Results 121-140 of 5,154 for in 'Dáil debates' speaker:Willie O'Dea

Covid-19 (Employment Affairs and Social Protection): Statements (20 May 2020)

Willie O'Dea: I am sharing time with Deputies Devlin, Brendan Smith and Niall Collins. I want to be associated with the remarks the Minister made about the departmental officials. They have worked very hard in difficult circumstances and have performed their duties very efficiently. If the Minister does not have time to answer all of my question now, she might respond in writing. What is the...

An Bille Sláinte (Caomhnú agus Cosaint agus Bearta Éigeandála Eile Ar Mhaithe Le Leas an Phobail), 2020: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Health (Preservation and Protection and other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Mar 2020)

Willie O'Dea: The problem is that employers can only look for the rebate if they pay an amount in excess of €203 per week to their employee while that employee is out of work. In such a case, they can recoup the €203. However, where an employer can afford to pay, say, €50 or €100 per week, what is the position?

An Bille Sláinte (Caomhnú agus Cosaint agus Bearta Éigeandála Eile Ar Mhaithe Le Leas an Phobail), 2020: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Health (Preservation and Protection and other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Mar 2020)

Willie O'Dea: If they exceed the level of €305 they can only get one payment. Is that correct?

An Bille Sláinte (Caomhnú agus Cosaint agus Bearta Éigeandála Eile Ar Mhaithe Le Leas an Phobail), 2020: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Health (Preservation and Protection and other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Mar 2020)

Willie O'Dea: My amendment has also been ruled out of order. I simply wanted the Government to say what it intends to do by way of regulation on the face of the Bill in plain language. I cannot understand why that cannot happen. The Minister's colleague, the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, announced today that the signing-on process would be on a fortnightly basis from here on in....

An Bille Sláinte (Caomhnú agus Cosaint agus Bearta Éigeandála Eile Ar Mhaithe Le Leas an Phobail), 2020: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Health (Preservation and Protection and other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Mar 2020)

Willie O'Dea: I am inclined to agree with Deputy Brady. Practically all the social welfare amendments have been ruled out of order on the basis that they are a charge on the Exchequer. I put down an amendment to prevent the Government from introducing regulations to impose additional conditions of entitlement to the increased illness benefit payment in section 40(A)(1)(e). For the life of me, I cannot...

An Bille Sláinte (Caomhnú agus Cosaint agus Bearta Éigeandála Eile Ar Mhaithe Le Leas an Phobail), 2020: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Health (Preservation and Protection and other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Mar 2020)

Willie O'Dea: I had intended to withdraw amendment No. 27. On the other amendments ruled out of order, the intention of the Government is to raise the basic rate of illness benefit from €203 per week to €305 per week. As the Minister knows, a person with dependants receives a certain percentage - I think it is 70% - of the adult dependant rate and there are also certain rates for child...

An Bille Sláinte (Caomhnú agus Cosaint agus Bearta Éigeandála Eile Ar Mhaithe Le Leas an Phobail), 2020: An Dara Céim - Health (Preservation and Protection and other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest) Bill 2020: Second Stage (19 Mar 2020)

Willie O'Dea: I want to say a few words on sections 3 to 7, inclusive, the sections relating to social protection. First, I want to congratulate the staff in the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection for the tremendous work they have been doing for the past fortnight under immense pressure. While I welcome the move by the Government to make special provision for people who are in receipt...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (12 Dec 2019)

Willie O'Dea: The Tánaiste will be aware of the campaign that extended for many years by victims of abuse in primary schools, and that the Government appointed an adjudicator, a retired High Court judge, Mr. Justice Iarfhlaith O'Neill, who issued a recommendation many months ago. Is he aware that at the time Mr. Justice O'Neill made his statement, the Government committed to resolving the problem...

Environmental Impact of Quarries and Incinerators: Motion [Private Members] (4 Dec 2019)

Willie O'Dea: I thank my colleagues and everybody else who spoke on the motion. I read Deputy Cullinane's amendment and, given that I do not disagree with any of it, I am disposed to accept it. I take the opportunity to refer to a small group in Limerick, Limerick Against Pollution, that has stood in the ditch to resist the proposal. It is a small, dedicated group that has worked tirelessly on behalf of...

Environmental Impact of Quarries and Incinerators: Motion [Private Members] (4 Dec 2019)

Willie O'Dea: I move: That Dáil Éireann: recognises: — the severe and worsening impact on wildlife, biodiversity and ecosystems of some commercial activities which are known to be harmful or potentially harmful to the environment; — that in September 2019, despite receiving over 4,000 objections, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) upheld a decision by An Bord...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (4 Dec 2019)

Willie O'Dea: I recently raised the issue of the decision of RTÉ to move Lyric FM from Dublin to Limerick. I was informed by the Tánaiste, who was answering on the Taoiseach’s behalf on the day in question, that it was a decision exclusively for RTÉ. It has since been brought to my attention that the decision to move Lyric FM to Limerick in the first place was a Cabinet decision,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Community Employment Schemes Supervisors (4 Dec 2019)

Willie O'Dea: 74. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to outline the status of talks with community employment supervisors; the way in which she plans to address the issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50352/19]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System (4 Dec 2019)

Willie O'Dea: 39. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the person or body to operate the auto-enrolment pension system has been decided; her plans to address concerns regarding the operation of this system and the lack of a drawdown option for a mortgage deposit for first-time buyers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50499/19]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System (4 Dec 2019)

Willie O'Dea: The exchange between the Minister and Deputy Penrose highlights the importance of the matter I am now raising, that of auto-enrolment. The Minister will be aware that the system in the United Kingdom was originally announced in 2008 and the legislation did not appear until 2012. Where do we stand on auto-enrolment? Is the last proposal we saw, which came as a result of the consultation,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System (4 Dec 2019)

Willie O'Dea: I thank the Minister for her response and I welcome that improvement on the original proposal. Will she comment on the situation of a person who is suffering from permanent ill health. A holiday period does not seem to be appropriate to that. What does the Minister envisage for people who are already covered by a pension scheme where the terms are more generous than the auto-enrolment...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System (4 Dec 2019)

Willie O'Dea: When will the final proposal be ready? The proposed central processing agency seems to be a very large bureaucratic and expensive operation. The Irish Congress of Trade Unions and the employers are ad idemin proposing that the Revenue Commissioners should be allowed to collect the pension payments because they are already collecting social insurance etc. Many employers' payroll systems are...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Fuel Poverty (4 Dec 2019)

Willie O'Dea: The Minister will be aware that studies have shown that fuel poverty is rampant in this country. The latest study showed that approximately 400,000 families are affected by fuel poverty. I acknowledge the changes the Minister made in the budget but does she not agree that a number of people do not qualify for any of the improvements she mentioned? I can give examples. How are people on...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Fuel Poverty (4 Dec 2019)

Willie O'Dea: The problem is that all those initiatives announced by the Minister will come through other Departments and will benefit everybody equally. In the meantime, some people are being compensated for the increase in carbon tax while others are not being directly compensated. Does the Minister intend to continue to rely on increasing the fuel allowance as the mechanism for dealing with carbon...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Reports (4 Dec 2019)

Willie O'Dea: I wish to make a brief reference to a snide reference made by the previous speaker about something my party did. Maybe we have changed our minds. After all, people do change their minds. The IRA changed its mind when it decided to stop killing people. Sinn Féin changed its mind and its members decided to take seats in this House. I wish they would do it in Westminster in return for...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Reports (4 Dec 2019)

Willie O'Dea: George Bernard Shaw said changing one's mind means one is wiser today than yesterday.