Results 321-340 of 1,015,317 for in 'Dáil debates' OR (speaker:Tom Kitt OR speaker:Paul Donnelly) in 'Committee meetings'

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Agriculture Supports (25 Apr 2024)

Claire Kerrane: I appreciate that a good chunk of time was taken up yesterday with statements on what the Minister has done to support and assist farmers given the very difficult weather conditions of the past few months. I want to ask specifically about the €100 per hectare payment that he announced for the tillage and horticulture sectors. When will we have more detail on this? Could he advise us...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Agriculture Supports (25 Apr 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank the Deputy for the question. We had a three-hour session here yesterday discussing this very topic. Over the past several weeks, we have all been very conscious of how challenging spring has been for farmers in all sectors, including dry stock, dairy, and tillage farmers. The Government has been very conscious of this and has worked to respond to farmers as challenges have emerged....

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Agriculture Supports (25 Apr 2024)

Claire Kerrane: Those in both the tillage and horticulture sectors will be wondering when they will get the funding. This is really important. While those in the sectors are beginning to plant and sow seeds now and will continue to do so in the coming weeks, they will need to know when the financial support will be available to them. I am sure the Minister has heard the critique from the grain growers...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Agriculture Supports (25 Apr 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: I have given the commitment to secure and deliver the funding. Although I have not yet received the funds, it was really important, given the pressure the sector was under, to provide clarity on what support would be forthcoming from the Government. I have been engaging on an ongoing basis this very long spring with all farm representative organisations, and also those in the tillage...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Fodder Crisis (25 Apr 2024)

Fodder Crisis

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Fodder Crisis (25 Apr 2024)

Peter Fitzpatrick: 55. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he intends to reinstate the fodder scheme to help compensate farmers for the financial losses they are facing due to the particularly wet conditions this spring; if flexibility is being extended and consideration being given to farmers who are struggling to meet the stipulated three-cop rule due to very difficult weather and...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Fodder Crisis (25 Apr 2024)

Peter Fitzpatrick: Does the Minister intend to reinstate the fodder scheme to help compensate farmers for the financial losses they are facing due to the particularly wet conditions this spring? Will there be flexibility and will consideration be given to farmers who are struggling to meet the stipulated three-crop rule due to very difficult weather and ground conditions? Will he make a statement on the matter?

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Fodder Crisis (25 Apr 2024)

Charlie McConalogue: As stated in reply to the previous question, this has been a really challenging spring. We have worked to support the farming community through it with the fodder transport measure. Teagasc has been working at local level to provide support to farmers to ensure they can get supplies where they were running short. The fodder support measure was a really important one last year. It was...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Offices (25 Apr 2024)

Social Welfare Offices

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Offices (25 Apr 2024)

Ruairi Ó Murchú: 17. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will provide an update on the creation of processing hubs for community welfare and other services; whether she is aware of any administrative difficulties caused by the creation of the hubs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18405/24]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Offices (25 Apr 2024)

Ruairi Ó Murchú: Could the Minister provide an update on the creation of processing hubs for community welfare and other services and whether she is aware of any administrative difficulties caused by the creation of these hubs? I spoke to her about this issue on a previous occasion. A number of constituents have been affected by this. I sent some sample cases to the Minister. Some have been sorted but...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Offices (25 Apr 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. The community welfare service is committed to providing a quality service to all citizens, ensuring that applications are processed and ensuring that decisions on entitlement are made as quickly as possible. It is a key service and deals with approximately 12,000 claim applications per month. Over 2,600 additional needs payment claims are...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Offices (25 Apr 2024)

Ruairi Ó Murchú: In fairness, I understand the Minister has given a Civil Service answer. I do not buy the claim that there are no delays because I have seen too many of them. I accept what has been said in terms of the logic of removing the administrative burden from individual officers and operating hubs. I have sent information on particular cases to the Minister. We need to examine this issue. There...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Offices (25 Apr 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Deputy brought a number of incidents to my attention, which is particularly useful for me because we can learn from and act on that. The information pertaining to the people the Deputy has raised with me is confidential. We have gone through all of that and have come back to the Deputy with an answer. The intention is not to lose documents or anything like that. The tracking of the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Offices (25 Apr 2024)

Ruairi Ó Murchú: I appreciate the Minister following up on these issues because some people are in constrained circumstances, to put it simply. That is obviously beneficial. I see the logic around streamlining. We need to make sure we catch whatever issues are happening regarding materials being lost. I have previously raised the issue of one lady who is raising kids with a number of disabilities. I...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Offices (25 Apr 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Deputy and I think the same way on this. We want people to get their money. Like the Deputy, I want them to get it when they need it. We are sorting out the issues the Deputy has raised with me and will learn from them. I advise all Deputies to bring any issues to my attention and I will take them up and see whether we can get them sorted. The Department of Social Protection is here...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Offices (25 Apr 2024)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I spoke to the Tánaiste about the criteria in respect of the fuel allowance yesterday. We spoke about people being on pensions, including private pensions. I know of a family where a husband is 66 years of age and the wife has a private pension. They are below the level to qualify for the fuel allowance, but still cannot get it. What will the Minister do about this? Will she update...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Schemes (25 Apr 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy. The activation support programme provides funding to local organisations and agencies to implement training and education initiatives. It is focused on the needs of social welfare recipients, and their families, who are very distant from the labour market. There is a plethora of other initiatives that help people to get back into the labour force. The Department makes...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Schemes (25 Apr 2024)

Pádraig O'Sullivan: I thank the Minister. As she said, the service is demand-led. It comes down to the area manager, the welfare office or the case officer dealing with the people to decide if the applicant is eligible for the service. The Minister has acknowledged in her response that up to 50% of the overall cost is also covered. Does the Department have any intention to review that 50% allocation or will...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Schemes (25 Apr 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The expenditure in Cork involved the provision of €59,000 to two organisations: the social and health education project, SHEP, and Cork Education and Training Board. SHEP is an Irish community education and development organisation based in Ballintemple, County Cork. It received funding towards the provision of its certificate of personal development in a number of locations in Cork....