Results 101-120 of 5,545 for speaker:Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: EU Directives (20 Feb 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Ar an gcéad dul síos, baineann an cheist seo le daoine faoin treoir Eorpach. We have had a number of discussions around this. I am concerned that there is a lack of clarity as to what the situation will be for beneficiaries of the temporary protection directive. When the directive wraps up, what will be the situation with payments for those who were in Ukraine before the passing...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: EU Directives (20 Feb 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I would like to note a couple of things. First, the temporary protection directive does not require beneficiaries of the directive to receive the same entitlements as Irish citizens. That is obviously the case, given the actions the Minister of State and her Government have taken regarding Ukrainians who arrive at a later date. They will receive the rate that international protection...

Paediatric Orthopaedic and Urology Services: Motion [Private Members] (20 Feb 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I commend the work my colleague David Cullinane has put into this motion. I say to the families, parents and advocates who are present here today and outside the House that I hope it gets widespread support in the House. In 2017, the Minister, Deputy Harris, promised that no child would be left waiting for longer than four months for surgery for scoliosis and spina bifida. The...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (20 Feb 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 85. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she has considered whether illness benefit can be extended to self-employed persons. [7913/24]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (20 Feb 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 88. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection whether she has considered the situation of those providing kinship care, and the discrepancy between the financial supports provided to kinship carers by comparison to non-familial foster carers. [7915/24]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (20 Feb 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 97. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will review the fact that standard disregards for maintenance that apply in the means testing of other payments do not apply in the means testing of the guardians payment non-contributory. [7914/24]

Business Costs for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises: Motion [Private Members] (14 Feb 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I thank the Regional Group for bringing forward this motion. It is timely and we support the principles within it, although our approach to resolving these issues may be somewhat different. For more than a year, Sinn Féin and, in particular, Deputy O'Reilly have been highlighting the crisis facing SMEs, particularly in the hospitality and retail sectors. In the city of Cork, we have...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Energy Poverty: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I thank the witnesses for coming in. I share the point made by Deputy Ó Cathasaigh that it is always great when we have officials from two Departments attending, particularly when the Ministers are not attending because all of the officials can contribute, which leads to a fruitful discussion. That is not their fault but it is a source of regret all the same. My first question is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Energy Poverty: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: A person can qualify for the warmer homes scheme if he or she receives a disability or partial capacity allowance but not if it is an invalidity pension. Maybe the angle is that the invalidity pension is a means-tested payment. Having said that, these are primarily people who are either not going to work again for a very long time or may never work again. A means test is done usually...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Energy Poverty: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Okay. Actually I came at that a little wrongly. Mr. Deegan is correct when he says it is the other way around, but the point is that there are people in receipt of the invalidity pension who might well qualify under a means test but have chosen an invalidity payment because of medical criteria and it might be easier to get if they have the contributions. Some people who are on the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Energy Poverty: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: There are a few issues in that. What Mr. Deegan said about the close alignment of the fabric and the heat pump is coherent. It ensures the impact on that house and householder is as efficient as possible. However, the downside is that we are proceeding slowly with the stock as whole. I am not saying that is necessarily wrong. My colleague, Deputy O'Rourke, raised the issue of biofuel...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Energy Poverty: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I have one more question and then I have two more pieces. That report is not from a million years ago but things develop quickly in this arena. That document is from February 2022 and I imagine some of the studies and considerations it was working off were from 2020, 2021 and so on. Things have evolved. We have our first HVO refinery now in my constituency, as it happens. That is not the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Energy Poverty: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Okay.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Energy Poverty: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I thank Mr. Deegan. I have two more questions-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Energy Poverty: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: -----and I will ask them together. I imagine this comes up often but I am concerned at the skills deficit and the fact there is obviously contract within construction and all that kind of stuff. There is a pipeline delay with apprenticeships, especially for electricians and probably plumbers and heating engineers as well. Is that an ongoing conversation with the Department of enterprise?...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Energy Poverty: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I asked a question that was touched on but not answered. It was about the relationship between the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications and the Department of housing. Mr. Deegan touched on it in some of his answers. Different local authorities tell me different things. However, they indicate that the funding they get from the Department of Housing is not adequate to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Energy Poverty: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: That concludes our business in public session. I propose that the committee go into private session to consider other business. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Transport (13 Feb 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I support the comments made by Deputy Clarke on this issue. On top of the issue of transport to school, I also flag the issue of transport between school campuses. The proposal put forward by the Minister's Department for Owenabue Educate Together national school sees the school split between two campuses for its temporary accommodation. Split campuses are rarely ideal. However, in a...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Revised) (7 Feb 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I echo the expressions of condolence to the family and community of John Bruton. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis. I also echo the Minister's comments about the staff of her Department, particularly those on the front line. I was listening in on the meeting but I missed the administration head. I have one question in that regard. On the working age payments-----

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Revised) (7 Feb 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: For most of the payments, if not all, the processing times are close to target and they are paid in four to eight weeks or perhaps a little longer sometimes. It is increasingly my experience that there are delays. The social welfare appeals office is obviously an independent office that is funded through the Department but the timescale for those appeals can be considerable. Is the...