Results 1,581-1,600 of 1,979 for speaker:Nicky McFadden

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2008)

Nicky McFadden: I did not mean to misinterpret Senator Ormonde, but in my experience, a number of lone parents are very eager to work, are well educated and are desperate to give a good education to their families. I disagree with the Minister, they have not been incentivised.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2008)

Nicky McFadden: I move amendment No. 5: In page 10, between lines 42 and 43, to insert the following subsections: "(4) The Minister shall, within 3 months of the commencement of this Act, lay before each House of the Oireachtas, a report on the number of people in receipt of rent supplement on the waiting list for the Rental Accommodation Scheme. (5) The Minister shall, within 3 months of the commencement of...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2008)

Nicky McFadden: A report on the number of landlords that have registered with the PRTB is a good idea from the point of view of having a record of landlords. While not pressing the amendment, I ask the Minister to consider this useful exercise. Some landlords get away with blue murder in respect of the condition of their apartments. There must be regulation on the number of landlords and how they treat...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2008)

Nicky McFadden: I move amendment No. 6: In page 13, between lines 29 and 30, to insert the following subsection: "(2) The Minister shall, within 3 months of the commencement of this Act, lay before each House of the Oireachtas, a report on the number of eligible persons and proportion thereof availing of the Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance.". This concerns the back-to-school clothing and...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2008)

Nicky McFadden: Yes, and I welcome that.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2008)

Nicky McFadden: I move amendment No. 8: In page 19, between lines 24 and 25, to insert the following subsection: "(3) The Minister shall, within 3 months of the commencement of this Act, lay before each House of the Oireachtas, a report on the introduction of a second-tier, employment neutral, child income support payment to target child poverty levels.". This concerns child poverty. Many children remain in...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2008)

Nicky McFadden: I must accept the Minister's reply, but I am not very happy with it. Any organisation will tell us about the number of children who avail of this and if a breakfast club or other such facility was not provided by organisations such as the Society of St. Vincent de Paul children would go to school hungry. Children go to bed cold. Between now and next year I ask the Minister to consider a...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2008)

Nicky McFadden: I move amendment No. 9: In page 20, between lines 8 and 9, to insert the following subsection: "(3) The Minister shall, within 3 months of the commencement of this Act, lay before each House of the Oireachtas, a report on eligibility criteria for the Early Childcare Supplement.". This amendment is also important. While everybody recognises the benefit of the early child care supplement, it...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2008)

Nicky McFadden: With regard to payments ceasing when the child reaches five and a half years, when children go to school they finish at 2 p.m. and parents incur major child care costs after 2 p.m. It is a bit mean and callous to remove the payment for those six months. It is one of those little social welfare provisions that has been snuck into the budget about which people will not be aware until next...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2008)

Nicky McFadden: I move amendment No. 10: In page 20, before section 24, but in Part 2, to insert the following new section: "24.—The Minister shall, within 3 months of the commencement of this Act, lay before each House of the Oireachtas, a report on the implications of easing the qualifying criteria for Back to Education Allowance so that unemployed persons, low income earners and persons dependent on...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2008)

Nicky McFadden: I move amendment No. 11: In page 20, before section 24, but in Part 2, to insert the following new section: "PART 2A Reporting Requirements "24.—The Minister shall provide that the following reports shall be laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas within 3 months of the commencement of this Act: (1) A report on the adequacy of each social welfare payment. (2) A report on the eligibility...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2008)

Nicky McFadden: I move amendment No. 1: In page 6, between lines 8 and 9, to insert the following: ""Anti-Fraud Initiatives" means those programs, measures or actions designed to eliminate fraudulent claims in respect of all payments made under the Principal Act, as amended;". I welcome the Minister to the House. This is a worthwhile amendment on which I ask the Minister to comment.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2008)

Nicky McFadden: While I am aware that many checks and balances are needed to assess child benefit applications, delays of up to 12 months are experienced in processing these applications to identify fraudulent claims. Is it possible to expedite the processing of child benefit claims?

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2008)

Nicky McFadden: My amendment on jobseeker's benefit was disallowed. In my Second Stage speech I referred to the Christmas bonus for jobseekers. I ask the Minister to review that entire section. It is wholly unfair that people made redundant in recent months will be unable to avail of a Christmas bonus and that their payment will run out after 12 months instead of 15 months, which was the case heretofore....

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2008)

Nicky McFadden: With regard to jobseeker's benefit, I am concerned that we are creating a welfare state. We are almost encouraging people to be on long-term unemployment benefit. The idea that a person with large mortgage repayments, car loans or credit card bills — having paid PRSI, which is insurance against unemployment — is not entitled to benefit is something with which I am not happy. I ask the...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2008)

Nicky McFadden: I move amendment No. 3: In page 7, between lines 30 and 31, to insert the following subsection: "(3) The Minister shall, within 3 months of the commencement of this Act, lay before each House of the Oireachtas, a report on the number of eligible persons and proportion thereof availing of the Family Income Supplement.". The reason for this amendment is the number of people who are eligible for...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2008)

Nicky McFadden: Is the Minister accepting the amendment?

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2008)

Nicky McFadden: The Minister will lay the research before the Houses?

Seanad: Health Bill 2008: Second Stage (12 Dec 2008)

Nicky McFadden: They are accurate.

Seanad: Health Bill 2008: Second Stage (12 Dec 2008)

Nicky McFadden: That is like saying Fine Gael was bringing people up in buses.