Results 8,821-8,840 of 19,409 for speaker:Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: My own view is that it should be done when the legislation from the Department of Finance is enacted. The logic behind it is there will be the amalgamation of both offices, but that may not happen. That said, I am not opposing the changes. I am just arguing that it seems to be very clumsy and that there must have been a better way to do this. Perhaps it is the opportune time to do so, but...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: I welcome these amendments. I hope all the references contained within the consolidated Act that require change are changed and if not, that any other anomalies will be addressed at the earliest possible stage, given the size of the consolidated Act and other legislation, to give full effect to the Marriage Act as now passed.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: There are a number of issues and I concur with Deputy O'Dea regarding the litany of cuts to benefits. These cuts would affect people who are in receipt of the contributory pension and also some of the other pensions, some of which are already listed, and others which would also have an effect. For example, if prescription charges increase it would affect people who benefit from medical cards...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: I had the figure on inflation rates and consumer price index buried in my notes here. The consumer price index, while not necessarily the best example, is the one usually used and accepted as a guide. It indicates an aggregate inflation rate of 5.08%. It is not the rate of 1.5% which was quoted by the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Burton. She said that the...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: Earlier this year the ESRI published a report on inflation. It stated the rate of inflation for low income families was higher than the average inflation rate during the recession and that it was lower for high income families. When we pick a figure, be it the consumer price index or another, a higher figure applies to low income families during the recession. These families are usually...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: When the change to the pension ages came about, a number of anomalies were identified but there were also effects on the recipients. For instance, it is not only that they end up, instead of being on the State transition pension, being on jobseeker's allowance, albeit as far as I know without being forced to look for work. There was a pre-retirement payment in the past which captured that...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: I welcome the name change that is being brought about. I also welcome the fact that the Government saw the light and reversed the cut that it imposed. The name change is an admission of what we knew, that the respite care grant was not used for respite by the vast majority of carers but was used for other supports such as buying equipment, paying for car insurance, fuel and so forth. We...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: On section 6, the two matters are related. One comes into effect on 1 January and the other commences on 1 June. I understand that 1 June is when the payment is made and 1 May marks the six months requirement prior to it. In some ways it would have made no difference if the Minister had left the date as 1 June for when it comes into effect, because the existing payment is transferring...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: I welcome any change to reverse cuts. Child benefit has now been restored to the average, if one likes, but there were changes to the payment of child benefit for families with more than four children. Is there an indication that the Minister will reconsider that matter in the future? In the past, the Minister said that if money is available some of the cuts would be reversed. That did...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: I will remind the Minister of State.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: We could grant it.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: We will remind the Deputy if we are here.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: I am not sure whether I am opposing or agreeing with this. I find it odd. We had a discussion here about trying to get doctors as medical assessors and there was no comment last year about having nurses. The vast majority of nurses I know do not have the diagnostic capability and the groups representing GPs or consultants have been very reluctant to allow nurses the extra power to go...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: There is quite a lot in this. It was sprung on us. I have not had a chance to talk to the representatives of the nursing organisation. It is a step up. Most occupational nurses are well capable. It is the same argument in terms of midwives in hospital - they are not given the responsibility they deserve. The Minister of State is right; most occupational nurses would be well capable of...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: I was not trying to say it was not progressive. I thank the Minister of State. He is quite right that nurses' roles have changed although their everyday work may not have changed enough. I was trying to make sure that if we go down this road, there will not be a hiccup. There would be nothing worse than having a number of nurses lined up in a month or two to take up the position - for...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: I have said all along that I think they are well capable of doing the work. They have not been allowed do it because of demarcation within the medical professions. It is the same with pharmacists. This might be one of the steps forward. I was just making sure that we do not have a clash in the future between the IMO and the Department. If the IMO is happy with it, then work away.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: A change was made to what became the Social Welfare Act 2012 which excluded credit unions from the household budgeting package. I shall outline its effect on Travellers, in particular, who availed of the facility to pay for mobile homes through An Post using the Lough payment scheme, which relates to the Lough Credit Union. I have argued with a number of Ministers about this matter and plus...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: I had hoped the scheme would cover the Lough scheme payments but it seems more limited. Therefore, I again appeal to the Minister of State to include such payments because they are in the same vein. I welcome the initiative but it is not as extensive as I had hoped. The Lough payment scheme came about following agreement among a number of credit unions and it seemed to work well. I met a...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: It is not a charge because the effect of the amendment is to reduce the amount, although it still has to be paid.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: I move amendment No. 26:26. In page 9, after line 22, to insert the following:“Recouping Social Welfare payments from employer in wrongful dismissal cases 11. Any employer who has had a finding made against them of unfair dismissal under the Unfair Dismissals Acts 1977 to 2007, shall reimburse the State the cost of the unfairly dismissed former employee’s social welfare...