Results 2,981-3,000 of 5,732 for speaker:Fidelma Healy Eames

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2011)

Fidelma Healy Eames: I see that, but will it affect anybody at the moment?

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2011)

Fidelma Healy Eames: That was my question because notice is important in terms of preparation, particularly around the Christmas period with the extra spending and so on.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2011)

Fidelma Healy Eames: That is not in this section.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2011)

Fidelma Healy Eames: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2011)

Fidelma Healy Eames: On a point of order, the debate is not on section 7. It does not belong.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2011)

Fidelma Healy Eames: The Senator opposite could have been gracious.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2011)

Fidelma Healy Eames: That solves the problem.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Dec 2011)

Fidelma Healy Eames: It is important that we use this session to unpick the Social Welfare Bill. That is our job and there is no need for charges to be levelled by either side of the House. Let me get to the nitty-gritty of the issue. If a person is receiving a pension or benefit, for example, carer's allowance or invalidity benefit of approximately €200 a week, and his or her spouse is earning €400, the...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Dec 2011)

Fidelma Healy Eames: Why not?

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Dec 2011)

Fidelma Healy Eames: I will reserve most of my comments for the debate on the various sections. The Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Joan Burton, had a rotten job but someone had to do it.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Dec 2011)

Fidelma Healy Eames: I mean it in the sense that——

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Dec 2011)

Fidelma Healy Eames: I would like to say a few words, if I may.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Dec 2011)

Fidelma Healy Eames: It is a difficult job, but I will hang on to what the Minister said recently, namely, that she wanted to steer the Department of Social Protection towards a culture of enablement. That is a fine principle, one I would like to see us have. As such, we need to take practical steps to achieve it. Given the criticism levelled at the Bill, it might have been easier for the Minister to cut every...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Dec 2011)

Fidelma Healy Eames: My concern was very like that of the Opposition initially. I was looking at this as disability as opposed to disablement. I now know that is not the case. Is there a reference or guide to body parts which if lost——

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Dec 2011)

Fidelma Healy Eames: I do not claim to know much about it. I am happy with the clarifications, particularly those offered by my colleague, Senator Moloney. On that basis I am happy to support the measure.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Dec 2011)

Fidelma Healy Eames: That would be terrible.

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Dec 2011)

Fidelma Healy Eames: I will respond to the previous comment made by Senator Cullinane. DEIS is a new and wider classification for disadvantaged schools that followed the giving children an even break programme. I would welcome a clarification in this regard from the Minister, Deputy Quinn, to whom my second item this morning also pertains. In the previous Oireachtas Joint Committee on Education and Science,...

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Dec 2011)

Fidelma Healy Eames: That is true.

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Dec 2011)

Fidelma Healy Eames: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Garda Stations (14 Dec 2011)

Fidelma Healy Eames: I welcome the Minister for Justice and Equality to the House. It is not too often that I have the opportunity to address him, but on this occasion I am asking him to explain the rationale for the proposed closure of Corrandulla Garda barracks in County Galway, and how the area will be serviced, should the closure go ahead. The closure of 31 Garda stations was announced on 5 December 2011,...