Results 3,761-3,780 of 5,269 for speaker:Joan Collins

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (18 Jun 2014)

Joan Collins: I respect what Deputy Ó Snodaigh has done in withdrawing the amendment on the basis of what the Minister said. I refer to a situation where workers find themselves locked out. In this case, it has been two days and I hope it can be resolved fairly soon. Greyhound went to court yesterday and got an injunction because it said it was a picket. It was not a picket but workers outside the...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (18 Jun 2014)

Joan Collins: I support this amendment. As Deputy Ó Snodaigh observed, we have seen an increase in unfair dismissal cases in recent years, with the workers involved often finding themselves in a very difficult situation as they wait for their case to be heard. In the past 24 hours, workers at Greyhound, a waste disposal company, have been locked out of their work premises. Their employer has not...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (18 Jun 2014)

Joan Collins: When people approved us joining the EU, they did so because they thought they would get many benefits from the EU from a social perspective with regard to trade union activities, job security and cheaper access to goods. Europe had a social reputation related to the services provided in health, education, transport and right across the board. It was reflected in the vote for the European...

Order of Business (18 Jun 2014)

Joan Collins: My question was asked by Teachta Ó Caoláin.

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014: Report Stage (18 Jun 2014)

Joan Collins: It is not so long since we last discussed the same issues with the Minister. As other Deputies have said, there is a problem with the time allowed for tabling amendments. Larger parties have a greater ability to respond and table amendments quite quickly, but it is difficult for individual Deputies to do so because they do not have the staff to assist them that swiftly. When discussing...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services (18 Jun 2014)

Joan Collins: 169. To ask the Minister for Health his views on Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and the procedures his Department will put in place to treat persons who have EDS. [26164/14]

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2014)

Joan Collins: I want to check that I heard the Minister's comments correctly. Did she say somebody on the housing list - deemed to have a housing need and in receipt of rent allowance - who takes the HAP is allowed to go on another housing list?

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2014)

Joan Collins: I will ask again the question posed by Deputy Ó Feargháil. Is the Minister of State contradicting the officials from the Department of Social Protection who were before the committee today? They indicated that anybody in receipt of the HAP would be taken off the housing list.

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2014)

Joan Collins: From comments last week, I understood that people will not be taken off the housing list.

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2014)

Joan Collins: By saying that the Minister of State is playing with words. Are they on the housing list, with a need for housing? Short-term HAP gives them short-term housing but they could remain on the housing list. If what the Minister of State says is true it is a scandal.

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2014)

Joan Collins: Before the commencement of the debate on the Private Members' Bill, I stated that the rent allowance was supposed to be a short-term fix rather than a long-term solution. RAS was supposed to be short-term fix. The implementation of HAP, as regards what landlords will get it, is very much based on RAS where one can work when paying with rent allowance. The landlord will get the money...

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2014)

Joan Collins: I support this amendment because we do not know the impact of HAP on housing provision and whether landlords will enter the scheme. We do not know how the inspection within eight months by an environmental officer will tally out. It is important to check the scheme. The Minister of State says it is a short-term initiative to give people a home, but so were RAS and rent allowance. They...

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2014)

Joan Collins: I support the amendment because the 18-month review is too long and it does not allow for an intervention from the State in a developing crisis of supply of rented accommodation now or over the next two to three years. As the Minister said, it is hoped this Government will be able to turn the situation around. I do not believe it is doing it fast enough and where there is a will, there is a...

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2014)

Joan Collins: I asked the Minister of State a parliamentary question about the PRTB study which will be published at the end of this month. Like the Minister of State, I would prefer rent controls because the sector could be more adequately served. We need a housing policy that guarantees everyone access to a home and not a case of whether the markets can build so many houses or apartments over five...

Other Questions: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (17 Jun 2014)

Joan Collins: I was going to put the same question to the Minister of State. Why did the Government choose to pay down €7 billion of the debt? Why was some of that money not used to build social housing? Has the Government been in contact with the European Investment Bank about the €500 million that could be accessed there? Is it thinking about using money to buy properties, apartments or...

Other Questions: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (17 Jun 2014)

Joan Collins: We are talking about the €18.5 billion in cash.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Remit (17 Jun 2014)

Joan Collins: 91. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if Irish Water will be compelled to go to a court to seek a court order to reduce a household's water supply if they do not or cannot pay the water charges. [25241/14]

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Private Rented Accommodation Provision (17 Jun 2014)

Joan Collins: 108. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will clarify his response to landlords who have literally set a regime of apartheid citing no rent allowance or work reference required. [25242/14]

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Provision (17 Jun 2014)

Joan Collins: 448. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he is making provision to allocate the necessary finance to build a minimum of 10,000 social housing units per annum to go some way to resolving the present housing crisis. [22289/14]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Procedures (17 Jun 2014)

Joan Collins: 746. To ask the Minister for Health if he will report on the suspension of obesity surgery at St. Vincent's Hospital; the number of public patients who have had this surgery in St. Vincent's Hospital and Galway University Hospital in 2014; the number of patients waiting for this surgery now; and the length of time they have been waiting. [26123/14]