Results 10,221-10,240 of 15,268 for speaker:Kathleen Lynch

Written Answers — Services for People with Disabilities: Services for People with Disabilities (12 Jul 2012)

Kathleen Lynch: Pending completion of the national estimates, budgetary and service planing process for 2013 it is not possible to predict the service levels to be provided next year. Personal assistant services are an integral part of the specialist disability services provided by the Health Service Executive. The National Service Plan for this year includes provision for 1.64 million personal...

Written Answers — Health Service Allowances: Health Service Allowances (12 Jul 2012)

Kathleen Lynch: The Department of Health has accepted the Ombudsman's recommendation to review and revise the mobility allowance so as to render it compliant with the Equal Status Acts. The Department also notes that the Ombudsman, in a footnote to her recommendation, expresses no view as to the terms of the revision of the mobility allowance other than the revised scheme should be compliant with the Equal...

Written Answers — Nursing Homes Support Scheme: Nursing Homes Support Scheme (12 Jul 2012)

Kathleen Lynch: A public consultation process to inform the review of the Nursing Homes Support Scheme commenced on the 14th June. A call for submissions was made in national newspapers and a notice was placed on the Department of Health website. The closing date for receipt of submissions is the 16th July. When the public consultation process has concluded, the Department of Health will be seeking tenders...

Written Answers — Health Service Allowances: Health Service Allowances (12 Jul 2012)

Kathleen Lynch: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.

Written Answers — Speech and Language Therapy: Speech and Language Therapy (11 Jul 2012)

Kathleen Lynch: 5As the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Mental Health Services: Mental Health Services (11 Jul 2012)

Kathleen Lynch: As this is a service matter the question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.

Written Answers — Health Service Staff: Health Service Staff (11 Jul 2012)

Kathleen Lynch: In Budget 2012, a special allocation of €35m for mental health was announced in line with our Programme for Government. Funding from this allocation will be used primarily to strengthen Community Mental Health Teams in both Adult and Children's mental health services which will ensure, at a minimum, that at least one of each mental health professional discipline is represented on every...

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Bill 2011: Report Stage (11 Jul 2012)

Kathleen Lynch: I thank Deputy Fleming for putting down the amendment. He is correct as the gap between the 20% level and the 38% level relates to indexation and the later pension age. It is no great secret. The table is based on assumptions. As we are all very much aware, when we deal with pensions we can only work on assumptions because they are in the future. We must make assumptions of a certain...

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Bill 2011: Report Stage (11 Jul 2012)

Kathleen Lynch: It is to ensure people on very low incomes-----

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Bill 2011: Report Stage (11 Jul 2012)

Kathleen Lynch: Yes.

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Bill 2011: Report Stage (11 Jul 2012)

Kathleen Lynch: It is difficult to know whether this will happen or in what circumstances it could happen. The point is noted. I am sure the Department will examine it. It is difficult to see in what circumstances this would happen. I am sure no matter how the Government of the day was made up, it would ensure such a scenario would not play out. It is a very technical issue and I am sure there will be a...

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Bill 2011: Report Stage (11 Jul 2012)

Kathleen Lynch: The Minister does not have a difficulty with providing any further information which becomes available provided it is complete.

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Bill 2011: Report Stage (11 Jul 2012)

Kathleen Lynch: Is the Deputy sure that is exactly what he said?

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Bill 2011: Report Stage (11 Jul 2012)

Kathleen Lynch: There is a difference between being very close to what he said and exactly what he said.

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Bill 2011: Report Stage (11 Jul 2012)

Kathleen Lynch: One would want to be blind and deaf not to understand the reasons for that.

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Bill 2011: Report Stage (11 Jul 2012)

Kathleen Lynch: It is agreed that what Deputy Fleming is looking for in his amendment, namely, a report after six months is not long enough in terms of this type of scheme. One would have to give it a little more time. It has been explained to me that it would be okay if a new entrant died shortly after entering the service. One might be able to do an early micro assessment but I do not think that would...

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Bill 2011: Report Stage (11 Jul 2012)

Kathleen Lynch: I acknowledge what the Deputy has said. In my opening remarks I said there are so many allowances that it is difficult to know what they are. The review is ongoing. The Minister knew that this issue would arise and he has said that when the review is completed and presented to the Government he will have no difficulty in publishing it at that stage. The Deputy read an exhaustive list of...

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Bill 2011: Report Stage (11 Jul 2012)

Kathleen Lynch: This Bill does not deal with AVCs which are private sector products that are already heavily regulated. The information contained in a table and which applies to teachers was distributed on Committee Stage and I hope it was of some assistance to Deputies. The Deputy has taken a sensible decision to make the argument rather than to table an amendment specifically dealing with this issue...

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Bill 2011: Report Stage (11 Jul 2012)

Kathleen Lynch: My officials inform me that the scheme is generally available across the public service. Progress is being made.

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Bill 2011: Report Stage (11 Jul 2012)

Kathleen Lynch: To take the Deputy's last point, where there is a will, hopefully there will be an amendment. In this case there was none from the Deputies to do this retrospectively. The retrospective issue is the difficulty, as Deputy McDonald knows. There is huge difficulty with retrospection. People come into an employment with a particular contract. They have an expectation of what the benefits...