Results 201-220 of 504 for speaker:Mary White

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Mary White: The 11% increase in the fuel allowance will help many older people who cannot yet take advantage of the opportunity to retrofit their homes and make them more comfortable. This increase will help to offset that which will arise as a result of the introduction of the carbon tax. Deputy Shortall is aware that there will be an 11% increase in this allowance.

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Mary White: A dedicated fuel poverty strategy will be initiated by the end of this year. That strategy was negotiated by the various Members, of whom the Minister, Deputy Hanafin was one, from the Green Party and Fianna Fáil who negotiated the programme for Government. I am delighted that the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Gormley, is increasing the funding...

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Mary White: I am pleased that certain social welfare rates are not being altered in the budget. The household benefits package and the free travel schemes are very important for those dependent on social welfare and I welcome their retention. I have always been someone who considers the glass half full. I am not a naysayer who considers it half empty.

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Mary White: When times are tough, we must ensure that we adopt a positive attitude and identify those who require our help.

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Mary White: The decision not to reduce the domiciliary care allowance-----

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Mary White: -----or the respite care grant is extremely positive in nature. The Minister is aware that I am extremely pleased by the fact that all 107 of the family resource centres will be retained. There are several such centres in my constituency, including the Forward Steps centre at Tullow, the Bagnelstown family resource centre, the Newpark centre in Kilkenny and the Fr. McGrath centre. Despite...

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Mary White: The Minister listened to the views of everyone who spoke with her with regard to these centres. I congratulate the family resource centres on their well-run campaign which was free from insult and aggression. It was run to the highest standards and I am delighted the resource centres are to be retained. Everyone is aware that the family income supplement provides a tremendous boost to those...

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Mary White: Employment stimulus packages such as that being provided by means of the retrofit scheme to insulate 100,000 houses a year - which will be extremely good in the context of tackling fuel poverty and allowing people to live in comfort and which is particularly targeted at low income households - the investment in research programmes, the temporary employment subsidy scheme, the enterprise...

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Mary White: -----which will bring great cultural and artistic capital into the county. Perhaps Deputy Durkan would like to listen to the words of the great man himself.

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Mary White: Shaw stated, "We are made wise not by the recollection of our past, but by the responsibility for our future". This is a tough budget but it is also a responsible one. It will secure all our futures.

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Mary White: There was 17% unemployment when the Deputy's party was in power last.

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (8 Dec 2009)

Mary White: Question 116: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment her views on creating a jobs taskforces in all areas of high unemployment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45435/09]

Written Answers — Community Development: Community Development (8 Dec 2009)

Mary White: Question 303: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs her views on extending the provision of the scheme of community support for older people to persons under 65 years with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45433/09]

Written Answers — Community Development: Community Development (8 Dec 2009)

Mary White: Question 304: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the efforts being made to disseminate information on the provision of socially-monitored alarms through community groups and services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45434/09]

Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Second Stage (2 Dec 2009)

Mary White: I am sharing my time with Deputy Ciarán Cuffe. This is a most important debate and I am delighted to welcome this legislation. It should have been put in place many years ago because we are now reaping the rewards - probably the wrong word - or the pain of poor planning over many years. All of us in the House have experience of bad planning, particularly those of us who came through the...

Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Second Stage (2 Dec 2009)

Mary White: This is still going on and we must stop it, otherwise we will have the worst name in Europe for not looking after our small towns and villages and even our bigger towns. The most important aspect of this Bill is the provision for evidence-based core strategy in development plans. These development plans and the housing strategy must now be consistent with regional planning guidelines and the...

Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Second Stage (2 Dec 2009)

Mary White: He also called it an assault on local democracy. It is certainly not the Minister's intention to have an assault on local democracy. He wants to give more powers to local authorities and reform local government to ensure we have good sustainable planning. I do not think anybody in local government should fear this legislation if planning is sound and sustainable. Ireland is a small...

Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Second Stage (2 Dec 2009)

Mary White: I will be very interested to hear Deputy Bannon's contribution. We must look at how we do our planning and plan our towns. A place is not a home for a child if the child cannot go to school nearby or play sport in the locality, if all time is spent being taxied around by parents because the local infrastructure is not there. That is not what memories of childhood should be. When we are...

Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Second Stage (2 Dec 2009)

Mary White: If one cleans the rivers, one pushes the problem somewhere else.

Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Second Stage (2 Dec 2009)

Mary White: I was a member of the Barrow catchment initiative and know how the Barrow drainage system works. One must drain rivers very carefully. Draining of rivers can cause problems.