Results 241-260 of 6,136 for speaker:Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh (Atógáil) - Priority Questions (Resumed): Social Welfare Appeals (24 Sep 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Does the Department of Social Protection use, or has it used in the past, test or sample cases when making decisions on individual applications or appeals?

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh (Atógáil) - Priority Questions (Resumed): Social Welfare Appeals (24 Sep 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: The Minister spoke about the policy as it is now. In the social welfare appeals office decision 2022476, which is dated 20 January 2023, the appeals officer states that while test cases may have been used in the past, they were used in very specific and limited circumstances. That is not terribly long ago - it is about a year and a half ago. While the Department may not currently be using...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Eligibility (24 Sep 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: The calculations the Minister has provided are quite considerable. What is the basis on which she is calculating the additional inflow? How much of an additional inflow would we be talking about for both the €800 million scenario and the €2 billion scenario? What is the kind of inflow that we would be looking at, according to her calculations?

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh (Atógáil) - Priority Questions (Resumed): Social Welfare Appeals (24 Sep 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 1. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection regarding correspondence she has received in the matter of a social welfare appeals office decision (details supplied), which decision was based on information that was subsequently found to be incorrect, whether she intends to set aside the decision on this case or seek a judicial review; and if she will make a statement on...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh (Atógáil) - Priority Questions (Resumed): Social Welfare Appeals (24 Sep 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: The Minister will be familiar with this case. Mr. Matt McGranaghan is a musician. He successfully took a case to the scope section in respect of his status as being self-employed or not being self-employed. An appeal was lodged and it was successful. That found against Mr. McGranaghan, but subsequently, according to the Workplace Relations Commission, there were several examples of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Benefits (24 Sep 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I thank the Minister. I do not have a whole lot to add at this time. During the process associated with the Green Paper, I never questioned the bona fides of the Department or its officials. It included a lot of well-motivated proposals. However, some of the concerns people had were well grounded, including those reflecting challenges that have arisen in other jurisdictions. It was the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Benefits (24 Sep 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 19. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection whether she intends to examine a cost of disability payment; if she intends to introduce reforms to the disability payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37678/24]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Benefits (24 Sep 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I will keep it short and sweet. We had a lot of discussion about the Green Paper and all that went with it. The Minister correctly identified that there were shortcomings in the approach outlined, however well intentioned. However, there is a cost to disability that has long been identified in various reports. We need to come back to how that can be addressed. How does the Minister now...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Code (24 Sep 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 17. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the terms of the widow's or widower's pension, particularly in respect of non-married or co-habiting couples, and the judgment of the Supreme Court on 22 January 2024; the expected timeline in terms of the legislative changes that are required in respect of this decision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37682/24]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Code (24 Sep 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: The Minister will be familiar with the issue of the widow's and widower's pension. There was a Supreme Court decision in January this year. On 18 June, the Minister said it was her intention to enact legislation before the Dáil recess and that a small amendment was required. That has not happened. I am looking for an update on the extension of the pension payment to non-married and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Code (24 Sep 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: A substantial number of people are affected by this. There are 150,000 cohabiting couples in the State, 75,000 of whom have children. There are a number of questions. Treoir is one organisation which is raising these issues and the questions are as yet unsettled and require clarification. I hope it will be possible to get clarification on that. I will be able to come in again in a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Code (24 Sep 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: We do not have legislation yet; we have a general scheme. If we can get a better sense of when the legislation will come forward, that would be welcome. I appreciate that there are some technical details to be worked out, but the primary issue is which families will be eligible and how long people need to be cohabiting before they are entitled to the payment. If the Minister can answer...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Emergency Accommodation (24 Sep 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: This has been brought to my attention by Good Shepherd Cork, a charity based in Cork and one the Minister of State will be familiar with, that runs shelters such as Edel House, Shanaway House, and others. The issue primarily arises with children as it impacts on their ability to access school and other services. The emergency accommodation could be located far away and might not be...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Emergency Accommodation (24 Sep 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I am not convinced by that. Will the Minister of State and his departmental officials meet with Good Shepherd Cork to explore the matter? The service supports families whose children have missed between 50 and 70 school days in an academic year. We have had debates on homelessness and talked about children doing their homework on a hotel bed or in a family hub. These are very challenging...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Emergency Accommodation (24 Sep 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: People are going to be dispersed and they may be isolated. Surely something more flexible is needed.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Emergency Accommodation (24 Sep 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Will the Minister of State or the officials meet with Good Shepherd Cork?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Emergency Accommodation (24 Sep 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: The Minister of State might take back the request for a meeting to the Department.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Emergency Accommodation (24 Sep 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 13. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the supports in place in terms of free travel access for people currently living in emergency accommodation. [37681/24]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Emergency Accommodation (24 Sep 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Emergency accommodation is an issue that has been brought up with me by a number of groups. There are pilot programmes running in some areas of the country through which people who are living in emergency accommodation are able to get free travel. Very often, they are provided accommodation that is very far from areas where there might be schools, etc. It is a significant constraint on...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (24 Sep 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 3. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection whether there is any potential for her Department to coordinate with other agencies to inquire as to the welfare of a person after lengthy non-collection of payments. [37676/24]