Results 401-420 of 13,004 for speaker:Louise O'Reilly

Committee on Public Petitions and the Ombudsmen: Engagement with the Office of the Ombudsman (24 Jun 2025)

Louise O'Reilly: I am conscious of time. I thank Mr. Deering and Ms O'Donoghue for coming to see us again and for the information they have provided to us. It is good to get an insight into their work. It is equally important to know what work they are looking into for the future. We look forward to working with them and their team, and thank them again for the evidence they have given today.

Committee on Public Petitions and the Ombudsmen: Decisions on Petitions Received (24 Jun 2025)

Louise O'Reilly: There are a number of petitions before us. Members have had a chance to consider them. I understand it is in order for me to read out the title of the petitions, if that is okay. The first petition, P00006/25, is to give practical application to the right not to attend religious instruction in school. It was submitted by Atheist Ireland. Do members have views on the petition? The...

Committee on Public Petitions and the Ombudsmen: Decisions on Petitions Received (24 Jun 2025)

Louise O'Reilly: Absolutely. I commend Senator Andrews and others on the work they do regarding animal welfare. I do not think anyone would disagree that we do not have a great record on legislating to protect animals that are essentially a part of our family in a way that, as the Senator rightly pointed out, a mobile phone is not. It would be in order. In light of that, I will ask the secretariat if we...

Committee on Public Petitions and the Ombudsmen: Decisions on Petitions Received (24 Jun 2025)

Louise O'Reilly: P00015/25 was submitted by Mr. Frank Moran. It concerns legislation relating to pensions and social security to ensure the entitlement of same-sex couples to benefit from occupational pension schemes. This is a very worthy petition. I also note that the bereaved partners legislation is making its way through the social protection committee and will be before the Dáil and hopefully...

Committee on Public Petitions and the Ombudsmen: Decisions on Petitions Received (24 Jun 2025)

Louise O'Reilly: We can all agree on that. Is the proposal agreed? Agreed. That concludes our consideration of public petitions for this afternoon. I invite members of the public to submit petitions via our online portal, which is available at petitions.oireachtas.ie. I also invite members of the committee to circulate that within their party structures and to constituents, as appropriate. A petition...

Committee on Public Petitions and the Ombudsmen: Decisions on Petitions Received (24 Jun 2025)

Louise O'Reilly: On my behalf, as Chair, and on behalf of every other member of the committee, I thank the secretariat. What people do not see is all of the hard work that goes on in the background. As a committee, we very grateful for the secretariat's work. We will adjourn until 11 a.m. on Tuesday, 8 July 2025, when we will meet in both private and public session.

Committee on Public Petitions and the Ombudsmen: Engagement with the Office of the Ombudsman (24 Jun 2025)

Louise O'Reilly: That is the key. The impact is massive.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Youth Services (24 Jun 2025)

Louise O'Reilly: 382. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if funding will be provided as indicated by a DDLETB officer for a post to be split between administration and youth support worker for a group (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33602/25]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (24 Jun 2025)

Louise O'Reilly: 558. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the measures in place to ensure that women forced to leave the civil service due to the marriage bar can access a non-means-tested State pension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33599/25]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (24 Jun 2025)

Louise O'Reilly: 562. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he is aware that due to a recent change in Department policy, activation officers are now required to meet with jobseeker’s when they have only been on a social welfare payment for 300 days; if he is aware that they are then referred to Intreo partners, i.e., local employment area service, and so on; if he is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Child Poverty (19 Jun 2025)

Louise O'Reilly: 93. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he is aware of the child poverty monitor report from a group (detail supplied); if he has any plans to address its findings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33106/25]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Child Poverty (19 Jun 2025)

Louise O'Reilly: The child poverty monitor published recently by the Children's Rights Alliance makes for very depressing and alarming reading. Far from being equal to its commitment to tackling child poverty, the Government is overseeing a rise in rates of child poverty. The Minister and I both know that the only way to address this issue in any meaningful way is through in-cash payments that are targeted...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Child Poverty (19 Jun 2025)

Louise O'Reilly: My worry is that we have had targets previously and they were missed by a mile. A concerted effort is needed. When we talk about deprivation and child poverty, we are talking about households in which members are unable to afford two pairs of properly fitting shoes that are in good condition and suitable for daily activities, or a warm waterproof coat. It is unimaginable that poverty on...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Child Poverty (19 Jun 2025)

Louise O'Reilly: The Minister must acknowledge that the direction of travel is not good, as we see from the SILC data. I respect what he is saying and it may be that the data starts going in a different direction, but I do not believe it will. A lot of the investment he mentioned involved one-off, non-recurring payments to deal with an acute cost-of-living crisis. That crisis has not gone away and is still...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Costs (19 Jun 2025)

Louise O'Reilly: I understand the need to get the money to where it needs to be. With the greatest of respect, the Minister does not need to do a review to understand that kids who are in foster care are among the most likely to be experiencing deprivation. They are effectively in the care of the State. I urge the Minister to look at that again because the means test is unfair. We are not talking in the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Eligibility (19 Jun 2025)

Louise O'Reilly: I ask the Minister to charge the people doing the review with the responsibility of looking at seasonal workers. To be frank, that is possibly the least that the Minister could do but I ask that he do that. There should be some engagement about the people who are excluded with the trade union, Fórsa, because it represents the bulk of the secretaries and caretakers. It is not just them...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Costs (19 Jun 2025)

Louise O'Reilly: 87. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he is aware of the considerable financial burden the cost of school tablets imposes on parents; if he will consider expanding the back-to-school payment or introducing a device allowance for children attending schools that require tablets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33102/25]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Costs (19 Jun 2025)

Louise O'Reilly: The issue of having to purchase devices is coming into my office a lot. It is probably coming into everyone's office at this stage. While obviously there is a benefit to parents of not having to buy schoolbooks, that benefit is entirely undermined if they then have to spend the equivalent amount or more. I welcome the Minister's recent announcement of the extension of the back-to-school...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Eligibility (19 Jun 2025)

Louise O'Reilly: 85. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he is aware of the groups excluded from the jobseeker’s pay-related benefit, in particular the seasonal, casual, short-time or part-time workers such as school caretakers and secretaries who could benefit considerably from receiving the jobseeker’s pay-related benefit in lieu of the jobseeker’s...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Eligibility (19 Jun 2025)

Louise O'Reilly: Maidin mhaith do gach duine. As is often the case, my question is very simple and straightforward. It gives the Minister the chance to explain why a category of workers, particularly those in seasonal, casual, short-term or part-time employment, such as school caretakers and secretaries but not exclusively, are excluded from the Government’s new pay-related jobseeker's benefit.