Results 12,701-12,720 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Social Welfare Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: To my surprise, the Deputy implied that she was completely opposed to any improvement on taxation.

Social Welfare Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: I disagree with the Deputy and think she is wrong. The SWITCH analysis is a list of comparators over a period of time for different groups on different levels of income. The SWITCH analysis in Ireland does not capture where people, in receipt of a social welfare income or otherwise, have medical cards. Deputy Willie O'Dea knows that a medical card is a very valuable resource for people in...

Social Welfare Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: That is an important addition to housing provision in the State, at a cost of €340 million. It has a drawback, however, which is that if someone is in receipt of rent supplement and find a job, he or she may end up losing the rent supplement payment. For the past three years we have concentrated on reforming the rent supplement scheme in order that, over a period, it will transfer to...

Social Welfare Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: Deputy Shortall may even know some of the staff involved. This is the first budget in which we have had scope to make positive but modest progress for welfare recipients. That is evidenced by the €65 million we are spending on the bonus for pensioners as well as the €198 million of new welfare improvements that I announced in the budget, which I mentioned to the Deputy, such...

Social Welfare Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: I am just giving the figures. The Deputy made some comments about the Irish system.

Social Welfare Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: From time to time, he should recognise that the Irish system is relatively generous in its social protection payments compared with many other European countries. I did not say it was perfect or that there was not a lot of room for improvements. I said it was relatively generous, including compared to many of the UK provisions the Deputy cited. I make no apology to the Deputy or anyone...

Social Welfare Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: -----I say people such as Connolly and Larkin would-----

Social Welfare Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: It is exactly to do with them.

Social Welfare Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: Deputy Coppinger was not here when I began my speech. It has everything to do with the amendments.

Social Welfare Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: I listened to the Deputy without interrupting her and she should have the same courtesy.

Social Welfare Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: While courtesy might not be her strong point, the Deputy should show me the same courtesy I have shown to her.

Social Welfare Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: Let me take the Deputy through the changes I am happy to have been able to make in the budget. People quoted from the ESRI. The deliberate political choices the Government made to protect and maintain primary social welfare rates were not followed in other bail-out countries, some of which Deputies suggested Ireland should follow. The ESRI, among others, has acknowledged this and pointed...

Social Welfare Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: It is smaller.

Social Welfare Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: First, I wish to refer briefly to a matter Deputy Boyd Barrett raised this morning. I explained to him that the pension reforms we introduced to protect people's pensions in defined benefit schemes in Ireland were set at a level of €12,000 but it was 100% protection. The Deputy indicated that he believed people in Waterford Wedgewood had benefitted far more generously. I have not...

Social Welfare Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (3 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: This is signposting legislation.

Social Welfare Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (3 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: I believe the proposal is in order. The reference is intended to act as a signpost for people who are reading the legislation and does not have a particular significance.

Social Welfare Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (3 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: No.

Social Welfare Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (3 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: The Bill makes provision to allow the Minister for Finance to draw down funds in respect of any case of double insolvency that arose between the date on which the Robins judgment was delivered and the date on which the changes in pensions legislation were enacted, namely, 25 December 2013.

Social Welfare Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (3 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: Yes.

Social Welfare Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (3 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: I believe the Deputy misunderstands the point, which was also raised by Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett. In circumstances where the average pension is €10,000 we have sought to provide 100% protection for pensions of up to €12,000, save for arrangements that may apply in particular circumstances, for example, lump sums. That is what the legislation seeks to achieve. Pro...