Results 3,321-3,340 of 12,701 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Social Welfare Bill 2016: Report Stage (24 Nov 2016)

Willie O'Dea: We are still living in a democracy; Sinn Féin is not in charge here yet.

Social Welfare Bill 2016: Report Stage (24 Nov 2016)

Willie O'Dea: Let me speak.

Social Welfare Bill 2016: Report Stage (24 Nov 2016)

Willie O'Dea: It ill behoves the Deputy to come in here and make pleas on behalf of people when his party is presiding over starvation levels of social welfare in Northern Ireland.

Social Welfare Bill 2016: Report Stage (24 Nov 2016)

Willie O'Dea: There is no bigger partitionist party than Deputy Brady's. I think we are all agreed that the figures are out-dated. The figures from 2014 showed a 12% rate of consistent child poverty. There has probably been an assumption that the figures have improved much more than they actually have between 2014 and 2016. I would agree that when the reality becomes evident and we get the figures...

Social Welfare Bill 2016: Report Stage (24 Nov 2016)

Willie O'Dea: I wish to clarify in case there is any misunderstanding about what I am saying about the anecdotal evidence. I am saying that consistent child poverty was 12% in 2014. Consistent poverty in the population as a whole in 2014 was 8%. The Government's proposal is to reduce that to 4% - to halve it - by 2016. All I am saying is that because the figures are not up-to-date we do not know if...

Social Welfare Bill 2016: Report Stage (24 Nov 2016)

Willie O'Dea: We have no objection in principle to the amendment. The point that has just been made by the previous speaker is valid. The Government's commitment was to reduce the incidence of consistent poverty among the population as a whole to 4% by 2016. When last measured - the figures were for early 2014 - the level was 8%. We are, therefore, operating in a vacuum. We cannot reasonably ask the...

Social Welfare Bill 2016: Report Stage (24 Nov 2016)

Willie O'Dea: I thank the Minister for bringing forward this amendment, having listened to the arguments put forward from this side of the House on Committee Stage. However, during the debate on the different Committee Stage amendments on this issue, I wanted the report to be produced and available within three months. I did so for a specific reason. The Minister's amendment proposes it will be produced...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Programmes (24 Nov 2016)

Willie O'Dea: 129. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons that transitioned from an activation programme to paid employment in 2015 and to date in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36622/16]

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Programmes (24 Nov 2016)

Willie O'Dea: 130. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons that completed an activation programme and subsequently moved to another of his Department's activation programmes in 2015 and to date in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36623/16]

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Service Provision (24 Nov 2016)

Willie O'Dea: 242. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will request the communications regulator to contact a company (details supplied) regarding a broadband connection that has been down for the past month and to deal with the matter as soon as possible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36669/16]

Other Questions: Social Welfare Appeals (22 Nov 2016)

Willie O'Dea: Of the 60% that succeed on appeal, what percentage refers to reviews? A review is done by the deciding officer. It does not actually go to the appeals officer. In reality, how many appeals are successful which go to an appeals officer? Does the Minister have any plans to put the appeals office on a statutory footing?

Other Questions: Social Welfare Code (22 Nov 2016)

Willie O'Dea: I think the Deputy is correct.

Other Questions: One-Parent Family Payment (22 Nov 2016)

Willie O'Dea: The Minister has been critical of the Millar report but is he aware of the concrete suggestions put forward by Dr. Millar to alleviate some of the problems that arise from the changed system? What does the Minister think of those proposals? They appear to be eminently sensible to me. Is the Minister concerned that the organisations representing single parents have advised large swathes of...

Other Questions: One-Parent Family Payment (22 Nov 2016)

Willie O'Dea: Maybe it is just me, but all the people who come to see me are complaining that they have lost income. Nobody is coming to me saying they have actually increased their income. I suspect that if one looks at the figures we will find that many of the lone parents who manage to increase their income did so because they took up more employment. There are many lone parents who are not in a...

Other Questions: One-Parent Family Payment (22 Nov 2016)

Willie O'Dea: 48. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if he will conduct a review into the changes introduced to the one-parent family payment in view of the findings of a report (details supplied) on lone parents and activation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35935/16]

Other Questions: One-Parent Family Payment (22 Nov 2016)

Willie O'Dea: There is widespread agreement that the new system for dealing with single parents is not working. We had a discussion on Committee Stage of the Social Welfare Bill. A number of parties from all sides of the House tabled amendments to require the Minister to conduct a review of this situation. I have tabled this parliamentary question to keep this matter to the forefront.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Pension Provisions (22 Nov 2016)

Willie O'Dea: As the Minister said, the system already disregards time spent working in the home since April 1994 for the purposes of calculating the yearly average contributions. The problem arises in respect of people who took time out before 1994. Does the figure of €290 million refer to the cost of back dating to the very beginning? If he is moving to a total contributions approach, is it...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Pension Provisions (22 Nov 2016)

Willie O'Dea: As the Minister will be aware, since the abolition of the retirement pension, people aged 65 and over who have been compulsorily retired have to apply for jobseeker's allowance initially for one year. I believe it will be two years when the pension age reaches 67. First, the amount is lower. Second, it has given rise to obvious difficulties. I know the same criteria do not apply. The...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Pension Provisions (22 Nov 2016)

Willie O'Dea: 45. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if he will address the anomaly in the calculation of the contributory pension which tends to disadvantage those who took time out of the workforce to care for children or relatives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36086/16]

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Pension Provisions (22 Nov 2016)

Willie O'Dea: This problem has been well ventilated. We are all aware of the unfairness in the contributory old age pension system whereby people who have paid fewer contributions can often get a higher pension than people who have paid a greater number of contributions. We discussed the issue last week on Committee Stage of the Social Welfare Bill and we will be discussing it again tomorrow. I just...