Results 941-960 of 1,321 for speaker:Áine Collins

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Not-for-Profit Sector: Discussion (19 Nov 2013)

Áine Collins: At the moment, I presume most social enterprises are companies limited by guarantee, whereas an entrepreneur is limited by share capital. Should we have a separate entity that would get both started? A company limited by guarantee is a bit onerous at the moment but, hopefully, we will change the audit status of that soon. Most of the community area is limited by guarantee at the moment.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Not-for-Profit Sector: Discussion (19 Nov 2013)

Áine Collins: It might be the ideal set-up for a small business as well, and both could be incorporated.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Not-for-Profit Sector: Discussion (19 Nov 2013)

Áine Collins: I apologise for being late but I was delayed coming from Cork. Having listened to others talk I have realised that the sector has great potential. Last Thursday I attended a conference held at the European Parliament Office on Molesworth Street organised by a European social enterprise group. I heard part of the conversation that took place. I wish to draw on the interesting analogy made...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Not-for-Profit Sector: Discussion (19 Nov 2013)

Áine Collins: Was taxation changed in 2011?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Not-for-Profit Sector: Discussion (19 Nov 2013)

Áine Collins: That was done at the request of the charity sector which is something that I could never understand. In a past life I was a tax adviser. Part of my work was to help people who asked me to help them reduce their tax burden by suggesting a range of options.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Not-for-Profit Sector: Discussion (19 Nov 2013)

Áine Collins: Did the proposal include a financial cut-off point?

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Fuel Allowance Eligibility (19 Nov 2013)

Áine Collins: 326. To ask the Minister for Social Protection her views on the fact that persons on jobseeker's allowance are losing fuel allowance because they take up a place on a community employment scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49111/13]

Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (14 Nov 2013)

Áine Collins: I appreciate the Minister of State's comments and I fully understand the budgetary pressures the HSE is under. However, these service providers seem to be getting a lump sum payment, although it should be attached to the services they provide and the number of people concerned. In this case, they were providing the service but were told by the HSE that they should not do so, as it was not...

Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (14 Nov 2013)

Áine Collins: I thank the Minister of State for attending to discuss this issue, which has been raised in my constituency and in respect of which I am finding it difficult to get clarity. I understand that personal assistance for preschool children is covered by the HSE and usually delivered in communities by service providers. Children are assessed based on their physical needs as opposed to their...

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (14 Nov 2013)

Áine Collins: I have already been in contact with the directorate in Cork and the manager of the department. The issue has been going back and forth since last September and we have not got any further.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (14 Nov 2013)

Áine Collins: Thank you, Chairman. I would appreciate that.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (14 Nov 2013)

Áine Collins: Overall it has worked. There is better efficiency, greater fairness of eligibility and it has reduced cost.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (14 Nov 2013)

Áine Collins: Good. In respect of administration and costs in the HSE there has been a 10% reduction in staff, an 8% increase in population and €3 billion has been taken out of the budget. What percentage of that 10% of staff were frontline as opposed to administration staff? Is that information available? If not, could the witnesses forward it to me?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (14 Nov 2013)

Áine Collins: Thank you. There seems to be a big cost issue here in the area of prescription drugs, compared with other parts of Europe. I know that there was some work to be done in this area. How is that work progressing or is an update available?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (14 Nov 2013)

Áine Collins: On a personal note, I have a child with a long-term illness who requires a drug called Creon. When we go on holidays we have had to buy it because we forgot to bring it with us. The State provides the drug here. We paid, I think, €8 in Portugal. I have sometimes bought it here because things happen when one is moving around, and it cost €28, for the same quantity of the...

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (14 Nov 2013)

Áine Collins: Is that for the coming year?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (14 Nov 2013)

Áine Collins: Good. I welcome that. I have a question for Mr. Byrne whom I congratulate on his new position. I see that there is a request to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in respect of a new financial management system within the HSE. What will it cost? What will be its benefit? Will there be real-time information? The public struggles to get accurate information on costings and...

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (14 Nov 2013)

Áine Collins: What is the timescale?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (14 Nov 2013)

Áine Collins: I welcome that. It is long overdue to judge by what we see in regard to accuracy and so on. On a separate issue, in my constituency there is an area where service providers whose budget was cut have to manage an increase in salary. That means in real terms they are cut by 3% or 4% because they have to comply with the Haddington Road or Croke Park agreements, or whatever the case may be....

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (14 Nov 2013)

Áine Collins: I welcome the witnesses and thank them for giving their time to discuss the issue of medical cards and the wider areas of health. To be clear on the issue of discretionary cards, significant media attention has focused on this area and serious concerns have been expressed in our constituency offices. Many people fear losing these cards. What has changed to cause this reaction? I think I...