Results 32,941-32,960 of 34,832 for speaker:Seán Fleming

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Apr 2012)

Seán Fleming: The allowance is specifically under the new special assignee relief programme announced by the Minister on budget day. He gave two incentives; first, to give a certain amount of income tax free and, second, on budget day he announced an additional incentive for those people who have children in second level education – that there would be an additional payment made tax free to them. I...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Apr 2012)

Seán Fleming: I acknowledge that. We will move on.

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Apr 2012)

Seán Fleming: Fianna Fáil opposes amendment No. 17 in its entirety. It is a scandal and a shame and I am shocked at it. I know the Minister of State was not personally involved in its drafting but I am shocked that a Minister of the Labour Party would table a proposal to curtail mortgage interest supplement. We have discussed changes to the one parent family payment, and those in receipt of it are at...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Apr 2012)

Seán Fleming: I will be very specific to what we are talking about here. I asked the Minister two specific questions on the detail which she made no attempt to answer but I will give her a second chance. If she does not have the answers, she should say so and we will just proceed. I asked about the number of people who had made a claim for the one parent family payment before 27 April 2011 but where the...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Apr 2012)

Seán Fleming: It is in the ballpark. I have a broader issue to discuss, but I asked a specific question on section 178D and the gross weekly earnings in excess of the amount specified in section 173(3). What income level are we discussing? Section 178D on page 5 of the list of amendments deals with the continuation of one-parent family payments following certain disqualifications. If someone is...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Apr 2012)

Seán Fleming: Explain that to me.

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Apr 2012)

Seán Fleming: I will explain what I mean to help Members. This is not my question. Rather, it is what is printed on page 5 of the book of Committee Stage amendments, specifically those amending section 178D of the principal Act. The amendment states: Where a person has-- (a) been in receipt of one-parent family payment for a period of 52 consecutive weeks and is disqualified for receipt of that payment...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Apr 2012)

Seán Fleming: I do not understand how €425 is relevant.

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Apr 2012)

Seán Fleming: I have it. This links with my original figure of €146 or whatever at which one would be cut off from 100% of the payment if one had income from employment. I will try to answer the question myself now that the Minister has provided the figure. A person with an income of up to approximately €140 will retain the full amount of the one-parent family payment, but if one earns more than...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Apr 2012)

Seán Fleming: Would it be possible for someone to telephone someone else to provide us with a note before 3.30 p.m.?

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Apr 2012)

Seán Fleming: I am beginning to guess that a person would need to earn more than €425 to be removed from the system fully. One could have income of €300 from outside employment and be in receipt of a reduced one-parent family payment. We are discussing the figure above which one can earn and continue to receive some level of payment. According to the Minister, if one earns more than €425, one...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Apr 2012)

Seán Fleming: I know. We have discussed the gist of the issue. I wish to address the Minister's reply to one of my previous comments. Amendment No. 11 runs for more than three pages in the book. It is longer and has more substance than the entire section as published. Part 2 of the Bill deals with amendments to the Social Welfare Acts. It starts at the bottom of page 3 and runs into page 6, amounting...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Apr 2012)

Seán Fleming: That is exactly the point, if you will allow me to finish. You specifically-----

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Apr 2012)

Seán Fleming: I asked the Minister to explain in simple detail the amendment she published yesterday morning.

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Apr 2012)

Seán Fleming: Let me finish my point. I asked her to explain in simple English to help us to understand-----

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Apr 2012)

Seán Fleming: I know, but we will all get an opportunity. The Minister made a reference. I have asked for a breakdown on a particular amendment that is longer than three pages and was introduced by the Minister yesterday morning. When I asked her to explain the amendment, she told me to ask my predecessor. He did not introduce this amendment.

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Apr 2012)

Seán Fleming: I will conclude through the Chair.

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Apr 2012)

Seán Fleming: I asked a simple question, namely, that the Minister explain this amendment, but she told me to ask my predecessor. That is not an appropriate way in which to consider legislation.

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Apr 2012)

Seán Fleming: I thank the Minister.

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Apr 2012)

Seán Fleming: I received a briefing. The Minister might recirculate the copies.