Results 1,021-1,040 of 5,046 for speaker:Paschal Mooney

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Dec 2014)

Paschal Mooney: Yes.

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Dec 2014)

Paschal Mooney: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Dec 2014)

Paschal Mooney: I am not sure we agree with the Order of Business. It is proposed to complete the Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill by taking Committee Stage today and Report and Final Stages this evening. I do not believe that schedule is in the best interests of finalising the debate. The legislation should be included in tomorrow's business. I want to raise an issue with the Leader that has...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2014)

Paschal Mooney: I move recommendation No. 8: In page 4, between lines 21 and 22, to insert the following:“Amendment of Pensions Act 19904. The Pensions Act 1990 is amended by inserting a new section 48A as follows:“48A.A solvent firm shall not be allowed to close a defined benefit pension scheme except where the scheme has reached a minimum 90 per cent funding standard.".".This amendment...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2014)

Paschal Mooney: I agree. Yes.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2014)

Paschal Mooney: I have a simple question. Why is the Minister retaining the references to Irish Water in the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005, which is referred to in the Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill under the definitions in section 1, which specifies that the “Principal Act” means the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005? Why is the Minister leaving that in if it will have...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2014)

Paschal Mooney: On a point of order, I asked the Minister a very simple question and she has gone around the houses telling me a load of things I already know and the public already know. All I asked is why-----

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2014)

Paschal Mooney: -----the Minister is retaining a reference to Irish Water. The PPS numbers will be with the Department of Social Protection and not with Irish Water, or is she inferring that as a result of this legislation-----

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2014)

Paschal Mooney: -----the PPS number will be held by Irish Water? I ask her to clarify and not muddy the waters, with all due respect.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2014)

Paschal Mooney: What has that to do with Irish Water?

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2014)

Paschal Mooney: I have no desire to press the Minister on this. In the context of all the debate that has taken place, Senator Cullinane tabled an amendment seeking the deletion of references to Irish Water under the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005. If, as the Minister has pointed out, it is the Revenue Commissioners and her Department that will be dealing with PPS numbers, why is there a continuing...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2014)

Paschal Mooney: This is a very specific recommendation. Will the Minister of State be deleting references to Irish Water in the Bill? That is in the context of the recommendation.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2014)

Paschal Mooney: I support this recommendation as outlined by Senator Cullinane, The respected commentator in The Irish Times, Noel Whelan - I mean that sincerely as he is a very respected political commentator and I declare an interest in that I have known him for many years - wrote a column at the height of the Irish Water controversy when it first started some months back and outlined that I was the only...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2014)

Paschal Mooney: In the context of Senator Cullinane's recommendation about the deletion of Irish Water form this legislation, this is a matter that seems to have exercised the nation far more than any other issue of which I am aware. It is therefore incumbent on the Government to ensure there are no traces of Irish Water in a social welfare Bill.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2014)

Paschal Mooney: It should take it out and get rid of it, in the same way as I believe it should get rid of Irish Water. An issue was raised by my colleague and our environment spokesman, Deputy Barry Cowen, in the Dáil when he said that based on the information provided by the Minister, Deputy Kelly, last week, the water charges issue has been considerably more muddied because of the €100...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2014)

Paschal Mooney: I was not questioning that in any way. I agree with it.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2014)

Paschal Mooney: He is in the Minister of State's constituency.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2014)

Paschal Mooney: I thank the Minister of State for providing the information. I am somewhat reassured by his continuing commitment and that of the Department to try to reduce the appeal time. I am interested to know whether the appointment of the 15 new appeals officers is coming from within the Department or if they are new employees. I am aware that a public service embargo is in place. I ask the...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2014)

Paschal Mooney: No.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2014)

Paschal Mooney: I move recommendation No. 4: In page 4, between lines 7 and 8, to insert the following: “Amendment of Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act 2005 3. The Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act 2005 is amended by inserting the following after subsection (4) of section 311: “(5)(a) An Appeals Officer shall decide an appeal within a prescribed time of 60 working days from the date of...