Results 3,721-3,740 of 12,585 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: State Pensions Reform (17 Nov 2015)

Willie O'Dea: I thank the Minister for the reply. As she will be aware, a great many people are forced to retire at 65. Take those who retire, through no choice of their own, at the age of 65 but cannot qualify for the old age pension until they are 66. Accordingly, there is one year of a gap. During that year, the Department insists these people actively seek employment.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: State Pensions Reform (17 Nov 2015)

Willie O'Dea: As the Minister of State, Deputy Kevin Humphreys, can tell the Minister, we had a debate on this on Committee Stage of the Social Welfare Bill 2015 last week. My understanding from what the Minister of State told me then was that the requirements for getting involved in activation schemes, etc., were abolished from the age of 62, whereas people from the ages 65 to 66 still have to be...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: State Pensions Reform (17 Nov 2015)

Willie O'Dea: Take the case of somebody who is compulsorily retired at 65 and then applies for jobseeker’s benefit because he or she cannot get a job. Is the Minister saying that in order to qualify for jobseeker's benefit this person does not have to establish or can never be asked whether he or she is actively seeking or available for work? I need clarification of the matter because what she has...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: State Pensions Reform (17 Nov 2015)

Willie O'Dea: 60. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she proposes to introduce legislation to deal with the position of persons who no longer qualify for a pension upon reaching 65 years of age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40183/15]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: State Pensions Reform (17 Nov 2015)

Willie O'Dea: I raise this question to ascertain the position of a person who has been compulsorily retired at the age of 65 and will have to wait until he or she is 66 before receiving an old age pension.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Expenditure (17 Nov 2015)

Willie O'Dea: 76. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views that only two of 40 social protection cuts have been restored in full; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40067/15]

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Back to Education Allowance (17 Nov 2015)

Willie O'Dea: 91. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the implications of the Economic and Social Research Institute’s report evaluating the back to education allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40070/15]

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Data (17 Nov 2015)

Willie O'Dea: 114. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of requests for payments of additional rent supplement, over and above the standard rate approved in each local authority, under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme; the number approved, refused, in 2015 to date, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40041/15]

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (17 Nov 2015)

Willie O'Dea: 134. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if lone parents who are in full-time education and who are in receipt of the maintenance grant and the jobseeker's allowance transition payment will be worse off financially when their youngest child turns 14 years of age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40255/15]

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Data (12 Nov 2015)

Willie O'Dea: 60. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the budget cost and the actual cost of the community employment programme, by allowances, supervision, materials and training to 30 September 2015, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39923/15]

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Willie O'Dea: The proposed subsection (4) in amendment No. 3 states Part 3 will "come into operation on such day or days as the Minister for Social Protection may appoint". Does the Minister of State have any idea as to when that will happen?

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Willie O'Dea: It is a matter for the Department of Finance.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Willie O'Dea: I note my amendment was ruled out of order on the basis it would constitute a charge on the Exchequer. Members are debating the rate of increase for pensioners. Section 3 deals with contributory pensioners and section 4 deals with non-contributory pensioners. The Minister of State will be aware that pensioners have not had an increase since 2010 and the rate of inflation in the interim...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Willie O'Dea: I have acknowledged the number of increases that have been made but in many cases they represent a return of what was taken away by the present Government in the first place, but I will leave that to one side. Fianna Fáil's pre-budget submission indicated that it would implement considerably higher expenditure on social welfare and provide for less in terms of tax concessions than...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Willie O'Dea: I will have to keep a careful hold of my blood pressure. Deputy Catherine Byrne refers to leaking by the previous Government. That is hugely ironic in view of the fact that the Government has made leaking an art form. Half of the measures announced in the budget were leaked in advance; it, therefore, ill behoves any member or supporter of the Administration to criticise any previous...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Willie O'Dea: No, she did not single us out.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Willie O'Dea: Does the Minister of State have a figure for the percentage of contributory pensioners by comparison with the number of non-contributory pensioners?

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Willie O'Dea: The Minister of State has just given us the figures for those in receipt of the State contributory and non-contributory pensions. Some people in receipt of the State contributory pension will have alternative sources of income. Overall, approximately 70% of pensioners rely exclusively on their pensions to survive, but I am open to correction in saying this. The State non-contributory...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Willie O'Dea: I agree with what the Minister of State says about the demographics, etc. I mentioned somebody retiring compulsorily at 65. I should have said - Deputy Ó Snodaigh reminded me I was incorrect - they apply for jobseeker's benefit, which they can receive, as, I think, the Minister of State indicated, for 12 months. Of course, for somebody of a young age to qualify for jobseeker's benefit...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Willie O'Dea: That would be useful.