Results 3,061-3,080 of 16,478 for speaker:Tommy Broughan

Social Welfare Bill 2017: Report and Final Stages (6 Dec 2017)

Tommy Broughan: This very day I was talking to a senior constituent. For a good part of the day he wears his coat at home and tries to conserve energy as much as possible. We had some recent reports on energy cost in Ireland - I realise it is not directly the area of responsibility of the Minister of State. We seem to be coming out as the second highest in the OECD. The level of energy costs is...

Social Welfare Bill 2017: Report and Final Stages (6 Dec 2017)

Tommy Broughan: I will be brief. I strongly support the amendment. We have been talking about discrimination against a cohort of citizens most of the evening in terms of women and pensioners. Even after the budget, the 18 to 24 years cohort just receive €107.70 and that is most discriminatory. The policy should be reconsidered. For example, more than 700 young people who are signing on at the two...

Social Welfare Bill 2017: Report and Final Stages (6 Dec 2017)

Tommy Broughan: I warmly support the amendment tabled by Deputy O'Dea. This relates closely to the earlier discussion about exceptional needs payments. The explanation at the time was that undertakers' fees, etc., were being inflated because families were getting this support. It was helpful to families who had very little savings down through the years. As Deputy O'Dea said, people have to scramble...

Social Welfare Bill 2017: Report and Final Stages (6 Dec 2017)

Tommy Broughan: The Minister, Deputy Regina Doherty, went out to battle on RTÉ's nine o'clock news programme in the run-up to the budget for additional resources and she did not really deliver so I am also a bit suspicious. I do not have the honour of being on the social protection committee but I used to ask the current Taoiseach, Deputy Varadkar, about this issue a lot when he was the relevant...

Social Welfare Bill 2017: Report and Final Stages (6 Dec 2017)

Tommy Broughan: I will move amendment No. 14 when I get a chance. It calls for urgent action and a report on this incredible injustice that was done to a major cohort of our citizens in the 2012 budget when there was a change from four to six bands. This was based primarily on financial grounds, with the supporting documentation projecting so-called savings of approximately €45 million over a number...

Social Welfare Bill 2017: Report and Final Stages (6 Dec 2017)

Tommy Broughan: I have done precisely that without success. That is the reason I tabled the amendment. The Minister, Deputy Regina Doherty, told me, when I raised it with her on 7 November, as the Minister of State has repeated here, that the legislation does not confer a statutory right or entitlement and that, "The principal consideration in making a payment under the ENP scheme is to address a...

Social Welfare Bill 2017: Report and Final Stages (6 Dec 2017)

Tommy Broughan: I move amendment No. 3:In page 11, between lines 4 and 5, to insert the following:“Exceptional Needs Payment 15. Section 201 of the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act 2005 is amended by the insertion of "which is not necessarily unforeseen" after "to meet an exceptional need".". As the Minister of State will be aware, the exceptional needs payment fulfils a very important role in...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Assessment Report: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (6 Dec 2017)

Tommy Broughan: I welcome the witnesses from IFAC. In the context of recent figures on income tax and unemployment generally, did Mr. Coffey find it disappointing that there seems to be a fall in income tax in spite of coming close to full employment? I say that in light of the fact that Mr. Coffey has always been giving us the clear message that broadening the tax base is critical.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Assessment Report: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (6 Dec 2017)

Tommy Broughan: On the previous occasion, Mr. Coffey responded to a question from my colleague, Deputy Calleary, on Brexit and European corporate tax changes. He seemed to regard the tax change as a greater threat because of our huge dependence on this single area of taxation. Has he changed his views on that?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Assessment Report: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (6 Dec 2017)

Tommy Broughan: Mr. Coffey talked about a credible medium-term plan but it is credible in his terms. We get very frustrated about what every citizen can see is a dysfunctional housing market and then one is talking, among other things, about overheating, credible plans and the rainy day fund. Is Mr. Coffey taking into account the fact that here is a huge chunk of our economic activity which is...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Assessment Report: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (6 Dec 2017)

Tommy Broughan: I thank Mr. Coffey.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Assessment Report: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (6 Dec 2017)

Tommy Broughan: In its document the council makes a profound criticism of the commonly agreed methodology, CAM, saying the production function is flawed, and gross domestic product, GDP, gross national income, GNI*, and so on. Has the council put forward a credible alternative methodology that could be produced side by side by the Department of Finance to give us less pro-cyclical and more medium-term...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (6 Dec 2017)

Tommy Broughan: 79. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the way in which students with dyspraxia development co-ordination disorder are supported in classrooms in primary, secondary and third level institutions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51816/17]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Data (6 Dec 2017)

Tommy Broughan: 92. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of passports and passport cards issued in each month to date in 2017; the amount raised from the issuing of these passports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52127/17]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Minor Works Scheme Applications (6 Dec 2017)

Tommy Broughan: 119. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when the minor works grant will be issued to national schools in the Dublin north bay area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52145/17]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (6 Dec 2017)

Tommy Broughan: 120. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when the permanent school building for a school (details supplied) will begin construction; the timeframe for completion of the school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52147/17]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Trade Missions Participation (6 Dec 2017)

Tommy Broughan: 200. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will report on his recent trade mission to the Far East; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52128/17]

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Ministerial Meetings (6 Dec 2017)

Tommy Broughan: 211. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will report on when he last met the CEO and chairperson of a station (details supplied); the issues discussed; when he will next meet the CEO and chairperson ; if he will report on when he last met the Director General and Chairperson of RTÉ; the issues discussed; when the next meeting is planned for; and...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Homeless Persons Supports (6 Dec 2017)

Tommy Broughan: 235. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 47 of 28 November 2017, if she will report to Dáil Éireann on the findings of the study co-funded by her Department on food access and nutritional health among families living in hotel accommodation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52160/17]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Expenditure (6 Dec 2017)

Tommy Broughan: 240. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated daily cost of rent supplement payments in 2018; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52155/17]