State whether the issue of setting up single-room accommodation has been raised in respect of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Funding (9 Dec 2014)

Joan Collins: ...been drawn to the fact that Sligo County Council has been incurring revenue deficits over the past six years and that the cumulative revenue debt now stands at €19.67 million while the council's long-term debt is in excess of €120 million; if his Department has received the council's long-term financial plan which the Department asked to be submitted on or before 24 January...

Social Welfare Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2014)

Joan Collins: ...who had cash last weekend would have been trying to get the Christmas presents for cheaper prices, rather than waiting to face the full cost of gifts, and trying to put food on the table. These amendments would go a long way towards looking at why that transfer of wealth is happening and how to tackle it. I assume the Tánaiste, wearing her Labour Party hat, would have to support...

Social Welfare Bill 2014: Instruction to Committee (3 Dec 2014)

Joan Collins: ...this support so it is difficult to grasp how changes can impact on people's lives. This discussion is on the legitimate expectations men and women have regarding pensions that were paid for over a long period. These people have discovered that problems with legislation mean they are not protected when a pension scheme collapses and in such circumstances they end up out of kilter and...

Topical Issue Debate: Homeless Accommodation Provision (2 Dec 2014)

Joan Collins: ...we can do in Dublin must be done around the country where similar supports are needed. The Minister was correct in saying that 248 homeless people from the homeless list were provided with long-term accommodation, but the numbers of homeless are rising. Once people cannot pay the rents demanded by rack-renting landlords, we will see more people on the streets. This must be stopped. The...

Human Rights Budgeting: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (26 Nov 2014)

Joan Collins: ...but any health professional knows that the rate of attrition would be well below the current levels if it were not attacking people who live just above starvation in a country with a non-existent health service. As long as we tolerate this system and fail to consider that there are alternatives, these problems will persist. Inequality, unfairness and injustice, like poverty, will...

Mortgage Arrears: Motion [Private Members] (4 Nov 2014)

Joan Collins: ...of people with mortgage arrears of over 90 days and excludes buy-to-let properties. I note that the Government amendment makes a point about the reduction in the numbers of those with mortgage arrears of more than 90 days but the long-term arrears figures went up significantly. This category has increased quarter upon quarter every quarter and now contains 37,000 people, each with an...

Leaders' Questions (23 Oct 2014)

Joan Collins: ...in Crumlin hospital. I do not know what these additional resources would cost but it would hardly break the HSE, compared with the health costs for the families and their children. This issue has been going on for too long under the radar. The families involved have stated they tried to raise this issue with the HSE but are not they getting back concrete replies. Will the Tánaiste...

Financial Resolutions 2015 - Budget Statement 2015 (14 Oct 2014)

Joan Collins: ...and tax cuts is contained in the budget. More than €30 billion has been taken out of the economy, people's pockets and essential services over the past six years and seven budgets. There is a long way to go to repair the impact the savagery has exacted on the economy, social services, jobs and people's lives. I want to give three examples of previous budgets. The first budget...

Direct Provision for Asylum Seekers: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (1 Oct 2014)

Joan Collins: ...application will be dealt with. In some ways it can be compared to internment without trial because people are in a situation where they do not know when their application will be processed or how long they will have to wait. It is like asking how long is a piece of string. They just do not know what is going to happen, and their children are in that situation as well. These...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Long-Term Illness Scheme Coverage (15 Jul 2014)

Joan Collins: 634. To ask the Minister for Health if a condition will be included in the review of the long-term illness scheme (details supplied). [30946/14]

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Missing Persons Hotline (15 Jul 2014)

Joan Collins: 831. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in view of the uncertainty of funding for the new family and child service, if he will confirm that long-term funding for the 116000 service will not be affected and will remain in place. [31552/14]

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (19 Jun 2014)

Joan Collins: The Minister of State said in a statement:This commitment in the Programme for Government followed on-going concerns about the evolvement of rent supplement into a long-term housing support; which it was never designed to be. [Which it was never designed to be, but it was lining the pockets of the landlords for the past ten to 15 years.] It was also one of the key reforms announced in...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014: Report Stage (18 Jun 2014)

Joan Collins: It is not so long since we last discussed the same issues with the Minister. As other Deputies have said, there is a problem with the time allowed for tabling amendments. Larger parties have a greater ability to respond and table amendments quite quickly, but it is difficult for individual Deputies to do so because they do not have the staff to assist them that swiftly. When discussing...

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2014)

Joan Collins: Before the commencement of the debate on the Private Members' Bill, I stated that the rent allowance was supposed to be a short-term fix rather than a long-term solution. RAS was supposed to be short-term fix. The implementation of HAP, as regards what landlords will get it, is very much based on RAS where one can work when paying with rent allowance. The landlord will get the money...

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2014)

Joan Collins: ...tally out. It is important to check the scheme. The Minister of State says it is a short-term initiative to give people a home, but so were RAS and rent allowance. They were not permanent or long-term and very few of them provided the type of housing that was needed.

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2014)

Joan Collins: I support the amendment because the 18-month review is too long and it does not allow for an intervention from the State in a developing crisis of supply of rented accommodation now or over the next two to three years. As the Minister said, it is hoped this Government will be able to turn the situation around. I do not believe it is doing it fast enough and where there is a will, there is a...

Other Questions: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (17 Jun 2014)

Joan Collins: ...would allow people to move into accommodation immediately and meet some of the need that exists. Families are finding themselves out on the streets every single day of the week. There is a concern that the long-term homeless could be left behind because of the focus on trying to get families into homes. They have spent years waiting and campaigning for a roof over their heads. They...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014: Committee Stage (11 Jun 2014)

Joan Collins: ...by the Minister is not related to fraud but to errors and accidental overpayments. I was contacted recently by a person who collected his father's old age pension because his father has been ill for a long time. He has been going to the same post office, using ID that was signed by the police. He does not have a passport or driving licence. However, instructions have been sent to An...

Other Questions: Social Welfare Benefits Applications (10 Jun 2014)

Joan Collins: The Minister is probably aware of the long period of time it takes for the processing of claims for social welfare payments, particularly for people seeking a disability or invalidity allowance, whether they are agreed or refused. Almost everybody who comes to my office in regard to this problem has been waiting six, seven, eight or nine months or even longer for the claim to be dealt with....