Results 3,001-3,020 of 12,619 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Poverty Data (3 May 2017)

Willie O'Dea: 197. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if his Department has conducted an analysis of the reason the latest Survey on Income and Living Conditions, SILC, figures show an increase in poverty and deprivation for persons not at work due to an illness and/or a disability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21067/17]

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Fraud Data (3 May 2017)

Willie O'Dea: 198. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the expenditure on the campaign 'Welfare Cheats Cheat Us All' launched by his Department, including the expenditure on advertising, including online, print and broadcast advertising and the national poster campaign; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21068/17]

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Fraud Data (3 May 2017)

Willie O'Dea: 199. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the way in which anti-fraud measures saved his Department over €500 million in 2016; the areas in which savings were made, the payments or schemes where savings were made due to these measures and the savings made in each of these payments or schemes; if any of the €500 million was saved as a result of recouping overpayments made by...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Family Income Supplement Applications (2 May 2017)

Willie O'Dea: 529. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the status of an application by a person (details supplied) for family income supplement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19395/17]

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Family Income Supplement Payments (12 Apr 2017)

Willie O'Dea: 203. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if his attention has been drawn to the fact that when a person is no longer in receipt of part-time job incentive, this payment is still taken into account when calculating a family income settlement, FIS, payment; if he will intervene in this matter in order that a person can receive the correct entitlement to family income supplement; and if he...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Commemorative Events (12 Apr 2017)

Willie O'Dea: 372. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will give consideration to providing retired Defence Forces personnel with the 1916 centenary commemorative medal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18463/17]

Other Questions: Employment Support Services (11 Apr 2017)

Willie O'Dea: 48. To ask the Minister for Social Protection his views on the concerns that have been expressed regarding the moves towards increasingly using for-profit companies as opposed to not-for-profit companies for services such as employment activation services and the local employment service, his further views on the impact that this is having on the community and voluntary sector and if he will...

Other Questions: Employment Support Services (11 Apr 2017)

Willie O'Dea: As the Minister is aware, the move towards using private for-profit companies to deliver employment activation services and local employment services, which were previously delivered by the State and the voluntary sector, has caused a number of concerns. Is the Minister aware of these concerns and what action is being taken?

Other Questions: Employment Support Services (11 Apr 2017)

Willie O'Dea: I understand the Minister's rationale. These jobs were previously done by the community and voluntary sector and the State. One could get the figures regarding the number of jobseekers per case officer etc., if one expanded the State's resources. Is it more cost-efficient to bring those private companies on board? Is it a cost saving measure? Is the Minister aware of a number of...

Other Questions: Employment Support Services (11 Apr 2017)

Willie O'Dea: I take the Minister's point but has analysis been done or is any planned regarding the impact of those reforms? Is there any independent evidence as yet that they represent the best outcomes for the State and the individual?

Other Questions: Social Insurance (11 Apr 2017)

Willie O'Dea: First, will the Minister reiterate the figures? It is €1.5 million this year for the introduction of invalidity pension for the self-employed in December. I think he mentioned €23 million next year and then €28 million. He might clarify that. I appreciate the fact that, for the first time, the self-employed will benefit by way of getting invalidity pension without a...

Other Questions: Social Insurance (11 Apr 2017)

Willie O'Dea: Will the Minister consider extending eligibility to self-employed people who will be in receipt of illness benefit on a short-term basis, perhaps after December 2017? Many of them are not permanently incapacitated and therefore would not qualify for invalidity pension on those grounds. However, they are temporarily incapacitated and if such a person's spouse happens to be working, he or she...

Other Questions: Social Insurance (11 Apr 2017)

Willie O'Dea: 46. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the social insurance measures that are to be introduced in December 2017 for the self employed; the type of benefits that will be included; the amount which has been allocated for this extension; the estimated full year cost of the measures that are due to come into effect in December 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17858/17]

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Labour Activation Measures (11 Apr 2017)

Willie O'Dea: 38. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons who have been subject to sanctions and penalties for non-engagement with employment and activation schemes or measures from 2014 to 2016, inclusive, and to date in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18240/17]

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Labour Activation Measures (11 Apr 2017)

Willie O'Dea: The question is self-explanatory. I am concerned about the connection between the activation systems that are in place and compulsion. Rather than having a link between both, they appear to be two sides of the same coin. That is the reason I asked for the figures.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Labour Activation Measures (11 Apr 2017)

Willie O'Dea: The figures available to me indicate that in 2011, 359 people were subject to sanctions and penalties for non-engagement with employment and activation schemes. That trebled to 1,519 in 2012, it reached almost 3,400 in 2013, 5,325 in 2014, 6,743 in 2015 and from January to December 2016 it rose to 10,428. That is an increase of 2,300% in five years. All of this has happened while...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Labour Activation Measures (11 Apr 2017)

Willie O'Dea: It might only be a small percentage of the overall number of jobseekers, but the numbers have still increased quite dramatically. It is a sword of Damocles that hangs over the head of every jobseeker in the country. Has the Minister carried out an assessment of the impact the sanctions have on compliance and employment? Has he assessed the quality and sustainability of the type of...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Citizen Information Services (11 Apr 2017)

Willie O'Dea: I agree with the Minister. We do not need a board in every parish in the country. We do not need 93 separate boards. Both organisations have told me that. They have stated that publicly. We are all on the one page in that regard. The Minister states he is establishing a restructuring implementation committee. On the decision on 15 February last to go ahead with this restructuring,...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Citizen Information Services (11 Apr 2017)

Willie O'Dea: 36. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the future of the Money Advice & Budgeting Service and the Citizens Information service in view of a motion in Dáil Éireann requesting the restructuring of these services be halted to allow for meaningful engagement on this issue from all relevant stakeholders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18239/17]

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Citizen Information Services (11 Apr 2017)

Willie O'Dea: As the Minister will be aware, we debated a motion in the Dáil recently on the question of citizens information centres and MABS. I just want to ascertain what the position is now.