Results 13,161-13,180 of 14,127 for speaker:David Stanton
- Community Development. (9 Feb 2006)
David Stanton: I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me to raise this matter about the need for increased Government support for the Cobh and Great Island community centre project. This project is ten years in gestation. Five national lottery funding applications were made between 1997 and 2000, all of which were unsuccessful. The organisers were informed no stop gap funding was available for such a...
- Written Answers — Services for People with Disabilities: Services for People with Disabilities (9 Feb 2006)
David Stanton: Question 15: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs when he intends introducing the advocacy service for people with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4661/06]
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (9 Feb 2006)
David Stanton: Question 129: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his views on allowing the one-parent family payment to recipients to retain all their secondary benefits for the duration of their participation in education and training programmes in view of the fact that almost 50% of one-parent family payment claimants only have a primary level education and the fact that he has identified...
- Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (9 Feb 2006)
David Stanton: Question 213: To ask the Minister for Defence the interest his Department has in Spike Island; if his Department holds or leases any part of Spike Island; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4829/06]
- Pension Provisions. (9 Feb 2006)
David Stanton: Question 1: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the schemes available to widows or widowers in receipt of pensions from his Department to enable recipients to re-enter the workforce; his views on an increase in the earnings and income disregard, in particular for young widows, many of whom have dependant children and may have been outside the workforce for a considerable amount...
- Pension Provisions. (9 Feb 2006)
David Stanton: I thank the Minister for that response. Does he have plans to introduce an earnings disregard for young widows similar to the one introduced for those age over 66? Could he introduce a tapered withdrawal, a half-rate payment of benefit for widows, similar to that applicable to the one-parent family payment? Is there a barrier to widows or widowers on contributory pensions doing FÃS courses?...
- Pension Provisions. (9 Feb 2006)
David Stanton: There is one other point. Is the Minister aware that the CDA part of the contributory pension is taxed and that there seems to be an anomaly in that regard? Could he raise the matter with his colleague, the Minister for Finance, to ensure that does not happen? It is given particularly to assist with the rearing of children and it seems strange that it is taxed. I understand that the Garda one...
- Pension Provisions. (9 Feb 2006)
David Stanton: Yes.
- Pension Provisions. (9 Feb 2006)
David Stanton: That is correct but when it is added on, it is.
- National Economic and Social Forum Report. (9 Feb 2006)
David Stanton: Question 4: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his views on the recent NESF Report No. 33, Creating a More Inclusive Labour Market (January 2006) which highlights the ever increasing inequality of society here; his views on the findings of the report; the action the Government intends to take as a result; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4937/06]
- National Economic and Social Forum Report. (9 Feb 2006)
David Stanton: Does the Minister note that the report also said the â¬1 billion could be spent more effectively? Does he agree with the report when it states there is now a wealthier but more unequal society than ever before? The report records that the richest 20% of the working age population earns 12 times as much as the poorest 20%, that there is less equality of opportunity in Ireland than in many...
- National Economic and Social Forum Report. (9 Feb 2006)
David Stanton: They are not taking it up.
- National Economic and Social Forum Report. (9 Feb 2006)
David Stanton: The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer.
- National Economic and Social Forum Report. (9 Feb 2006)
David Stanton: Will the Minister agree with the point made in the report that poverty traps are the main problem and that they are being created by the too-rapid withdrawal of a person's secondary benefits when taking up employment? This has been exacerbated by the growing complexity of the means tested benefit system and lack of indexation of household means tested income disregards before secondary...
- Social Welfare Benefits. (9 Feb 2006)
David Stanton: Question 19: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the services, supports and programmes his Department has in place to assist young carers under the age of 18 years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4663/06]
- Social Welfare Benefits. (9 Feb 2006)
David Stanton: We will all be interested in getting involved in the debate. I will ask the Minister to focus on young carers, to whom he alluded very briefly in his response. Does he agree with research carried out by Barnardos in 2004 stating that there are up to 3,000 young carers caring for various degrees of time, some as much as 14 hours per week, but more than 200 carers caring on a full-time basis?...
- Social Welfare Benefits. (9 Feb 2006)
David Stanton: That is right.
- Social Welfare Benefits. (9 Feb 2006)
David Stanton: Yes.
- Social Welfare Benefits. (9 Feb 2006)
David Stanton: When will we see action in this area? This report was published in 2004. We have had several discussions on this matter in committees, including last year with the Minister, but I have yet to see action. It is a serious matter for the young people involved and I welcome the Minister's acknowledgement of that seriousness. The Minister should give himself a target, a benchmark for action from...
- Social Welfare Benefits. (9 Feb 2006)
David Stanton: That is only a stopgap.