Results 521-540 of 904 for speaker:Ray Butler
- Order of Business (26 Nov 2013)
Ray Butler: When does the Government expect to publish a criminal justice Bill to strengthen the rights of victims of crime and their families and to give effect to a proposed EU directive, in light of what we have seen in the past couple of days?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits: Discussion with Department of Social Protection (20 Nov 2013)
Ray Butler: Ms Kennedy mentioned the value that self-employed persons receive a number of times. Let us look at the value that the self-employed person gives. He or she employs people, pays income tax and PRSI and once a person's name is over the door, he or she is hit with bills for everything. It should be the opposite. It should be the value that the self-employed bring to the economy. At the end...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits: Discussion with Department of Social Protection (20 Nov 2013)
Ray Butler: Last week the Minister told me many self-employed people who can afford to do so pay through the nose for private insurance policies for sick pay and disability pay. Many involved in small businesses would not have a hope of paying it. We could examine this system and examine how the Department runs its system. Ms Kennedy made a presentation and spoke about increasing the rate of...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits: Discussion with Department of Social Protection (20 Nov 2013)
Ray Butler: Ms Kennedy is saying-----
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits: Discussion with Department of Social Protection (20 Nov 2013)
Ray Butler: -----that a 16% contribution would be for jobseeker's benefit in addition to core State pension.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits: Discussion with Department of Social Protection (20 Nov 2013)
Ray Butler: She is saying that contribution would be at 15% to 16%.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits: Discussion with Department of Social Protection (20 Nov 2013)
Ray Butler: Then, Ms Kennedy is saying the cost for the entire package would be 17.3%.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits: Discussion with Department of Social Protection (20 Nov 2013)
Ray Butler: If the association is sincere and serious about looking after small businesses and its members, I found it very strange.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits: Discussion with Department of Social Protection (20 Nov 2013)
Ray Butler: I believe that in its statement, ISME was looking after the big man and not the small independent.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits: Discussion with Department of Social Protection (20 Nov 2013)
Ray Butler: Can I cut across Ms Kennedy? In the old days before the Government came to power if a person was self-employed, he had to get figures from the previous year. For example, for 2013, a person would have to get figures for the 2011 and 2012 accounts. In many cases, as the Senator said, when a person goes out of business, he has no money. Basically, he is left out in the wilderness because he...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits: Discussion with Department of Social Protection (20 Nov 2013)
Ray Butler: I am very disappointed that there are no members present from the main Opposition parties, Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin. This is a major issue given that there are 300,000 to 400,000 self-employed in the country and they have been neglected for far too long by previous governments. The Minister, Deputy Burton, has done a considerable amount for the self-employed, including lowering...
- Topical Issue Debate: Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility (13 Nov 2013)
Ray Butler: I thank the Minister for her reply. There is no perfect solution to all cases when it comes to social welfare and the self-employed. I have heard various groups from the Irish Small and Medium Enterprises Association, ISME to the Irish Farmers' Association, IFA, and others, say that they want it to be voluntary. I do not think it will work voluntarily. I understand the economy and how the...
- Topical Issue Debate: Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility (13 Nov 2013)
Ray Butler: I thank the Minister for Social Protection and her Department for the work undertaken so far towards securing social welfare provision for the self-employed, and I wholeheartedly welcome the report of the advisory group on tax and social welfare commissioned by the Minister. During the general election campaign in 2011, I met many business people throughout my constituency who raised...
- Order of Business (7 Nov 2013)
Ray Butler: The final Stages of the Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013 are taking place in the Seanad and a report on the self-employed will come before the Oireachtas-----
- Order of Business (7 Nov 2013)
Ray Butler: Yes.
- Order of Business (7 Nov 2013)
Ray Butler: I wish to speak about the self-employed.
- Order of Business (7 Nov 2013)
Ray Butler: I will finish by saying that the Minister, Deputy Burton, has done great work for self-employed people.
- Order of Business (7 Nov 2013)
Ray Butler: Will legislation be brought to the Houses for self-employed people who need social welfare entitlements?
- Order of Business (7 Nov 2013)
Ray Butler: Yes, she has done more than a Minister in any other Government.
- Order of Business (7 Nov 2013)
Ray Butler: Some 80% of self-employed people who have sought social protection have been looked after by the Minister, which is more than Fianna Fáil, the Green Party or Independents have done.