Results 1,261-1,280 of 6,185 for speaker:Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Conservation (24 May 2023)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 48. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the checks in place to ensure that contractors who are on the list of approved contractors for work in energy efficiency, with specific reference to installation of heat pumps, are in compliance with high standards, and that their work is satisfactory and efficient; and if there are reviews, inspections or audits of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rural Schemes (23 May 2023)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Breaking news.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Meals Programme (23 May 2023)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I certainly will not be critical of this as it is something that I advocated for as education spokesperson until recently. It is beneficial and great to see it being rolled out in schools, even though we started from a long way back compared with other European countries. It is good to see we are catching up. I have more of a statement than a question. As we roll this out, it is important...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Employment Schemes (23 May 2023)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 76. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will provide an update on the tender for EmployAbility that was due to be published in April 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24662/23]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Employment Schemes (23 May 2023)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: EmployAbility services provide sustainable employment opportunities for people with a long-term illness, injury or disability and support them into employment. There is currently supposed to be a process to EmployAbility service contracts put out to tender, similar to the tendering of local employment services and job club services over the past two years. I urge the Minister to avoid...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Employment Schemes (23 May 2023)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: The Minister mentioned that it was her responsibility to ensure her Department provided these services. The fear regarding a tender is it will not be the Department but somebody else on behalf of the Department who will offer these services. It is crucial the Department learns the lessons from the previous tender process that saw community-based, not-for-profit employment services...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Employment Schemes (23 May 2023)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: That lady or gentleman is not any of the people I have been speaking to about their experience of it. If the Minister is getting legal advice from the Attorney General or Chief State Solicitor, I am sure they will tell her if a tender is put out then anyone can win and she cannot guarantee the outcome of it. They will tell her in any such process the outcome cannot be decided by the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Employment Schemes (23 May 2023)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: It is not the Deputy's question in fairness. I do not believe this is necessary. It is possible to provide them the autonomy necessary, if that is the issue, without a tendering process. We need to avoid a for-profit model. We need not look very far. We can look across the water and see the dangers a results-based model can lead to.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Eligibility (23 May 2023)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I understand what happened. What I do not understand is the rationale for why it happened. There could be two couples living next door to each, number 3 and number 4 on Connolly or Pearse Road or whatever you want to call it. Those two elderly people could have individual payments and their neighbours, one as an adult dependant, and neither would have ever anticipated they might lose out...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Eligibility (23 May 2023)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 74. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her views on the fact that adult dependants were excluded from the recent €200 cost-of-living bonus payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24661/23]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Eligibility (23 May 2023)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: A week or two after the recent cost-of-living bonus payment was made to families, I started getting calls, primarily from pensioners, who were shocked and surprised that they had not received the €200 cost-of-living payment. These people are adult dependants on a social welfare payment. This seems grossly unfair because they were given to believe they would qualify as they get the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Eligibility (23 May 2023)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I thank the Minister for what was a very substantial and excellent answer to a different question. It certainly did not answer mine, which related to dependants who did not receive the cost-of-living bonus payment. She offered nothing regarding her views on that or the rationale for the decision. The precedent in respect of bonus payments, insofar as there are any, relates to the Christmas...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Schemes (23 May 2023)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 72. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will provide an update on her Department's review of the extension of the free travel scheme to people with epilepsy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24660/23]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Schemes (23 May 2023)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: This week is national epilepsy week. I am raising a very important issue which matters to people with epilepsy, namely, improved access to the free travel scheme for people with epilepsy. As the Minister will be aware, epilepsy is a complex individual condition. People living with it face a wide range of challenges. We are awaiting a final report from the Department on proposals Epilepsy...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Schemes (23 May 2023)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: We could do with a little more information. As the Minister will be aware, there are 40,000 people living with epilepsy in Ireland. With the right treatment regime, 70% of people diagnosed with epilepsy can become seizure free but for 30%, their condition will be more challenging due to the nature and impact of uncontrolled seizures. Almost all diagnoses of epilepsy in adults come with...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Schemes (23 May 2023)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I take the Minister's point but in the majority of the examples that one could give of people with other conditions, the individuals in question will already have a qualifying payment. Many people will be on disability allowance or invalidity allowance because of their condition and will be entitled to free travel in any event. I am not sure we are talking about a large number of additional...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Nursing Homes (23 May 2023)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Or the NTPF.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Nursing Homes (23 May 2023)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I will raise a few issues. I appreciate that people have been in contact with the Minister, and I hope she has responded and given them whatever reassurance she can. Nobody is looking for a new mechanism. I am not seeking to negotiate this with the Minister of State in the Chamber; I know that is not realistic or the way things work. As I understand it, the way this works is that the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Nursing Homes (23 May 2023)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I am not asking the Minister of State to advocate but to ask the NTPF to come back to the table.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Nursing Homes (23 May 2023)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: At the heart of this matter are 73 families who are extremely worried at this point in time. They do not know what the future holds for their loved ones. They do not know how they can possibly afford to pay for their care at Beaumont Residential Care without the fair deal scheme and they do not know where else they can find a place in a nursing home. As the Minister of State is aware, as...