Results 15,981-16,000 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Seanad: Estimates for 2004: Motion. (19 Nov 2003)

Mary Coughlan: Next year, because of this commitment, approximately one in three euro spent by the Government will be spent on social welfare, education or health. We will seek to ensure that not only will the progress in recent years not be undone but that our society and economy continue to make progress towards their goals.

Seanad: Tax Compliance. (11 Nov 2003)

Mary Coughlan: Ar dtús báire ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil leis an Seanadóir as ucht ócáid a thabhairt dom cur in iúl don Seanadóir agus don Seanad an méid a bheidh le rá agus an freagra atá agam ar an díospóireacht seo. I thank the Senator for raising the issue. The supplementary welfare allowance scheme provides for the payment of a weekly or monthly supplement in respect of rent to...

Seanad: Order of Business: Motion. - Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse: Statements. (7 Oct 2003)

Mary Coughlan: Ar dtús báire ba mhaith liom leithscéal a ghabháil ar son an Aire Oideachais agus Eolaíochta, Nollaig Ó Díomasaigh, nach bhfuil ábalta a bheith anseo. Tá lúcháir orm a bheith ar ais sa Seanad agus fearaim fáilte ar ais roimh na Seanadóirí.

Seanad: Order of Business: Motion. - Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse: Statements. (7 Oct 2003)

Mary Coughlan: The Taoiseach and the Minister for Education and Science have previously expressed their regret at Ms Justice Laffoy's decision to resign from her position as chairperson of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse and have stated their appreciation of the work she carried out over the last number of years. I wish to place on record that I too regret that Ms Justice Laffoy has decided to...

Seanad: Order of Business: Motion. - Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse: Statements. (7 Oct 2003)

Mary Coughlan: Irrespective of which way one proceeds, the choice is not simple. The Government made its decision in the best interest of the victims and it was the right decision. The Government embarked on a process to bring healing and closure to those citizens who suffered abuse while in institutional care in 1998. We have been true to our word.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (26 Mar 2003)

Mary Coughlan: There have been protracted discussions on the jobs initiative scheme. I am aware there were several public meetings, particularly in the Senator's constituency, because of the impact the scheme has had. This was to have been a one-year scheme which would lead to employment. As a consequence, it was seen as a pathway through which people could obtain work. The issue of income thresholds is an...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (26 Mar 2003)

Mary Coughlan: Some 410 recipients of the one parent family allowance are included in the jobs initiative programme. Of these, 395 will benefit from the transitional arrangements available under the one parent family payment scheme. There will be a loss but it will not be of the kind envisaged by those not in receipt of family income supplement. Take the case of single parents with one child who are in...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (26 Mar 2003)

Mary Coughlan: Unfortunately, that is the case. We were not aware that FÁS was going to increase the payment until we read about it in the newspapers. The decision could not be reversed. My Department will be in contact with recipients of the one parent family allowance. Approximately 400 will be advised on an individual basis to apply for family income supplement. The tax bands were left unchanged in the...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (26 Mar 2003)

Mary Coughlan: That would never happen to the Senator.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (26 Mar 2003)

Mary Coughlan: I am not taking for granted the sincerity of the views expressed but it is important to go back to the beginning and see why the schemes were set up in 1996 and 1997. The entire ethos of the scheme was to encourage people back into education and to give them the opportunity of second chance education. The scheme is not gone. That interpretation could be taken from the debate here. What has...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (26 Mar 2003)

Mary Coughlan: The prerogative of being in Opposition is that one can point out the inadequacies but there are never too many running up to tell me—

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (26 Mar 2003)

Mary Coughlan: —that if I put the €3 million back into the postgraduate scheme I will be able to counterbalance it by taking it from somewhere else. There were choices to be made and I had to make them. The independent Estimates review committee evaluated the schemes and recommended that people should not be paid during the summer. This applies to the participants who were in receipt of unemployment...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (26 Mar 2003)

Mary Coughlan: Deputy Ring may not believe me and I have to open my heart to him at this stage—

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (26 Mar 2003)

Mary Coughlan: —to tell him I have cut consultancies to the bone. We are now paying only what we signed up to in the past two years. All sections of the Department have been pared down.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (26 Mar 2003)

Mary Coughlan: It would not be that amount.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (26 Mar 2003)

Mary Coughlan: No.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (26 Mar 2003)

Mary Coughlan: This year it is €4 million for the computer development which started in the child benefit section and is progressing into pension services. If we want to deliver on Delivering Better Government we have to invest in that delivery. Under the new Grow project, which will be on line shortly, information on every child born will be processed. Instead of waiting five, six or seven weeks for...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (26 Mar 2003)

Mary Coughlan: The Senator will be taken as seriously as Deputy Ring if he continues making that kind of remark.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (26 Mar 2003)

Mary Coughlan: The Senator is not in government.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (26 Mar 2003)

Mary Coughlan: There is a piece of legislation on that also.