Results 141-160 of 3,902 for speaker:Paul Gavan

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2023)

Paul Gavan: I hope to contribute on this also, if the Chair does not mind. I promise I will be very brief.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2023)

Paul Gavan: It is not often that I agree politically with my colleagues but I certainly agree on this. It is a grossly unfair issue that should have been dealt with years ago. It is not right. This is felt deeply across the Chamber.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2023)

Paul Gavan: I move amendment No. 2: In page 11, after line 34, to insert the following: “Report on establishing a social welfare adequacy commission 21. The Minister shall carry out a review on establishing a social welfare adequacy commission in order to ensure social welfare rates meet the Minimum Essential Standard of Living (MESL) to study the effect that adequacy of social welfare rates...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2023)

Paul Gavan: We propose the establishment of a social welfare adequacy commission that would advise the Government on social protection payment rates. The commission would make recommendations on payment rates ahead of the annual budget with the aim of ensuring they are adequate, meet a minimum essential standard of living, MESL, and protect people from poverty. This would ensure that all recipients are...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2023)

Paul Gavan: I move amendment No. 3: In page 11, after line 34, to insert the following: “Report on means-testing for blind pension and disability allowance 21.The Minister shall prepare and lay a report before the Houses of the Oireachtas on the means-testing eligibility requirement for blind pension and disability allowance and the impact that income threshold limitations have on access to...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2023)

Paul Gavan: I move amendment No. 4: In page 11, after line 34, to insert the following: “Report on extending the provision of disability allowance to agents in case of bereavement of child 21.The Minister shall review the rule regarding the continuation of disability allowance payment where a person is the collecting agent for their child who passes away and prepare a report on extending...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2023)

Paul Gavan: I will be honest; I am a little unclear. The Minister gave a positive response. Is she accepting the amendment or is she just commissioning a report?

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2023)

Paul Gavan: That is fine.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2023)

Paul Gavan: In that case, I will withdraw the amendment, given the Minister's positive comments.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2023)

Paul Gavan: I move amendment No. 8: In page 23, between lines 33 and 34, to insert the following: “Report in ensuring people aged 65 years of age have right to retire on State Pension Contributory 45.The Minister shall prepare and lay a report before the Houses of the Oireachtas on restoring the option on the right to retire for those aged 65 years of age on a State pension contributory and...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Dec 2023)

Paul Gavan: Last week I met with a delegation from the Irish Federation of University Teachers. They gave a powerful presentation. I think it was organised by our colleagues in the Labour Party. I was shocked by what they told us. I always assumed that a career in academia would be a pretty good way to make a living. Many of us would have thought that if our kids could end up there, that would be a...

Seanad: Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2023: Second and Subsequent Stages (6 Dec 2023)

Paul Gavan: It is always good to see the Minister of State. She is welcome. This Bill is an annual review of the risk-equalisation mechanism that supports the community-based health insurance market. Risk equalisation as a principle ensures costs are constant across the lifespan of an individual. It seeks to ensure, where possible, that age, gender and health status do not influence the cost of an...

Seanad: Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2023: Second and Subsequent Stages (6 Dec 2023)

Paul Gavan: I appreciate that but I would not be doing my job if I did not raise it.

Seanad: Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2023: Second and Subsequent Stages (6 Dec 2023)

Paul Gavan: It is an issue of continuing concern and we are worried about Christmas and, particularly, about the freeze on hiring. That is a massive problem for UHL. The management has said that as well. I will end at that point because we support the Bill and I do not want to delay matters any further.

Seanad: Human Tissue (Transplantation, Post-Mortem, Anatomical Examination and Public Display) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (6 Dec 2023)

Paul Gavan: Actually, we will not be moving these amendments.

Seanad: Human Tissue (Transplantation, Post-Mortem, Anatomical Examination and Public Display) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (6 Dec 2023)

Paul Gavan: I move amendment No. 19: In page 43, between lines 3 and 4, to insert the following: “(n) by the substitution of the following Regulation for Regulation 25: “25. The HSE shall— (a) keep a record of and publish the annual activities of procurement organisations and transplantation centres, at hospital level, including aggregated numbers of living and deceased...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (6 Dec 2023)

Paul Gavan: I welcome the Minister. I wish to express Sinn Féin's support for amendments Nos. 7 to 11. As the Minister knows, we support this Bill but the well-thought-out amendments proposed by the Civil Engagement Group are worthy of support. As Government amendments are pending anyway, there is the opportunity for the Minister to take some of these on board today. I really hope she does so....

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (6 Dec 2023)

Paul Gavan: I move amendment No. 19: In page 27, between lines 24 and 25, to insert the following: “(i) to ensure that the Garda Síochána co-operates with the Office of the Police Ombudsman, with regard to his or her obligations under section 173 (1)(c); (j) to perform any other functions conferred on it by or under this Act or the regulations.”. I will be...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Dec 2023)

Paul Gavan: I support Senator Clonan's comments on the Green Paper on disability. We saw it at a meeting of the social protection committee and I am really disturbed by it. Unfortunately, I am travelling to Paris on Thursday so I cannot join the Senator for the protest, but I urge the Leader to listen very carefully to what he is saying. The paper is straight out of the fascist playbook of the 1980s....

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Dec 2023)

Paul Gavan: Well said.