Results 201-220 of 5,573 for speaker:Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare and Civil Law (Liable Relatives and Child Maintenance) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (24 Jan 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Just one second. If there are 15 more beds there and the provider says he or she can accommodate 15 more Ukrainians, do they then stay on the increased rate because they are in a centre in which things might be provided for them but it is not an officially designated centre?

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare and Civil Law (Liable Relatives and Child Maintenance) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (24 Jan 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Even though these people might arrive in May, for example, they will continue to get the full rate.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare and Civil Law (Liable Relatives and Child Maintenance) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (24 Jan 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: That seems hard to achieve for a number of reasons. There are a couple of issues. I have given that example. If a provider of accommodation offers 15 more places and comes to the Department of children, given the fact that it is not a designated centre, what does the Department then do? Does it turn down those 15 places? Similarly, if somebody left accommodation and maybe stayed with a...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare and Civil Law (Liable Relatives and Child Maintenance) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (24 Jan 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: It is not provided for.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare and Civil Law (Liable Relatives and Child Maintenance) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (24 Jan 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I know the Department of children officials cannot speak here but if they can speak through the Minister, can they give any examples of where these designated centres will be? We are talking about hundreds or perhaps thousands of people. Based on what the Minister is saying, this will effectively be a completely new system and stratum of accommodation that is completely unrelated to the...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare and Civil Law (Liable Relatives and Child Maintenance) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (24 Jan 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I know this goes beyond the Minister, but this does not seem to be a fully thought-through plan.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare and Civil Law (Liable Relatives and Child Maintenance) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (24 Jan 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: As I said, this does not seem to be coherent. We do not make legislation usually on the basis of "It is not the expectation" or "It is not our intention".

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare and Civil Law (Liable Relatives and Child Maintenance) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (24 Jan 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I know.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare and Civil Law (Liable Relatives and Child Maintenance) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (24 Jan 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: However, this entirely hinges on the centres. If the only distinction made between new arrivals and those currently here hinges on the designated centres, that is flimsy and assumes that everything will go in terms of plain sailing and finding new accommodation centres, even though we have no indication of where and what these will be and what capacity they will have. We just have to take...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare and Civil Law (Liable Relatives and Child Maintenance) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (24 Jan 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: There are many elements to this. First, taking this all in the round, there is a serious problem with the issue of the 90 days as well in that we will work so hard for all of this additional accommodation but then after 90 days people are expected to find their own accommodation. Not only that but with these reduced rates, it is worth stating that there is a significant difference now...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare and Civil Law (Liable Relatives and Child Maintenance) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (24 Jan 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: That is fair enough but the Government is encouraging them to compete in the private rental market.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare and Civil Law (Liable Relatives and Child Maintenance) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (24 Jan 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Just to clarify, am I correct that the only distinction in this legislation between new arrivals and those who are already here is the accommodation in which they are housed? They will go to the designated centre. The Deputy can understand the thinking behind this. In the designated centre, their accommodation will be provided and they will get a lesser payment because all of these...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare and Civil Law (Liable Relatives and Child Maintenance) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (24 Jan 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I do not have an issue with being brought into line but having it hanging on the designated centres rather than on the date of arrival is legislatively thin. In a system that is already two tier as per those coming under the temporary protection directive and those coming from other countries, we are now creating two tiers within that in terms of the dates. The date is the issue to be...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare and Civil Law (Liable Relatives and Child Maintenance) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (24 Jan 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I echo the point made by Deputy O’Dowd. There is a serious issue with this 90-day period for two reasons. Deputy O’Dowd has correctly made the point that there will be people in very invidious positions who have already fled conflict and who may not have any other place to go after that 90-day period. I believe there is an incentive for people to compete in the private...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare and Civil Law (Liable Relatives and Child Maintenance) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (24 Jan 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I reiterate my view that we are dealing with two Bills in one. In the context of child maintenance, it is a really good and positive piece of work and I commend all those involved. It will make a significant difference. I reiterate our support for that aspect. As regards the other side of things, I agree with it being brought in line but the inside-outside distinction will create problems...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare and Civil Law (Liable Relatives and Child Maintenance) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (24 Jan 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: That is my point - consideration of this should not take place down the road. We need to be------

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare and Civil Law (Liable Relatives and Child Maintenance) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (24 Jan 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: A year can go quickly, particularly if people are applying for IPAS. There are plenty of people waiting far more than a year for an IPAS determination. A year is not a lot of time in this context.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare and Civil Law (Liable Relatives and Child Maintenance) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (24 Jan 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I appreciate that. The point I am making is that it needs to be talked through now for several reasons. The first reason is that the decisions made in this jurisdiction in respect of social protection are not necessitated by the directive. These decisions have been taken independently here. Similarly, the decisions on the elapsing of that can be taken here as well. The Minister suggested...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare and Civil Law (Liable Relatives and Child Maintenance) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (24 Jan 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: There is no disputing that many of those who have come from Ukraine are already making a significant contribution. As I stated, many of them will contribute for many years to come, be central to many communities and make their home there. The point is the war in Ukraine may last beyond the temporary protection directive. Whether it lasts another month or another ten years, the directive...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare and Civil Law (Liable Relatives and Child Maintenance) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (24 Jan 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: From a legislative point of view, that is very thin. In practice, these will be oil and water. I cannot see how that can be delivered. A new category of accommodation is being created. It speaks to the whole issue of planning. We have no idea where these will be or how many of them there will be. We do not even have an example, not to mind the list that is supposed to be designated off...