Results 201-220 of 10,721 for speaker:Ivana Bacik

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Oct 2008)

Ivana Bacik: I am very grateful to Senator Mary White for clarifying that she cannot put her money where her mouth is on the subject of child care.

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Oct 2008)

Ivana Bacik: I am very sorry she cannot.

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Oct 2008)

Ivana Bacik: I was supporting Senator White's call for a debate on child care but I would also like to ask the Leader for a debate on third level education in the context of the report of the great achievements of our universities. I echo Senator Hannigan's comments congratulating our universities on their achievement, in particular Trinity College Dublin on becoming the first Irish university to enter...

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Oct 2008)

Ivana Bacik: I am asking the Leader for clarification as to whether this merger will go ahead. The money that would be saved would be minuscule in the context of the billions about which we are talking. It would be a retrograde step should this merger go ahead. I hope it will not, and I ask the Leader for clarification.

Seanad: Volunteering in Irish Society: Statements (14 Oct 2008)

Ivana Bacik: I am pleased to have an opportunity to speak on this important topic. I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Deputy John Curran, to the House. I agree with his comment that volunteering is central to ideals of democracy, social inclusion and active citizenship and support for volunteering is essential to ensure a vibrant civic society....

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Oct 2008)

Ivana Bacik: The budget is most regrettable and regressive, as other speakers on this side have said. There is an immense amount of hardship and pain to be suffered, much of it hidden in small print and in back door measures. There will be a slow burn of anger as people realise the true impact of the budget on them, their incomes and their family and household incomes. We will see a long-term impact,...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Oct 2008)

Ivana Bacik: I have a question and it is of particular concern. The Minister has asked the Commission on Taxation to examine more generally the payment of universal child benefit. Does this mean he will extend this apparent attack on universal benefit provision in a most regrettable way to child benefit payments? As legislators we deserve to know this and if it is the Minister's intention we should...

Seanad: Budget Statement 2009: Statements (15 Oct 2008)

Ivana Bacik: I thank Senator Quinn for sharing his time with me. I would like to put forward some reasons the budget should be criticised and opposed. We all accept the Government is in dire financial circumstances. There is no question about that. However, many of us would say the Government must bear some responsibility for the state of the economy. That is the least we can expect, given it has...

Seanad: Budget Statement 2009: Statements (15 Oct 2008)

Ivana Bacik: A tax of 1% of €35,000 means a lot more than 1% of €100,000.

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Oct 2008)

Ivana Bacik: It is interesting to hear Members on the other side being so critical of the budget. It confirms Senator Fitzgerald's comments on the reigning confusion. The more that Government spokespersons speaking on radio concede that there are anomalies and the more that Senator Boyle and others state that the budget may not have been well handled, the more confusion and anger there will be about its...

Seanad: Credit Institutions (Financial Support) Act 2008: Motion (17 Oct 2008)

Ivana Bacik: Some of us are opposing it.

Seanad: Credit Institutions (Financial Support) Act 2008: Motion (17 Oct 2008)

Ivana Bacik: I thank Senator Quinn for sharing time. I share his view that the problem of capital has not been resolved. On the night of 1-2 October I criticised the absence of adequate protection for taxpayers in the Credit Institutions (Financial Support) Bill 2008 and, as an Independent Senator, I believed it was my duty that night to vote against the Bill. I am glad to have an opportunity to speak on...

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Oct 2008)

Ivana Bacik: What about access to education?

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Oct 2008)

Ivana Bacik: I support the amendments to the motion proposed by Senators Frances Fitzgerald and Joe O'Toole. It is vital to debate these issues on the budget——

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Oct 2008)

Ivana Bacik: I second it and I support the other amendment. It is vital that we debate this budget. In years to come this will be know as Brian's botched budget——

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Oct 2008)

Ivana Bacik: It is the first time ever that anyone can remember a budget that was open to negotiation after it was announced in the House. The people on the Government side should hear themselves this week, as they are saying something very different now——

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Oct 2008)

Ivana Bacik: Will the Leader call the relevant Minister to the House to answer valid questions, which are being asked by everyone in the country, about what exactly will happen with medical cards for the over 70s? We should defend the principle of universality of access. Senator Harris claims it is indefensible, but what about universality of access to primary schooling and waste services?

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Oct 2008)

Ivana Bacik: We need a debate on universality as the Government has clearly placed the principle under attack. The Minister for Finance declared last week that he was reviewing the universality of child benefit payment. He has already tried to change the universal provision of medical cards for the over 70s in a botched and haphazard way. The European principle is that we supply public services to...

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Oct 2008)

Ivana Bacik: The principle of equity of taxation is important and should be examined. If the Government asks for our suggestion, why not take those on the minimum wage out of the 1% levy and instead place a higher levy on those earning more than €150,000 or €200,000——

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Oct 2008)

Ivana Bacik: ——instead of a blunt instrument of 2% for everyone over €100,000, irrespective of the fact that there are people in the country who can well afford to pay more than 2%, and who are earning well in excess of €100,000? I support the amendment and it is very important that we have this debate and we should closely examine what the Government is really about, which is attacking the...