Results 19,721-19,740 of 24,567 for speaker:Róisín Shortall

Departmental Staff. (7 Oct 2009)

Róisín Shortall: Performance in respect of tackling the waiting lists has been unsatisfactory in recent months. A particular problem appeared to have arisen during the month of August when waiting times increased by, on average, 16%. In places like Roscommon and Tullow the waiting time increased by seven weeks during the month of August alone. In Clondalkin the waiting time increased by four weeks. The...

Departmental Staff. (7 Oct 2009)

Róisín Shortall: I asked the Minister what provision she is making to deal with that.

Departmental Staff. (7 Oct 2009)

Róisín Shortall: Waiting times increased by 16% in August alone. How can the Minister defend that?

Public Service Numbers and Expenditure. (7 Oct 2009)

Róisín Shortall: The McCarthy report has been described as a red pen exercise. It is easy to go through budgets and slash left, right and centre with no regard for the implications of the cuts. One proposal was the discontinuation of the €30 million funding for the Family Support Agency. I am keen to know the Minister's thinking on this area given her background as Minister with responsibility for...

Social Insurance. (7 Oct 2009)

Róisín Shortall: This situation is urgent. There are hundreds of people in negative equity and facing the prospect of losing their homes. The Minister promised reform by last Easter, but we have not yet seen it. As well as the areas that have already been identified by Deputy Enright that urgently need reform, such as the 30 hour rule and the means test, does the Minister accept that the Government needs...

Social Insurance. (7 Oct 2009)

Róisín Shortall: The arbitrary rules preclude them from applying.

Social Insurance. (7 Oct 2009)

Róisín Shortall: When is the Minister going to reform it?

Pension Provisions. (7 Oct 2009)

Róisín Shortall: Question 101: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason for the delay in bringing forward a framework for pensions policy. [34913/09]

Pension Provisions. (7 Oct 2009)

Róisín Shortall: It is reasonable to say that time is needed to prepare a policy on pensions but we are approaching the second anniversary of the publication of the Green Paper on pensions. Since the beginning of this year, Deputy Enright and I have sought to know when the framework will be produced. During the early months of the year, the Minister repeatedly assured us it would be a matter of weeks but...

Pension Provisions. (7 Oct 2009)

Róisín Shortall: In June the Government produced a document which proposed a pension insolvency minimum guarantee scheme. When will we see that scheme? The former workers of SR Technics and Waterford Crystal are crying out for assistance from the Department of Social and Family Affairs in dealing with the serious pensions issues they are facing. The Minister referred to two schemes, neither of which have...

Pension Provisions. (7 Oct 2009)

Róisín Shortall: Is the Government providing any assistance to the former workers of SR Technics? The Minister indicated when she brought forward the proposals that they would be covered but this no longer appears to be the case.

Social Welfare Fraud. (7 Oct 2009)

Róisín Shortall: Question 103: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she will respond to the criticisms in the Comptroller and Auditor General's annual report that significant amounts of money are likely to have been paid out by her Department in excess of entitlement in recent years. [34914/09]

Social Welfare Fraud. (7 Oct 2009)

Róisín Shortall: The bottom line is that the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General, which is a most respected office, has found that significant amounts of money have been overpaid by the Department and a small proportion of that has been detected. By any standards, that is a fairly poor performance by her Department. For example, in one of the schemes that has the highest fraud and overpayment...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (6 Oct 2009)

Róisín Shortall: Question 293: To ask the Minister for Finance the steps he will take to deal with the actions of persons who, as alleged in paragraph 5.5.6 of part 10 of the Commission on Taxation report 2009, avoid the pensions contribution cap introduced in budget 2009 by arranging for their employer to make contributions in excess of these relevant limits; and if he will make a statement on the matter....

Written Answers — Food Labelling: Food Labelling (6 Oct 2009)

Róisín Shortall: Question 397: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the position regarding food labelling and particularly the labelling of Irish products; if her attention has been drawn to a practice of re-labelling poultry and poultry products, which were original sourced in the UK, packaged in Northern Ireland and then subsequently sold as Irish produce; if she will clarify if this process is...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (6 Oct 2009)

Róisín Shortall: Question 560: To ask the Minister for Health and Children when a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9 can be expect to be called for a procedure; and if she will arrange for this appointment to be scheduled at the earliest possible date. [34225/09]

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (6 Oct 2009)

Róisín Shortall: Question 707: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the reason for the delay in having a passport stamped in the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 11; and if, in view of the fact that documents were mislaid by his Department which has delayed the consideration of the application, he will ensure that a decision is taken in this case as soon as possible. [33606/09]

Written Answers — Security of the Elderly: Security of the Elderly (6 Oct 2009)

Róisín Shortall: Question 797: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the position regarding the suspension of the scheme of community support for older people; if his Department officials have concluded their review of the scheme's operation, which began in May 2009; if a report will be made available outlining his Department's findings; and when the scheme is expected to recommence....

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (6 Oct 2009)

Róisín Shortall: Question 863: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the justification for the €53.20 difference between the amount that is awarded to the spouse of a pensioner depending on whether they are under or over 66 years of age. [33240/09]

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (6 Oct 2009)

Róisín Shortall: Question 878: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason for the delay in considering an appeal by a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; and if she will ensure that the appeal is heard and processed as soon as possible. [33515/09]