Results 3,981-4,000 of 12,585 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: One-Parent Family Payment Eligibility (24 Jun 2015)

Willie O'Dea: They are still losing out.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility (24 Jun 2015)

Willie O'Dea: 12. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she is in favour of extending social welfare entitlements to the self-employed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24674/15]

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pension Provisions (24 Jun 2015)

Willie O'Dea: 30. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the measures she has introduced to provide greater clarity and transparency on pension charges; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24675/15]

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Respite Care Grant Expenditure (24 Jun 2015)

Willie O'Dea: 35. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if it is her intention to restore the level of the respite grant to what it was in 2012; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24677/15]

Leaders' Questions (23 Jun 2015)

Willie O'Dea: Then they will be a lot poorer.

Leaders' Questions (23 Jun 2015)

Willie O'Dea: They should demand that their employers give them more hours.

Leaders' Questions (23 Jun 2015)

Willie O'Dea: It is just about choice, is it?

Leaders' Questions (23 Jun 2015)

Willie O'Dea: They should be thrilled.

Leaders' Questions (23 Jun 2015)

Willie O'Dea: The Government is preventing them from doing that.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Payments (23 Jun 2015)

Willie O'Dea: 176. To ask the Minister for Social Protection when arrears of an invalidity pension will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Limerick; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24859/15]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Firearms Licences (23 Jun 2015)

Willie O'Dea: 381. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality when the matters of concern and proposals submitted in regard to firearms licensing by the Sports Coalition will be decided upon; when the review will conclude in view of the impending renewal process commencement at the end of July 2015; if she will respond to the Sports Coalition’s proposal and allay the suspicion that absence of...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Gender Recognition Bill 2014: Committee Stage (17 Jun 2015)

Willie O'Dea: I also seek clarification. Section 1 states the Bill will come into operation on such day or days as may be appointed by the Minister. Different sections and Parts can commence on different days. Will the Minister of State give us some indication as to when the Government's intends to bring the Bill into operation?

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Gender Recognition Bill 2014: Committee Stage (17 Jun 2015)

Willie O'Dea: Will it be commenced this year?

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Gender Recognition Bill 2014: Committee Stage (17 Jun 2015)

Willie O'Dea: I move amendment No. 1:In page 5, to delete line 20. It was agreed that when we were dealing with a part of the Bill where the Government was making a substantive amendment, the Minister of State would lead with his amendment and that we would discuss our variations. In the circumstances, does the Minister of State want to move amendment No. 9a?

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Gender Recognition Bill 2014: Committee Stage (17 Jun 2015)

Willie O'Dea: If the Minister of State tells us what he is proposing, we will respond to it.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Gender Recognition Bill 2014: Committee Stage (17 Jun 2015)

Willie O'Dea: I thank the Minister of State for making this significant change. The recommendations of the original committee were softened in the first draft of the Bill, but we have come a long way in the second draft. The reason I have tabled amendments to remove medical practitioners from the picture entirely is the Government has removed the requirement for a medical certificate only in respect of a...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Gender Recognition Bill 2014: Committee Stage (17 Jun 2015)

Willie O'Dea: I strongly support the amendment. The Government will not reduce the age from 18 years to 16, as we have suggested. Will the Minister of State recognise the obstacles that lie in the path of a 16 year old in such cases?

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Gender Recognition Bill 2014: Committee Stage (17 Jun 2015)

Willie O'Dea: Absolutely. He or she must produce proof of identity, proof of birth, a statutory declaration, a certificate from a medical practitioner, as well as an endocrinologist, parental consent and an order of the Circuit Court. A case in the Circuit Court is infinitely more expensive, as Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh said, than in the District Court. It is also a great deal slower. My experience...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Gender Recognition Bill 2014: Committee Stage (17 Jun 2015)

Willie O'Dea: I referred to a British study which indicated that 96% of people who want to change gender decide that they must do so before they have reached the age of 18. It is generally recognised that if somebody discovers they are living in the wrong gender they suffer a lot until such time as they can go through the process of getting formal recognition. We have been given examples of this. I ask...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Gender Recognition Bill 2014: Committee Stage (17 Jun 2015)

Willie O'Dea: It is perverse that we will have gender recognition legislation which will require a person who is happily married to divorce his or her partner or terminate a civil partnership simply because of the fact he or she is changing gender. I recognise the Minister of State’s legal difficulties and that court proceedings are in train. However, I do not believe we should close down for the...