Results 1,761-1,780 of 12,619 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (20 Feb 2019)

Willie O'Dea: One of the commitments in A Programme for a Partnership Government, on page 58 to be specific, is to reduce emergency department overcrowding. Yesterday there were 512 people on trolleys across the State. Of those, 69 were on trolleys in University Hospital Limerick. Will the Taoiseach tell the House when the new 60 bed unit, promised as a result of the reorganisation of accident and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Miscellaneous Provisions (Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union on 29 March 2019) Bill 2019: Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection (20 Feb 2019)

Willie O'Dea: On that point, I note what the Minister has said in her statement that the Department has been working on this for a long time. My understanding is that we are one of the last countries in Europe to be discussing this type of legislation. I do not understand why this was not done much sooner. Basically, what we are asked to do here is pass legislation in the hope that there may not be a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Miscellaneous Provisions (Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union on 29 March 2019) Bill 2019: Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection (20 Feb 2019)

Willie O'Dea: Questions have been raised about the legal underpinning of the common travel area. There have been suggestions that the legal underpinning is pretty shaky and that it would need more comprehensive legislation. There have been a number of academic papers and a certain amount of public discussion on this.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Miscellaneous Provisions (Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union on 29 March 2019) Bill 2019: Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection (20 Feb 2019)

Willie O'Dea: Perhaps I misunderstood what the Minister said about the convention. If the convention is ratified by both parliaments it will make section 11 unnecessary, but she is going ahead to pass section 11 anyway. In what way will this be radically different from the heads of the Bill?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Miscellaneous Provisions (Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union on 29 March 2019) Bill 2019: Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection (20 Feb 2019)

Willie O'Dea: I understand that. I was referring to the Minister's statement on page 8, which reads, "As a result, most of the provisions initially envisaged are not required as they were intended to achieve the same ends, so the Bill as published will look quite different to the general scheme in this regard".

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Miscellaneous Provisions (Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union on 29 March 2019) Bill 2019: Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection (20 Feb 2019)

Willie O'Dea: The Minister is talking about things as they stand, rather than if they were amended.

Civil Registration Bill 2019: Second Stage (19 Feb 2019)

Willie O'Dea: We will certainly not be opposing the Bill. We welcome it, but if anything should come from this debate, it is knowing when we will have a commencement date. Will the Minister give us a reasonable indication as to when there will be a commencement date for Parts 2, 3 and 9? This has been promised on various occasions in the past three or four years, meanwhile the people who are depending...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Protected Disclosures (19 Feb 2019)

Willie O'Dea: I thank the Minister. If I am reading it correctly, the mediation process that was put in place is now over.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Protected Disclosures (19 Feb 2019)

Willie O'Dea: The Minister has said the president of the University of Limerick has requested the assistance of the Department in bringing the issue to a satisfactory conclusion and that he agrees that his Department will be available. What practical steps can it take to bring it to a successful conclusion? We have a situation where people were wrongfully suspected. They are being forced to rely on...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Protected Disclosures (19 Feb 2019)

Willie O'Dea: I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me to raise this important matter and I thank the Minister for attending in person to hear what I have to say. Tonight I raise the issue of the plight of two female employees of the University of Limerick, who have spent the last number of years on half pay and who are now suspended and in receipt of social welfare payments. These are dedicated,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Rates (19 Feb 2019)

Willie O'Dea: What question are we on?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Rates (19 Feb 2019)

Willie O'Dea: Would the Minister agree with me that insofar as many of the social welfare rates are somewhat below the poverty line indexing those to inflation would lock those people permanently into poverty? We have to reach a benchmark to bring people above the poverty line before we decide on what form of indexation we need to pursue.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Rates (19 Feb 2019)

Willie O'Dea: Is it my question?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Rates (19 Feb 2019)

Willie O'Dea: My question is on auto-enrolment.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Rates (19 Feb 2019)

Willie O'Dea: Auto-enrolment is a separate question.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Rates (19 Feb 2019)

Willie O'Dea: I would like an answer if the Minister is willing to give me one.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: JobPath Programme (19 Feb 2019)

Willie O'Dea: The Minister says that Private Members' motions are not binding. We all recognise that. I tabled three Private Members' motions in the last 12 months which were all passed overwhelmingly by the Dáil. They were not all in the Minister's Department. The Government has not taken a single measure to implement any one of them.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: JobPath Programme (19 Feb 2019)

Willie O'Dea: Since this Government came into office, has it ever reflected the will of the Dáil by implementing a Private Members' motion that was tabled by the Opposition? As far as I recall, it has not. What is the point in tabling Private Members' motions if, having been debated and passed by substantial majorities, usually in the Dáil, the Government steadfastly ignores them? In old...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Rates (19 Feb 2019)

Willie O'Dea: 91. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if index-linking social welfare payments is being considered; the analysis she has undertaken of this approach; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8049/19]

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Community Employment Schemes Review (19 Feb 2019)

Willie O'Dea: 46. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans for community employment schemes and the local employment services; the efforts she will make to safeguard same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8052/19]