Results 2,961-2,980 of 74,100 for speaker:Bernard Durkan

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Data (23 Jan 2024)

Bernard Durkan: 167. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the extent to which the Air Corps and the Naval Service continue to cooperate in air/sea rescue missions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3038/24]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Rebates (23 Jan 2024)

Bernard Durkan: 212. To ask the Minister for Finance if a person (details supplied), whose one parent family payment ceased on 23 December 2023, is still paying emergency tax in their current employment; if any moneys due to the person can issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2587/24]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (23 Jan 2024)

Bernard Durkan: 374. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the extent of required social welfare contributions to qualify for ophthalmic benefit in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2352/24]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (23 Jan 2024)

Bernard Durkan: 386. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the progress to date in determination of appeal for carers allowance in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2534/24]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (23 Jan 2024)

Bernard Durkan: 388. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the progress to date in the determination of an application for full payment of disability allowance in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2567/24]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Applications (23 Jan 2024)

Bernard Durkan: 422. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the current and expected position in relation to his application for naturalisation in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2447/24]

Social Welfare (Liable Relatives and Child Maintenance) Bill 2023: Second Stage (18 Jan 2024)

Bernard Durkan: Just a part of it, not all of it.

Social Welfare (Liable Relatives and Child Maintenance) Bill 2023: Second Stage (18 Jan 2024)

Bernard Durkan: I welcome this particularly important legislation. I just want to make a few comments on the opinions expressed by the previous speaker in respect of a report that was published recently by Oxfam. The Deputy did not quote the whole conclusion. The conclusion was the same as it was nearly 50 years ago to the effect that 80% of the wealth was owned by 10% of the population. It then went on...

Social Welfare (Liable Relatives and Child Maintenance) Bill 2023: Second Stage (18 Jan 2024)

Bernard Durkan: -----and with which I strongly disagreed. Those who called for this tax haven to be stopped said nothing at all when we needed - in the worst way possible - everything we had after the financial crash and following and during Covid. When people quote from these situations, it is a good thing to tell the whole story so as not to confuse the public. Sometimes the public does get confused and...

Social Welfare (Liable Relatives and Child Maintenance) Bill 2023: Second Stage (18 Jan 2024)

Bernard Durkan: I know. It was a few years ago but it will not happen again. I welcome the legislation. Contrary to what Members opposite have said. this is not the first time we have visited this type of situation, as the Minister and the Ceann Comhairle well know. We remedied this particular problem many years ago to a certain extent when the courts made a decision in situations where there was a...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Jan 2024)

Bernard Durkan: In the past two years, I have had occasion to raise on numerous occasions the question of family law and its application in this country, and the manner in which it continues to separate children from their parents, fathers and mothers, more especially mothers, by way of the use of the parental alienation theory, which is not a law, just a theory. The abuse continues with obvious...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Third Level Education (18 Jan 2024)

Bernard Durkan: I thank the Minister again. I will follow up by saying it is obvious the degree of consultation he referred to is taking place, but the demand is increasing as well in the form of the need to fill spaces throughout industry. The manufacturers and the employers are facing competition at international level and for us to fill those spaces we need to have the places in college or...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Third Level Education (18 Jan 2024)

Bernard Durkan: 79. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which he and his Department continue to make extra third level places available by whatever means to ensure that this country’s competence in the technical areas remains at the highest possible level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1821/24]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Third Level Education (18 Jan 2024)

Bernard Durkan: This is a question I have put down on many occasions in the past. I want to ensure that we continue to be alert to the fact that there is huge demand, competition and expectation of competence in the technical and apprenticeship areas. I congratulate the Minister on his tremendous work in that area on the one hand and we must ensure the work continues on the other.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Third Level Education (18 Jan 2024)

Bernard Durkan: I thank the Minister for his comprehensive reply. By way of a supplementary question, I ask the extent to which the Minister continues to liaise with industry to determine precisely the requirements in this area. I recognise that we face increased competition, not only across Europe but across the globe, in our ability to fill those technical spaces throughout industry.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: State Bodies (18 Jan 2024)

Bernard Durkan: I am taking this question on behalf of Deputy Bruton. This question seeks to obtain information regarding the membership of the commission on ageing and now the public will be expected to interact with it and, as a result, influence it.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: State Bodies (18 Jan 2024)

Bernard Durkan: I thank the Minister of State for her detailed reply. We are all conscious of the fact that as people get older they require a greater level of services and better or improved services, and this changes too as time goes by. Has the membership of the commission been determined and, if so, who are those members? In respect of their interaction with the community, how will a means be found to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: State Bodies (18 Jan 2024)

Bernard Durkan: Given we have a longer life expectancy now, and the information the Minister of State gave us in this regard is welcome, we must be conscious that some people now carry on work until an older age than they did in the past, and rightly so. In fact, the classic example is the need to recruit people who have experience and are available to continue at work. These are all welcome. There is,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: State Bodies (18 Jan 2024)

Bernard Durkan: I thank the Minister of State.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Medicinal Products (18 Jan 2024)

Bernard Durkan: Regarding the urgency in respect of the availability of certain medicines, new medicines in particular, in this country should a safety assessment now be carried out in addition to the general European safety assessment or does the State go along with it?