Results 821-840 of 34,585 for speaker:Seán Fleming

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Fiscal Policy (16 Jun 2022)

Seán Fleming: I will take up the last point in particular about putting the rent back in renters' pockets. If the Government had ever suggested anything like that, the Deputy and the party opposite would be the first to say this is a subsidy for landlords. That is exactly what would be said, and that is the way it would work out-----

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Fiscal Policy (16 Jun 2022)

Seán Fleming: -----and when landlords know, there would be an increase. In fairness, we can do a lot but we cannot do everything to mitigate it. The measures to date have been well over €2 billion. Recently, our concentration is also on employment and the hospitality sector. Many places cannot even open on Mondays and Tuesdays, such as restaurants and places serving food. One of the solutions...

Seanad: Insurance (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022: Second Stage (15 Jun 2022)

Seán Fleming: I welcome the opportunity to address the Seanad on the Insurance (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022, which was published on 1 April and which passed all Stages in the Dáil on 1 June. There were no amendments to the legislation as it passed through the Dáil. People were generally happy with it. I want to put that on record at this point. As Senators will be keenly aware, the...

Seanad: Insurance (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022: Second Stage (15 Jun 2022)

Seán Fleming: I thank Senators Casey, Maria Byrne, Sherlock, Warfield and Kyne for their contributions. They are all very helpful and positive and accept the logic of the legislation. A big element of this issue relates to the recovery of deducted State supports. It has been rightly pointed out that in the Department of Social Protection, there is a scheme called the recovery of benefits and assistance...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (2 Jun 2022)

Seán Fleming: 299. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when her Department will make the payments under the Enhanced Redundancy Agreement to Community Employment Supervisors; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28786/22]

Insurance (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (1 Jun 2022)

Seán Fleming: I am grateful for the contribution of Deputy Doherty, in particular, and other members of the Opposition to the entire insurance debate, as exemplified during the course of the passage of this legislation.

Insurance (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (1 Jun 2022)

Seán Fleming: I move amendment No. 1: In page 6, line 31, to delete “or in relation to”. It might help if I give an explanation. It is a simple amendment. I will only take a few moments and then give Members of the Opposition an opportunity to speak. It is a very simple four-word amendment. On Committee Stage I indicated that the Department was considering a technical drafting...

Seanad: Consumer Credit (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (1 Jun 2022)

Seán Fleming: The Bill is the result of a detailed policy review within the Department of Finance, which included a public consultation in 2019. The report Moneylending: Policy Proposals was published by the Minister for Finance last July along with the heads of this Bill. The main proposal is the introduction of an interest rate cap on moneylending loans. The feedback from the public consultation on...

Seanad: Consumer Credit (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (1 Jun 2022)

Seán Fleming: I thank all the Senators who spoke on the Bill. Generally, I think everybody is supportive of the legislation, despite some issues of concern. The first question asked was how this will all work because we have given just an outline of the Bill. One of the key differences is that, until now, a prospective moneylender had to go to each court to get a licence. That now will be done by the...

Food Price Rises: Motion [Private Members] (31 May 2022)

Seán Fleming: I thank the Deputies for putting forward this motion. I understand their motivation in doing so and welcome the opportunity for discussion on the issue of rising food prices. We are concerned with protecting our people from the severe financial and economic consequences of the recent worldwide spike in inflationary pressure. We are all aware that people are finding it harder to make ends...

Consumer Credit (Amendment) Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (25 May 2022)

Seán Fleming: I thank Deputy Doherty for his proposed amendment, which we discussed on Committee Stage. Deputy Doherty and I agree on many elements of this Bill, including the need for a statutory interest rate cap. We are at odds here on the precise rate of that cap. Deputy Doherty's amendment would reduce the caps in the Bill and cut the caps in three years' time to rates that would compare with...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Income Inequality (25 May 2022)

Seán Fleming: I will highlight the fact that this is an international report in respect of Ireland's contribution to overseas development aid. To this end, we have increased the cash allocation of overseas development aid for the last eight consecutive years, with the contribution reaching over €1 billion for the first time ever this year. With regard to the global issues, we are making a...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Income Inequality (25 May 2022)

Seán Fleming: I am pleased to have the opportunity to contribute to this discussion on Oxfam's recent global report on inequality levels. The report draws attention to important issues around wealth and income inequality, cost-of-living pressures and how policy in advanced economies can respond to these global challenges. In particular, the report highlights the negative effect the Covid-19 pandemic has...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (24 May 2022)

Seán Fleming: 324. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade when a refund for a passport application will be issued (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26384/22]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (24 May 2022)

Seán Fleming: 484. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if an application for the State pension (non-contributory) for a person (details supplied) will be re-examined; if the payment will be approved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26425/22]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Dental Services (24 May 2022)

Seán Fleming: 657. To ask the Minister for Health the current position in relation to private dental practices that will no longer offer services to medical card holders; and if there are plans for this service to be resumed in the near future. [26305/22]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Staff (24 May 2022)

Seán Fleming: 668. To ask the Minister for Health the expected timescale of the recruitment process for a position (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26401/22]

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Road Projects (11 May 2022)

Seán Fleming: I concur with the point made by the Deputy. As he said, the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, has been in direct contact with her ministerial colleague, Deputy Ryan, about the Department of Transport coming on board with this scheme. The Deputy specifically mentioned the Gaeltacht scheme and I know his views will be taken into account fully by the Minister. It does not affect me in County Laois...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Road Projects (11 May 2022)

Seán Fleming: I thank Deputy Griffin for raising the matter. The Minister for Rural and Community Development, Deputy Humphreys, has asked me to respond on her behalf. The local improvement scheme is a programme for improvement works on small private or non-public roads in rural areas that are not under the normal maintenance of the local authorities. The scheme is funded by the Department of Rural...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Traffic Management (11 May 2022)

Seán Fleming: I thank Deputy Cairns for the opportunity to address this matter in the House. I am speaking on behalf of the Minister for Transport, Deputy Eamon Ryan, and the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, who is also in the Department of Transport. It is important to note the Government is funding active travel at an unprecedented scale. It has allocated €460 million per annum to support...