Results 3,641-3,660 of 4,026 for speaker:

Climate Action: Statements (17 Sep 2020)

Duncan Smith: I welcome the Minister and wish him the best of luck in his role, which he has had now for a number of weeks. My comrades in Labour Youth produced over the summer a document, entitled Be Radical or Be Redundant, relating to a number of areas, including climate change. If we are to go from being laggards to leaders, as is the Government's aim, and one which we support, we need to be radical...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (17 Sep 2020)

Duncan Smith: Despite my raising this with the Tánaiste in June and the Taoiseach in July as well as tabling numerous parliamentary questions, there remains absolute anger and frustration among the workforce of Aer Lingus and other companies in the aviation sector in respect of their social welfare entitlements. The replies we are receiving are not reflected in their experiences in Intreo offices....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (17 Sep 2020)

Duncan Smith: 119. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if there is a Covid-19 plan in place for schools for the remainder of 2020 in relation to pupils going to the yard at their break times. [24507/20]

Taxi Industry: Motion [Private Members] (16 Sep 2020)

Duncan Smith: I thank Deputy O'Rourke of Sinn Féin for tabling the motion. I also thank the organisers and participants of the huge demonstration that took place in Dublin yesterday. In an ideal world, it would have matched up on the same day as this motion was taken but alas, for reasons that have been well discussed, it was not to be. It was a powerful demonstration and one that showed the unity...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Final Report of Nursing Homes Expert Panel (Resumed) (16 Sep 2020)

Duncan Smith: I will direct my first couple of questions to the HSE. The report noted that the socioeconomic conditions that many essential front line healthcare staff are living under might be an essential barrier to effective infection controls, in particular staff who do not have access to sick pay, need to work in multiple facilities or live in crowded accommodation. Public health officials are...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Final Report of Nursing Homes Expert Panel (Resumed) (16 Sep 2020)

Duncan Smith: The officials will be aware that one nursing home was taken under operational control as a result of a catastrophic situation which unfolded in April. We still do not know what criteria triggered the RCSI to take control of the nursing home in question. For the sake of future planning and in order that we can learn from what happened, will the HSE advise what threshold applied to trigger...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Final Report of Nursing Homes Expert Panel (Resumed) (16 Sep 2020)

Duncan Smith: I thank all of the witnesses.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (15 Sep 2020)

Duncan Smith: 384. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of Bus Éireann buses servicing a school run (details supplied); the number of pickups along the route; and when those who do not have a service will be able to avail of one. [23503/20]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (15 Sep 2020)

Duncan Smith: 493. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the advice provided to a company (details supplied) in respect of its employees being entitled to short-time work or jobseeker's benefit for hours they are not working; the way in which the payments relate to the employee wage subsidy scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23485/20]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (15 Sep 2020)

Duncan Smith: 498. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the directive her Department has given to a company (details supplied) to sign casual dockets for its employees who are not getting their full 35 hours per week. [23524/20]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (15 Sep 2020)

Duncan Smith: 523. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if workers in receipt of the temporary wage subsidy scheme can apply retrospectively for social welfare entitlements in view of the clarification statement issued on 9 September 2020 on social welfare entitlements and the employment wage subsidy scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24138/20]

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Legislative Framework Underpinning the State's Response (9 Sep 2020)

Duncan Smith: I thank the witnesses for their contributions. I will put my questions to Lord Sumption. He is on record as having admitted to not obeying Covid-19 regulations when they began to reach a level of what he termed "absurdity". What was his threshold for what became an absurd regulation with which he would no longer comply?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Legislative Framework Underpinning the State's Response (9 Sep 2020)

Duncan Smith: Does the witness have a concern about the impact there will be when people of power, influence or privilege, or whatever way one wishes to put it, decide in their heads at a certain point that they are not going to obey laws or regulations? In particular, is he concerned that whatever valid questions there are, and there are many with regard to the legislative framework on which the response...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Legislative Framework Underpinning the State's Response (9 Sep 2020)

Duncan Smith: That is Lord Sumption's opinion in terms of being a holder of the truth there. I disagree because we are talking about a lockdown as something that is to be feared. Nobody wants to go into lockdown but I and many people remember lockdown here. It was a perfectly understandable response to a crisis that was scaring the life out of people all over the world. Many people felt safe during the...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Legislative Framework Underpinning the State's Response (9 Sep 2020)

Duncan Smith: It is a view I reject-----

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Legislative Framework Underpinning the State's Response (9 Sep 2020)

Duncan Smith: -----but I thank the witness for his contribution this morning.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Legislative Framework Underpinning the State's Response (9 Sep 2020)

Duncan Smith: In our first session this morning there was a lot of discussion of the proportionality of the legislative response to the Covid-19 crisis. I would like to direct my question to Dr. Kenny first and then allow the other witnesses to answer. Overall, how do the witnesses rate Ireland's legislative response in terms of proportionality to the seriousness of the pandemic?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Legislative Framework Underpinning the State's Response (9 Sep 2020)

Duncan Smith: I thank Dr. Kenny. Do any of the other witnesses wish to respond to the question in the short time we have left?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Human Rights and Civil Liberty Considerations (9 Sep 2020)

Duncan Smith: I thank the witnesses for their submissions and for attending today's meeting. I will direct my first question to Ms Gibney and congratulate her on her appointment to her new role. On page 2 of her opening statement she discusses the spectre of returning to our institutionalised past. One of the institutions that has been under the microscope a lot during this pandemic is the nursing home....

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Human Rights and Civil Liberty Considerations (9 Sep 2020)

Duncan Smith: On the issue of the Garda and seeking more disaggregated data, will Ms Gibney comment further on the commission's work on trying to get those data, why they are needed and the impact that not getting the data is having on the commission's ability to report effectively on the actions of An Garda Síochána.