Results 3,201-3,220 of 5,269 for speaker:Joan Collins

Other Questions: Poverty Data (30 Sep 2015)

Joan Collins: 10. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views on the survey on income and living conditions, SILC, 2013, which was published earlier this year and clearly shows that those persons living in households with one adult and one or more children had the highest deprivation rate at 63.2% and the highest consistent poverty rate at 23%, and the measures she will take to...

Other Questions: Poverty Data (30 Sep 2015)

Joan Collins: Rather than hailing the change to lone parent benefits, working lone parents are actually not benefiting from the change to the lone parent payment, which is an indictment of the policy of this Government and is part of the austerity package that has been persistently implemented in this country. Those who need the most are bearing the brunt of austerity. We have got through nine and a...

Other Questions: Poverty Data (30 Sep 2015)

Joan Collins: People expend a lot of time and energy try to put these questions.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Employment Rights (30 Sep 2015)

Joan Collins: 5. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the position regarding pledges made by the Government in 2014 to remove an anomaly in the insolvency payments scheme, whereby employees of a limited company which does not go into either liquidation or receivership are not covered by this scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33029/15]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Employment Rights (30 Sep 2015)

Joan Collins: I raised this issue last year in respect of a case of which the Tánaiste would be well aware. It concerned a language centre that folded up, leaving the workers with nothing when they went to the insolvency payments scheme. We recently had another case where a sole trader ceased trading. The people who sought payment under the scheme were told the company had no insurance so,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Employment Rights (30 Sep 2015)

Joan Collins: -----be paid. What has the Tánaiste done in the past year to try to resolve this anomaly?

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Employment Rights (30 Sep 2015)

Joan Collins: I am glad to hear there has been movement and that the Tánaiste and her Department are working on resolving the issue because workers find themselves in a very serious situation workers when a company folds in that way. In the recent case to which I refer, we were told the sole trader should have taken out insurance for insolvency purposes. If that is the position, why are sole traders...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Employment Rights (30 Sep 2015)

Joan Collins: It is okay.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Employment Rights (30 Sep 2015)

Joan Collins: I am not happy but I am not going to get much more out of it.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Anti-Poverty Strategy (30 Sep 2015)

Joan Collins: 3. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her Department's strategy to combat food poverty; her views on the current level of food poverty in the population; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33012/15]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Anti-Poverty Strategy (30 Sep 2015)

Joan Collins: The most recent figures we received on food poverty were in 2013, when they showed that one in ten people suffered food poverty. This figure was one in nine in Donegal, the county with the lowest income levels. I have not been able to find updated figures to see whether the position has got better or worse. We know from the CEO of Crosscare, Michael McDonagh, that there is a growing demand...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Anti-Poverty Strategy (30 Sep 2015)

Joan Collins: The response is just not good enough. The Tánaiste stated 220,000 children receive breakfasts and lunches. This is a welcome development for these children, but why is it happening? It is because people do not have enough money. They do not earn enough in their wages. It also affects pensioners. The minimum wage should be increased. People who lost their jobs are still unemployed....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Anti-Poverty Strategy (30 Sep 2015)

Joan Collins: We should be dealing with this and using the opportunity to put money back into people's pockets and reverse the social welfare cuts. If core social welfare payments were to be brought back up to 2009 levels it would mean €40 extra a week for a couple and €27 extra a week for a single person. This is what needs to be put back into people's pockets.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Anti-Poverty Strategy (30 Sep 2015)

Joan Collins: No, I am attacking you for going there with a big smile on your face and cutting those ribbons.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Anti-Poverty Strategy (30 Sep 2015)

Joan Collins: It is amazing how the Tánaiste can turn things around. I was not attacking the food banks. They are necessary.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Anti-Poverty Strategy (30 Sep 2015)

Joan Collins: What I am attacking is the policy of this Government and that which preceded it to implement the austerity measures which force people into situations whereby they must use food banks and must get breakfasts and lunches at school because the family income does not provide for children to be supported in this way. It is an attack on the Tánaiste's policies and the fact people must depend...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Anti-Poverty Strategy (30 Sep 2015)

Joan Collins: I do not think that is the case. Will the Tánaiste deal with the core issue of putting money into people's pockets so they can proudly go out and buy goods rather than having to depend on food banks?

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Anti-Poverty Strategy (30 Sep 2015)

Joan Collins: Cheerleader for what?

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Anti-Poverty Strategy (30 Sep 2015)

Joan Collins: How did you bring Greece into it? This is about food poverty in Ireland.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Housing Provision (30 Sep 2015)

Joan Collins: 15. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her Department's role in alleviating the current housing crisis. [33028/15]