Results 1,001-1,020 of 12,465 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pensions Reform (10 Dec 2019)

Willie O'Dea: 629. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the steps she has taken to inform the public of the increase in the pension age to 67 years of age in 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51578/19]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pensions Reform (10 Dec 2019)

Willie O'Dea: 630. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if an impact assessment of increasing the contributions required to qualify for a State pension from 30 to 40 contributions under the total contribution approach that is due to come into effect in quarter 3 of 2020 has been conducted; the number of persons that may not be entitled to a full rate of State pension under the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Funding (10 Dec 2019)

Willie O'Dea: 651. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the business case that has been made to fund local authorities to rent from cuckoo funds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51169/19]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payment Expenditure (10 Dec 2019)

Willie O'Dea: 652. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the amount spent in each of the years 2017, 2018 and to date in 2019 by local authorities on HAP; the estimated amount for 2020 and 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51171/19]

Environmental Impact of Quarries and Incinerators: Motion [Private Members] (4 Dec 2019)

Willie O'Dea: I thank my colleagues and everybody else who spoke on the motion. I read Deputy Cullinane's amendment and, given that I do not disagree with any of it, I am disposed to accept it. I take the opportunity to refer to a small group in Limerick, Limerick Against Pollution, that has stood in the ditch to resist the proposal. It is a small, dedicated group that has worked tirelessly on behalf of...

Environmental Impact of Quarries and Incinerators: Motion [Private Members] (4 Dec 2019)

Willie O'Dea: I move: That Dáil Éireann: recognises: — the severe and worsening impact on wildlife, biodiversity and ecosystems of some commercial activities which are known to be harmful or potentially harmful to the environment; — that in September 2019, despite receiving over 4,000 objections, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) upheld a decision by An Bord...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (4 Dec 2019)

Willie O'Dea: I recently raised the issue of the decision of RTÉ to move Lyric FM from Dublin to Limerick. I was informed by the Tánaiste, who was answering on the Taoiseach’s behalf on the day in question, that it was a decision exclusively for RTÉ. It has since been brought to my attention that the decision to move Lyric FM to Limerick in the first place was a Cabinet decision,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Community Employment Schemes Supervisors (4 Dec 2019)

Willie O'Dea: 74. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to outline the status of talks with community employment supervisors; the way in which she plans to address the issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50352/19]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System (4 Dec 2019)

Willie O'Dea: 39. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the person or body to operate the auto-enrolment pension system has been decided; her plans to address concerns regarding the operation of this system and the lack of a drawdown option for a mortgage deposit for first-time buyers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50499/19]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System (4 Dec 2019)

Willie O'Dea: The exchange between the Minister and Deputy Penrose highlights the importance of the matter I am now raising, that of auto-enrolment. The Minister will be aware that the system in the United Kingdom was originally announced in 2008 and the legislation did not appear until 2012. Where do we stand on auto-enrolment? Is the last proposal we saw, which came as a result of the consultation,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System (4 Dec 2019)

Willie O'Dea: I thank the Minister for her response and I welcome that improvement on the original proposal. Will she comment on the situation of a person who is suffering from permanent ill health. A holiday period does not seem to be appropriate to that. What does the Minister envisage for people who are already covered by a pension scheme where the terms are more generous than the auto-enrolment...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System (4 Dec 2019)

Willie O'Dea: When will the final proposal be ready? The proposed central processing agency seems to be a very large bureaucratic and expensive operation. The Irish Congress of Trade Unions and the employers are ad idemin proposing that the Revenue Commissioners should be allowed to collect the pension payments because they are already collecting social insurance etc. Many employers' payroll systems are...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Fuel Poverty (4 Dec 2019)

Willie O'Dea: The Minister will be aware that studies have shown that fuel poverty is rampant in this country. The latest study showed that approximately 400,000 families are affected by fuel poverty. I acknowledge the changes the Minister made in the budget but does she not agree that a number of people do not qualify for any of the improvements she mentioned? I can give examples. How are people on...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Fuel Poverty (4 Dec 2019)

Willie O'Dea: The problem is that all those initiatives announced by the Minister will come through other Departments and will benefit everybody equally. In the meantime, some people are being compensated for the increase in carbon tax while others are not being directly compensated. Does the Minister intend to continue to rely on increasing the fuel allowance as the mechanism for dealing with carbon...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Reports (4 Dec 2019)

Willie O'Dea: I wish to make a brief reference to a snide reference made by the previous speaker about something my party did. Maybe we have changed our minds. After all, people do change their minds. The IRA changed its mind when it decided to stop killing people. Sinn Féin changed its mind and its members decided to take seats in this House. I wish they would do it in Westminster in return for...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Reports (4 Dec 2019)

Willie O'Dea: George Bernard Shaw said changing one's mind means one is wiser today than yesterday.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Reports (4 Dec 2019)

Willie O'Dea: I just had to respond to that.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Fuel Poverty (4 Dec 2019)

Willie O'Dea: 37. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the way in which she plans to compensate social welfare recipients who are not in receipt of fuel allowance for the increase in carbon tax; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50498/19]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Fuel Poverty (4 Dec 2019)

Willie O'Dea: The question is on fuel poverty. It is self-explanatory so the Minister might respond to it.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Services Card (4 Dec 2019)

Willie O'Dea: 35. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she has received an enforcement notice from the Data Protection Commissioner in respect of the public services card, PSC; if the course of action she will take has been decided if enforcement proceedings have been issued; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50497/19]