Results 3,121-3,140 of 12,585 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Provision (1 Feb 2017)

Willie O'Dea: 172. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the agency or Government body which has oversight and responsibility for hospitality and tourism skills development policy here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4768/17]

Topical Issue Debate: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (31 Jan 2017)

Willie O'Dea: Will the Minister reply to my request for a meeting with the victims? Will he make them a-----

Topical Issue Debate: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (31 Jan 2017)

Willie O'Dea: Will the Minister meet them?

Topical Issue Debate: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (31 Jan 2017)

Willie O'Dea: I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me to raise this issue. I thank Deputy Paul Murphy for raising it also. We are here this evening to seek justice for the victims of sexual abuse in Creagh Lane primary school, Limerick city. That the abuse happened is undeniable. The perpetrator has been convicted by the criminal courts and put behind bars. The victims, who fought their case long...

Topical Issue Debate: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (31 Jan 2017)

Willie O'Dea: The Minister referred to an independent assessor to whom people can refer in the event of a disagreement between the claimant and the State Claims Agency. What precisely will be the role of this assessor? What is the point in the assessor if the State will not cover any of the liabilities? Who will cover them? Is the Minister telling us that he is not going to remove either of the two...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Claims Agency (31 Jan 2017)

Willie O'Dea: 162. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will change the terms under which the State Claims Agency is allowed to make ex gratia payments to the victims of school child sexual abuse, in view of the fact that these terms will preclude the majority of such victims from claiming any compensation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3765/17]

Nursing Home Support Scheme (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage [Private Members] (26 Jan 2017)

Willie O'Dea: Well, that might be the Ceann Comhairle's preference but it would not be mine.

Nursing Home Support Scheme (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage [Private Members] (26 Jan 2017)

Willie O'Dea: We may very well still be sitting on the 26 July but if we have adjourned in the meantime we must come back. We will certainly be demanding that because it is part of what is contained in the amendment we are agreeing this evening. I thank my Fianna Fáil colleagues for their outstanding contributions also, in case they thought I was forgetting about them. We have taken a first step...

Nursing Home Support Scheme (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage [Private Members] (26 Jan 2017)

Willie O'Dea: I thank all the Deputies who contributed today. It was remiss of me not to welcome Mr. Brendan Courtney to the Visitors Gallery and to compliment him on his outstanding documentary. Rarely have I seen a television programme that engendered such a public reaction, particularly in the Limerick area that I am familiar with. I am sure that has been replicated all over the country. He has...

Nursing Home Support Scheme (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage [Private Members] (26 Jan 2017)

Willie O'Dea: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." When talking about nursing home care and home care, we are talking about more than the elderly. Given that the elderly comprise such a large component of the people in receipt of such care, however, I will outline some statistics which demonstrate the magnitude of the problem we face. Ten years hence, it is estimated that there will be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Labour Activation Measures: Discussion (Resumed) (26 Jan 2017)

Willie O'Dea: I apologise to witnesses and the other members of the committee as I have an alternative appointment. I thank them for their presentations which were most interesting. I have read them and perhaps I can engage with the witnesses individually on the various points they have raised.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Future Funding of Domestic Water Services: Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government and Mr. Séamas Ó Tuathail, SC (25 Jan 2017)

Willie O'Dea: I note that during his submission, Mr. Ó Tuathail referred to the fears of Right2Water that Irish Water would be privatised. Those fears are not exclusive to Right2Water. I think everybody around this table from all parties and none all agree that Irish Water should be kept in public ownership. Fianna Fáil certainly agrees that this should be the case, which is why we were...

Other Questions: Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility (24 Jan 2017)

Willie O'Dea: I ask the Minister for clarification. I know the advisory committee on extending benefits to the self-employed recommended that they be extended in cases of illness but not where the business simply fails and that a self-employed person should be entitled to jobseeker's benefit. Did I hear the Minister say he intends to extend benefits in both directions? Businesses can fail because...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Pensions Reform (24 Jan 2017)

Willie O'Dea: 47. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if he will clarify recent comments he made in the media to establish a new SSIA-style universal scheme for private sector workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3028/17]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Pensions Reform (24 Jan 2017)

Willie O'Dea: This is as a result of a recent newspaper interview given by the Minister referring to the pressure that what we know as the old age pension system will come under due to the rapidly increasing elderly population. I merely want the Minister to elaborate on his ideas on how to deal with that.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Pensions Reform (24 Jan 2017)

Willie O'Dea: What the Minister is talking about is an auto-enrolment scheme where one will be opted in and one can opt out if one wishes. The Minister's calculation is that, if he starts at 1% extra per annum, it would eventually rise to 6% per annum to be matched by employers and the State. Is he talking about a situation where, ultimately, when this is in place, there will be 6% extra on the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Pensions Reform (24 Jan 2017)

Willie O'Dea: Does the Minister intend to start putting this system in place in time for the next budget and what sort of timescale does he envisage to have it completely in place? I accept this depends on political consensus and various other issues, but the Minister must have some sort of a timescale in mind. Does he intend to start at the next budget?

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defined Benefit Pension Schemes (24 Jan 2017)

Willie O'Dea: The Minister, in comparing the UK system with the Irish system, said that Deputy Penrose and I are trying to achieve something retrospectively. Everybody knows defined benefit pension schemes were in place in the UK before the relevant legislation was introduced, and its introduction did not have all the dire consequences the Minister has outlined today. The Minister's position seems to be...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defined Benefit Pension Schemes (24 Jan 2017)

Willie O'Dea: 45. To ask the Minister for Social Protection his views on the fact that a profitable company can close down a defined benefit pension scheme whilst the scheme is in deficit to the detriment of existing and deferred pensioners; his plans to rectify the situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3027/17]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defined Benefit Pension Schemes (24 Jan 2017)

Willie O'Dea: The Minister will be aware of the controversy before Christmas that indicated a major gap in Irish law, namely, that a solvent company can walk away at will from a defined benefit pension scheme. I ask the Minister if there are any proposals to change that situation.