Results 3,241-3,260 of 5,046 for speaker:Paschal Mooney

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

Paschal Mooney: Section 5 provides for the implementation of certain provisions of Schedule 6 of the 2005 act relating to changes in the entitlement conditions for the State pension contributory and transition. It will mean in effect that there will be an increase in contributions from the current 260 weeks. Currently a person with an average of 20 to 47 PRSI contributions per year over his or her working...

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

Paschal Mooney: I thank the Minister. It will go to 260 with effect from July 2013. This will directly impact on women who have left the workforce to rear children. As a result of taking parental leave they have a lower number of PRSI contributions. Combined with reductions in child benefit, back to school allowance and one-parent family allowance, there is very much of an anti-mother bias at play. I do...

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

Paschal Mooney: It is section 5, pension contribution change.

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

Paschal Mooney: There is a raison d'être for everything the Minister proposes which is why we question these things. I would be interested to know the context for this matter. When the decision was taken, was it anticipated that this would have a particular effect on women who had left the workplace? Would it have been seen as somewhat discriminatory towards those who had voluntarily left the workplace...

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

Paschal Mooney: On a point of order——

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

Paschal Mooney: I apologise if I misled the Minister and misled the House in this regard. I was of course arguing on section 6 and not section 5.

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

Paschal Mooney: I add to the concerns expressed. I assume what is happening is that the provision will align the rate of pension paid with the contributions made, while increasing the number of paid PRSI contributions needed to qualify for both widow's and widower's pension. In addition, I understand it will take effect from July 2013.

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

Paschal Mooney: Apart from the financial impact, there is a concern that the long-term unemployed and those who have taken early retirement will be among the most vulnerable. I would be grateful for an explanation on this issue.

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

Paschal Mooney: Will the Minister comment on the concerns expressed about the provisions of this section, that it will force parents to look at full-time employment once a child reach seven years of age, without providing the necessary child care supports? I welcome the Government's continuing commitment, under the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald, to supporting child care...

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

Paschal Mooney: In the context of the provision of further child care supports, I ask the Minister to comment on the impact of the proposals contained in this section. While no provision of additional child care supports is mentioned, I acknowledge the budgetary position. Will the Minister comment on the concerns expressed that in practice the provisions of the Bill close community employment schemes to...

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

Paschal Mooney: I will bow to the Senator's greater wisdom.

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

Paschal Mooney: Section 4 provides for the discontinuation of the current entitlement to the payment of a half rate qualified child increase where the spouse, civil partner or cohabitant of the beneficiary has weekly income in excess of a prescribed amount. This applies to new claimants and also extends the reference to the spouse of the beneficiary. I am sure the Minister will clarify or confirm that the...

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

Paschal Mooney: We are aware of that.

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

Paschal Mooney: We have already said that.

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

Paschal Mooney: On section 3, I highlight again the difficulty any Minister for Social Protection would have but which the Minister, in particular, had in framing the budget. Anybody who has worked in the Third World could not but have been scarred by the experience and this obviously influences her entire philosophy in trying to help those who are most vulnerable in society, but the point has been made and...

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

Paschal Mooney: Whether the figure is 13% or 30%, it puts in context the level of spending in the social welfare system. In retrospect, we should have been much more Calvinist in our approach. That is not in any way to suggest that those increases were not merited. In that context, the Government was then faced with what happened following the economic meltdown. My colleague, Deputy Barry Cowen, commented...

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

Paschal Mooney: Some of us feel that she should have been appointed Minister for Finance, but that is another day's work.

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

Paschal Mooney: The press reported at the time how ashen faced Deputies Burton and Noonan were, having emerged from these briefings and having been faced with the full reality. However, they just opposed vehemently — as was their right — the last budget and the subsequent Finance Bill. Allegations were also made that the nation was "banjaxed". I am not quite sure who said that, but in deference to the...

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

Paschal Mooney: The Minister raised the issue, and I only feel that it is right that I should respond to a political charge.

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

Paschal Mooney: Political charges are accepted within Standing Orders, as you well know.