Results 27,041-27,060 of 34,872 for speaker:Seán Fleming

Financial Resolutions 2015 - Budget Statement 2015 (14 Oct 2014)

Seán Fleming: I do not believe any of the figures because NAMA was told to provide houses for local authorities. It offered 4,000 houses, 2,000 of which were rejected by local authorities. I bet it will be able to sell them comfortably through private sales, but there will be no protection for the taxpayer. Local authorities did not take up these houses. Of the 2,000 houses accepted, only 700 have been...

Financial Resolutions 2015 - Budget Statement 2015 (14 Oct 2014)

Seán Fleming: I am sorry the Minister is not here because I could say a lot about homelessness. Instead, I will give way to Fr. Peter McVerry who spoke at a conference last Friday attended by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. He captured it well when he said:I'm absolutely dismayed at idea that the tax cuts are going to be at the top rate of tax. [...] Because basically it’s not...

Financial Resolutions 2015 - Budget Statement 2015 (14 Oct 2014)

Seán Fleming: We know that the Government is trying to wash its hands of the debacle of water charges, but no amount of washing of hands and hand wringing will get it out of this hole. Households with two adult children will have bills of €482 per annum. The funds in the first two years will go to the more than 500 staff in the super quango which is consuming €180 million in set-up costs,...

Financial Resolutions 2015 - Budget Statement 2015 (14 Oct 2014)

Seán Fleming: People are homeless, sleeping in doorways not 100 yd. from this building but the Government’s response is to give tax cuts to the high earners. People cannot afford the new water tax but the Government’s response is to give tax cuts to the high earners.

Financial Resolutions 2015 - Budget Statement 2015 (14 Oct 2014)

Seán Fleming: I know the Government feels we should all be aboard the train leaving the station. In its haste, however, it is leaving many people stranded on the platform. Will the Government consider the effects it is having on society? A key aspect of the budget’s proposals is to rebuild our health services. It is not sufficient to just stand still in the delivery of our health services....

Financial Resolutions 2015 - Budget Statement 2015 (14 Oct 2014)

Seán Fleming: I refer to page 80 of today's document where, in microscopic print - one would need to go to Specsavers to able to read it - is stated:In addition to the figures provided, the Department of Health is progressing a range of savings measures, €130 million and income generation measures, €330 million, estimated to have the potential to support expenditure in 2015. Further detail...

Financial Resolutions 2015 - Budget Statement 2015 (14 Oct 2014)

Seán Fleming: There is €460 million of a black hole and the Minister will not tell us today how it will be fixed. He claims he will increase income generation capacity of the HSE for €330 million with another expenditure cut of €130 million.

Financial Resolutions 2015 - Budget Statement 2015 (14 Oct 2014)

Seán Fleming: He came in last year with an expenditure cut of €113 million for his bogus medical card probity. We saw where that got him. It was a shambles. Has he learned nothing? How will these unspecified savings be achieved?

Financial Resolutions 2015 - Budget Statement 2015 (14 Oct 2014)

Seán Fleming: The review states, “To do so will involve commitment to ongoing reform and efficiency measures and reprioritisation of expenditure as appropriate.” That means cancel and cut projects.

Financial Resolutions 2015 - Budget Statement 2015 (14 Oct 2014)

Seán Fleming: Why will he not tell us today what is in the Estimate?

Financial Resolutions 2015 - Budget Statement 2015 (14 Oct 2014)

Seán Fleming: Why do we have to wait for a couple of months for the specific figures to come out? Will the €330 million be made up of additional accident and emergency department charges?

Financial Resolutions 2015 - Budget Statement 2015 (14 Oct 2014)

Seán Fleming: Will it be new prescription charges in the HSE annual service plan?

Financial Resolutions 2015 - Budget Statement 2015 (14 Oct 2014)

Seán Fleming: Will it be a charge for waiting on a hospital trolley in an accident and emergency unit?

Financial Resolutions 2015 - Budget Statement 2015 (14 Oct 2014)

Seán Fleming: That is what it will be. When one goes into hospital from now on, one will be asked for one’s private health insurance number. Then one will be told one can have either the trolley or the chair but will still pay €400 a day because one has private health insurance.

Financial Resolutions 2015 - Budget Statement 2015 (14 Oct 2014)

Seán Fleming: Where else is the Government getting the extra €330 million in income generation? I know where some of it comes from. The Government promised free-GP care for the under-sixes last year.

Financial Resolutions 2015 - Budget Statement 2015 (14 Oct 2014)

Seán Fleming: It did not happen but still the Government had to get a Supplementary Estimate to balance the books. We saw the hint of it the other day. The new Minister for Health has said there might be a nominal fee for the free-GP card. How much will this nominal fee be? Those are the Minister’s words, not mine.

Financial Resolutions 2015 - Budget Statement 2015 (14 Oct 2014)

Seán Fleming: The Minister talks about an increase in expenditure for health by 0.5% for the next three years, which includes €460 million in that to be achieved from income generation, but will not tell us the specifics. We had a black hole in last year’s health budget on budget day. The HSE blew it out of the water in 24 hours.

Financial Resolutions 2015 - Budget Statement 2015 (14 Oct 2014)

Seán Fleming: Of course, the Minister has probably ensured there is nothing on file that can come under freedom of information for the coming year. We do know from the Government’s figures that there is a black hole of €460 million in the health Estimates. The Minister claims the specific figures will be provided later in the Revised Estimates. We need to know today what is happening for...

Financial Resolutions 2015 - Budget Statement 2015 (14 Oct 2014)

Seán Fleming: Why does he bring in an Estimate year in, year out that he cannot stand over? He has never presented an accurate health Estimate and this year is no different. I have just presented some figures I have gleaned in an hour. That is just the tip of the iceberg. The Minister has not provided us with any further information. The €460 million black hole will have to be found-----

Financial Resolutions 2015 - Budget Statement 2015 (14 Oct 2014)

Seán Fleming: -----but, of course, the Minister will magic it away with growth.