Results 1-20 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Seanad: Social Welfare Benefits: Motion. (6 Nov 2002)

Mary Coughlan: The Minister can hear everything and has notes of everything that was said.

Seanad: Social Welfare Benefits: Motion. (6 Nov 2002)

Mary Coughlan: It would be a quare old budget that gave nothing.

Seanad: Social Welfare Benefits: Motion. (6 Nov 2002)

Mary Coughlan: Go raibh maith agat and ar dtús báire ba mhaith liom a rá go bhfuilim ar ais arís mar Aire sinsir. Sé seo mo chéad ócáid mar Aire sinsir a bheith anseo. Bhí mé anseo cheana agus bhí go leor díospóireachta againne agus go díreach tugann sé deis dom cur in iúil don Seanad cad atá déanta againne le cúpla bhliain, cad tá déanta ag an Rialtas agus go mór mhór ócáid...

Seanad: Social Welfare Benefits: Motion. (6 Nov 2002)

Mary Coughlan: I will kick a ball but then I will leave, as Senator McHugh will know. The period since 1997 has been one of extraordinary change in Ireland's economic fortunes. The growth in national income has been at a record rate for the longest period in the history of the State. This has allowed for growth in personal incomes, in employment and in the general standard of living. It has provided for the...

Seanad: Social Welfare Benefits: Motion. (6 Nov 2002)

Mary Coughlan: A young man like the Deputy should not feel the cold.

Seanad: Social Welfare Benefits: Motion. (6 Nov 2002)

Mary Coughlan: He would not mind being in the Government.

Seanad: Social Welfare Benefits: Motion. (6 Nov 2002)

Mary Coughlan: He just lost his way.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill, 2002: Second Stage. (18 Dec 2002)

Mary Coughlan: Is breá an rud é go bhfuil mé ar ais sa tSeanad. Seo an chéad ócáid dom Bille a cur ós comhair an tSeanaid. I am very pleased as Minister for Social and Family Affairs to introduce my first Bill in this House. This is one of two Bills, intended to implement the social welfare package announced in the recent budget. This year's social welfare package amounts to €530 million and...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill, 2002: Second Stage. (18 Dec 2002)

Mary Coughlan: We spent twice as much as Senator Cummins's party.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill, 2002: Second Stage. (18 Dec 2002)

Mary Coughlan: That figure is €150 million.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill, 2002: Second Stage. (18 Dec 2002)

Mary Coughlan: The Senator should go back to the last coalition to see what it provided.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill, 2002: Second Stage. (18 Dec 2002)

Mary Coughlan: That is the snail.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill, 2002: Second Stage. (18 Dec 2002)

Mary Coughlan: I thank Senators for their support for the developments in social welfare, even though some may have had difficulties in regard to funding and the changes they would like to the schemes. This year's social welfare package amounted to €530 million, two years previously it amounted to more than €1,000 million and in 1997 it was €263 million. This is more than a doubling of the amount of...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill, 2002: Second Stage. (18 Dec 2002)

Mary Coughlan: The money was not there. I fought very hard for what I thought were the priorities and I though it was best to consider the priorities as follows. The third tranche will be provided in the next three years.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill, 2002: Second Stage. (18 Dec 2002)

Mary Coughlan: —about the fact that landlords increase rents on the assumption that the health boards and the Department of Social and Family Affairs will increase maximum contributions. We cannot allow the increases that have been taking place in recent years to continue. We have to examine the morality of the fact that many people have to live in totally unsuitable private rented accommodation,...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill, 2002: Second Stage. (18 Dec 2002)

Mary Coughlan: The Government has taken more people from the tax net, especially the elderly and those on low incomes. I commend the Social Welfare Bill, 2002, to the House and I look forward to a more detailed analysis of the social welfare provisions for the coming year on Committee Stage. Question put and agreed to.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill, 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (18 Dec 2002)

Mary Coughlan: This amendment would require another report. A frequent criticism is that we have initiated so many reports over the last number of years and people ask what use they have. I appreciate that the Senator is looking at the NAPS and the programme for Government which we have five years to deliver. The NAPS was reviewed in February of this year. It is an extensive and all-encompassing programme,...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill, 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (18 Dec 2002)

Mary Coughlan: There are 20,100 full-time carers in receipt of carer's allowance. This represents approximately 39% of the figure of 52,000 carers which was estimated by a census pilot survey.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill, 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (18 Dec 2002)

Mary Coughlan: This is the number of people who are caring for someone for more than three hours per day. There are other carers who just drop in on people, etc. Carer's benefit was also mentioned. That is a new scheme which has only been in existence for two years. There are 1,400 people participating in the scheme, which has been very successful.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill, 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (18 Dec 2002)

Mary Coughlan: We have tried to encourage people to become involved and to take carer's leave. Employers have been generous in facilitating this.