Results 30,341-30,360 of 33,214 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Property Taxation Administration (27 Nov 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Senator for her question and for raising this matter. I agree with the many points that she made earlier. In updating her on the average waiting a number of people had to persist with to pay this tax which is difficult for them to pay, I do not believe it is acceptable that they should have to wait for 18 minutes for a response to their query or for their call to be answered,...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Property Taxation Administration (27 Nov 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: No, I am not.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Property Taxation Administration (27 Nov 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Senator for raising this issue. I am very much aware of the frustration to which she refers. It is an issue that has been raised with me by my constituents. First, we must acknowledge how difficult it is for so many people to pay the tax. It is an entirely new category of taxation that represents a gigantic change from where we were before the crisis. With both of these...

Government Decision on Exiting Programme of Financial Support: Motion (Resumed) (20 Nov 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: To date, no other country has done it within a single currency zone. Other countries have done it such as Argentina - the course proposed by Deputy Shane Ross. As a consequence, Argentina finds itself subject to ongoing legal trials and is still subject to rates of interest that make it difficult for it to borrow in the way it wants. Another option put forward is that within the existing...

Government Decision on Exiting Programme of Financial Support: Motion (Resumed) (20 Nov 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Deputy. I meant I would give him another book in return. One book I might give in return, one I think he would enjoy, is the recent publication by the National Economic and Social Council which updated a report carried out a number of years ago in the context of recent events. It is called, Ireland's Five-Part Crisis, Five Years On: Deepening Reform and Institutional...

Government Decision on Exiting Programme of Financial Support: Motion (Resumed) (20 Nov 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: I wish to share time with Deputy Barry.

Government Decision on Exiting Programme of Financial Support: Motion (Resumed) (20 Nov 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: I am thankful for the opportunity to speak on the motion. I will directly respond to the point made by Deputies Murphy and Ross, who criticised the Government for not applying for a precautionary credit line from a fund that the Deputies opposed when it was being set up. Along with Deputy Ross, Deputy Murphy campaigned against the fiscal compact treaty, which allowed our country access to...

Government Decision on Exiting Programme of Financial Support: Motion (Resumed) (20 Nov 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: It is one thing to-----

Government Decision on Exiting Programme of Financial Support: Motion (Resumed) (20 Nov 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: -----speak about a game-changer-----

Government Decision on Exiting Programme of Financial Support: Motion (Resumed) (20 Nov 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: -----but it is entirely another matter to change one's tune in the manner that the Deputy has. She campaigned, along with Deputy Ross, against the setting up of a fund that could provide a credit line, yet she is now criticising the Government for not accessing that line.

Government Decision on Exiting Programme of Financial Support: Motion (Resumed) (20 Nov 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: I listened absolutely to what was said.

Government Decision on Exiting Programme of Financial Support: Motion (Resumed) (20 Nov 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: I will debate it with the Deputy again. The point stands. We have had speaker after speaker standing up to criticise the Government for not accessing the fund, but the same people campaigned against the creation of the fund in the first place. There is a requirement for some kind of consistency in this discussion. The same consistency is required for the efforts that the State must face...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: EU General Affairs and External Relations Council: Discussion with Minister of State (14 Nov 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: I am at pains to avoid blaming European institutions if things are not being done well by national governments. We must undertake such work ourselves with the help of the European institutions. Ideas such as the connected continent will assist us in that regard. As regards the role of national parliaments in the Semester process, as a former member of this committee for six years I know...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: EU General Affairs and External Relations Council: Discussion with Minister of State (14 Nov 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank all members for their questions and the Chairman for the opportunity to answer them. I asked whether I had captured everyone's points because I wanted to ensure that, when I appear at these committee meetings, which I do at least once per month, I could refer to the questions asked at previous meetings without needing to re-invent the wheel. If colleagues put their energies into...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: EU General Affairs and External Relations Council: Discussion with Minister of State (14 Nov 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: Before you move on, Chairman, could I make sure that I have a full list of the questions you raised so that I can do justice to them? The list includes enlargement, the European semester, the role of committees within that context, social indicators, the application of subsidiarity and the December European Council with reference to contracts for competitiveness.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: EU General Affairs and External Relations Council: Discussion with Minister of State (14 Nov 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Chairman for the opportunity to address the joint committee. I am delighted to be here and I always value the opportunity to brief the committee ahead of any of my attendance at the General Affairs Council. I will give the committee a report on events since the last meeting. I will also refer to questions from colleagues at the previous meeting. I will give an update on the...

EU-IMF Programme: Statements (14 Nov 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy is wrong. His facts are wrong.

EU-IMF Programme: Statements (14 Nov 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: I cannot believe Deputy Martin is saying that.

EU-IMF Programme: Statements (14 Nov 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy is laughing himself as he says that.

EU-IMF Programme: Statements (14 Nov 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: What woods?