Results 1,541-1,560 of 21,588 for speaker:Denis Naughten

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Draft Regulations on the Operation of the Social Welfare Appeals Office: Discussion (26 Apr 2023)

Denis Naughten: Before answering Senator Wall's question on oral hearings being in-person or online, I have some figures in response to a parliamentary question for 2021 and the first ten months of 2022. In 2021, 9% of hearings were held in person, 40% over the phone and 50% online. In the first ten months of 2022, 6.5% were held in person, 32% over the phone and 61% online. Those are the figures from the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Draft Regulations on the Operation of the Social Welfare Appeals Office: Discussion (26 Apr 2023)

Denis Naughten: That has always been the case, but this is the first time we are putting it in writing. My concern is that what has been the practice to date is not what is in the text of the document in front of us. I have dealt with a case where a member of my staff was questioned by an appeals officer about being present at an oral hearing. My staff are well used to this and the oral hearing went...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Draft Regulations on the Operation of the Social Welfare Appeals Office: Discussion (26 Apr 2023)

Denis Naughten: Yes. The Department of Health deals with medical cards.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Draft Regulations on the Operation of the Social Welfare Appeals Office: Discussion (26 Apr 2023)

Denis Naughten: I have a couple of questions, and Deputy Ó Cuív wishes to contribute again. My first question relates to my last comment, the review of this statutory instrument and attendance at an oral hearing. Section 15(1) states: "The appellant shall ordinarily appear at the hearing in person and he or she may be accompanied by any member of his or her family, or, with the consent of the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Draft Regulations on the Operation of the Social Welfare Appeals Office: Discussion (26 Apr 2023)

Denis Naughten: I know that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Draft Regulations on the Operation of the Social Welfare Appeals Office: Discussion (26 Apr 2023)

Denis Naughten: I accept that, and the statistics are going the wrong way, but the point I am trying to make is that there probably should be a minimum threshold of oral hearings. I say this because it actually protects against the likes of examples raised by Deputy Ó Cuív and Senator Wall. Even purely from a training point of view there should be a minimum threshold of oral hearings. You get a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Draft Regulations on the Operation of the Social Welfare Appeals Office: Discussion (26 Apr 2023)

Denis Naughten: That is dead right. There had better be a good reason for refusing me, anyway.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Draft Regulations on the Operation of the Social Welfare Appeals Office: Discussion (26 Apr 2023)

Denis Naughten: I appreciate that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Draft Regulations on the Operation of the Social Welfare Appeals Office: Discussion (26 Apr 2023)

Denis Naughten: They are.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Draft Regulations on the Operation of the Social Welfare Appeals Office: Discussion (26 Apr 2023)

Denis Naughten: To add to what the Deputy has said, giving that right to a public representative or advocate will lead to more of these cases being dealt with online. People will be more comfortable dealing the cases online when they have an advocate who knows the law and regulations inside out and upside down. Having the online version is a big positive development but, as Deputy Ó Cuív says,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Draft Regulations on the Operation of the Social Welfare Appeals Office: Discussion (26 Apr 2023)

Denis Naughten: It is not.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Draft Regulations on the Operation of the Social Welfare Appeals Office: Discussion (26 Apr 2023)

Denis Naughten: Damn right she would be.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Draft Regulations on the Operation of the Social Welfare Appeals Office: Discussion (26 Apr 2023)

Denis Naughten: I will make one point. Mr. Rónán Hession was before the committee last week. At the end of the engagement, I asked him about the commitment the Minister have given regarding designating long Covid as an occupational illness. Mr. Hession updated us on that point and, disappointingly, we are still awaiting responses back from the Department of Health. It is the staff of the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Draft Regulations on the Operation of the Social Welfare Appeals Office: Discussion (26 Apr 2023)

Denis Naughten: The committee will now go into private session. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Draft Regulations on the Operation of the Social Welfare Appeals Office: Discussion (26 Apr 2023)

Denis Naughten: That would be a matter for the Joint Committee on Health rather than for us.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Draft Regulations on the Operation of the Social Welfare Appeals Office: Discussion (26 Apr 2023)

Denis Naughten: I thank Mr. Molloy for that. I thank Mr. McKeon and Mr. Molloy for their engagement here with the committee this morning. In particular, I thank Mr. McKeon for the support that he and his officials are providing to this committee on an ongoing basis. I also thank both of them for the Department's and the appeals office's constructive engagement with all Members of the Oireachtas on an...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (25 Apr 2023)

Denis Naughten: 372. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of persons on jobseeker's benefit who transferred on to the back to education allowance in 2019; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19369/23]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Industry (20 Apr 2023)

Denis Naughten: When I argued for the promotion of grass-fed beef at European level, the Minister's predecessor, Deputy Creed, sitting in the chair now occupied by the Minister, told me Bord Bia had stated there was not a resonance with the European consumer with regard to grass-fed beef. Is it not the case that, as I have advocated in the past, we have a unique product in Ireland and that is suckler-reared...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Industry (20 Apr 2023)

Denis Naughten: I will furnish the Minister with a copy of the Dáil record.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Industry (20 Apr 2023)

Denis Naughten: Yes. It meets the PGI criteria.