Results 1,681-1,700 of 2,965 for speaker:Robert Dowds

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 – Social Protection
Chapter - 24 Supplementary Welfare Allowance (18 Jul 2013)

Robert Dowds: Was it approximately 50%?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 – Social Protection
Chapter - 24 Supplementary Welfare Allowance (18 Jul 2013)

Robert Dowds: I agree with the comments made on the value of the community employment scheme, but those who pull our financial strings do not always appreciate this. Is there any evidence that they are beginning to appreciate the value of such schemes?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 – Social Protection
Chapter - 24 Supplementary Welfare Allowance (18 Jul 2013)

Robert Dowds: I will turn to the question of rent supplement. Does Ms O'Donoghue agree that, in many cases, rent supplement puts people in a poverty trap? It is my impression that this is the case for many.

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 – Social Protection
Chapter - 24 Supplementary Welfare Allowance (18 Jul 2013)

Robert Dowds: How far down the road is that movement? I have some experience of seeing the rental assistance scheme in operation.

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 – Social Protection
Chapter - 24 Supplementary Welfare Allowance (18 Jul 2013)

Robert Dowds: When will that happen?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 – Social Protection
Chapter - 24 Supplementary Welfare Allowance (18 Jul 2013)

Robert Dowds: Councils are trying to set up long-term agreements with private landlords. Is Ms O'Donoghue aware that there are certain disadvantages because of the bureaucracy involved in the system? From anecdotal evidence in my constituency, this may prevent deals which would be to the long-term advantage of tenants.

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 – Social Protection
Chapter - 24 Supplementary Welfare Allowance (18 Jul 2013)

Robert Dowds: I thank Ms O'Donoghue and her staff for attending. In these situations we inevitably focus on the shortcomings, but we should recognise the importance of the Department's role in putting bread on so many people's tables around the country. My first question is a general one on unemployed young people. To what extent are policies and programmes in place to encourage them in the direction...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (18 Jul 2013)

Robert Dowds: On behalf of the Labour Party members, I congratulate Deputy Paschal Donohoe on his appointment, which was well deserved. He manages to combine ability and being a nice person, which do not always go hand in hand, but in his case they do. I wish him well in his future role.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (18 Jul 2013)

Robert Dowds: Can the Chairman give further details of how it is being progressed?

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (18 Jul 2013)

Robert Dowds: Will that give the committee the power to directly ask somebody to come in?

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (18 Jul 2013)

Robert Dowds: In a way this will be a test case for how the whole system will work.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Young People in Detention: Discussion with the Ombudsman for Children. (17 Jul 2013)

Robert Dowds: We are having a serious discussion on the issue of young people in detention but not one person from the press is present.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Young People in Detention: Discussion with the Ombudsman for Children. (17 Jul 2013)

Robert Dowds: If a member behaved like an idiot, it would be front page news tomorrow. However, because we are having a serious discussion, it will probably never see the light of day. There needs to be a great deal of conversation on this general subject in society as well as in this room.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Young People in Detention: Discussion with the Ombudsman for Children. (17 Jul 2013)

Robert Dowds: I welcome the witnesses and apologise for having to leave earlier but a constituent had an emergency situation with which I had to deal that was not entirely unrelated to the sort of thing about which we are talking here. I am very conscious of the fact that most people who end in Oberstown probably come from a particular background. I could nearly name the estates in my constituency from...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Young People in Detention: Discussion with the Ombudsman for Children. (17 Jul 2013)

Robert Dowds: Is one of the problems - I say this having some experience in the area of education - the fact there are very few role models for many boys? Most of the teachers are women and they often do not have a father at home. At least the girls have the role model of their mother and often teachers. I think that is part of the problem and a real issue to be addressed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Young People in Detention: Discussion with the Ombudsman for Children. (17 Jul 2013)

Robert Dowds: I was a teacher before I was elected to the Dáil and I often felt that I was the only male role model in many children's lives and, hopefully, I was a decent one. There were one or two male staff in the school but the rest were women, some of whom were absolutely superb. The boys, in particular, were hugely lacking in any sort of male role model.

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Compliance (17 Jul 2013)

Robert Dowds: 68. To ask the Minister for Finance if, in cases where some old age pensioners have inadvertently underpaid tax due to a failure of communication between the Department of Social Protection and the Revenue Commissioners, the normal interest and penalties which arise in such circumstances are payable. [35648/13]

Leaders' Questions (16 Jul 2013)

Robert Dowds: Hear, hear.

Leaders' Questions (16 Jul 2013)

Robert Dowds: It is rubbish.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Noise Pollution Issues (16 Jul 2013)

Robert Dowds: 745. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide clarity about the obligations of local authorities with regard to noise pollution emanating from road traffic which is impacting upon the lives of those living in nearby areas. [34338/13]