Results 2,041-2,060 of 28,162 for speaker:Catherine Murphy

Social Welfare Bill 2011: Second Stage (8 Dec 2011)

Catherine Murphy: When the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform introduced the first part of the budget, he said the sharp reality is that the Government faces a level of social welfare expenditure that cannot be sustained from the funding base now available. That is true because we were told during the election that we could not cut and tax our way out of this situation. The reality is that is exactly...

Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Dec 2011)

Catherine Murphy: Is this a Second Stage debate?

Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Dec 2011)

Catherine Murphy: She is taking our time.

Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Dec 2011)

Catherine Murphy: I also oppose this section. The issue of child poverty should be central to social welfare. In the framing of this budget, what analysis was done with regard to its impact on child poverty? Even before the budget was announced, Barnardo's estimated that some 130,000 children were living in poverty. We could fill both Croke Park and the Aviva Stadium with the number of children living in...

Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Dec 2011)

Catherine Murphy: I fail to understand the strategy being pursued, given that the Minister has stated her objective is to get lone parents back to work, which is reasonable and correct. However, there must be support mechanisms in place to allow this to happen. Therefore, transitional arrangements are important, as there is a limited number of jobs available. Without child care and transitional payments,...

Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (13 Dec 2011)

Catherine Murphy: This is called a household charge but it is a tax which is unfair and which will be quickly seen to be so. The county council system, established in 1898, has again been placed at the centre of this provision. The local authority system has suffered through a lack of reform. It was put in this same position in the early 1980s and irreparable damage was done at that time. The current...

Written Answers — School Patronage: School Patronage (13 Dec 2011)

Catherine Murphy: Question 144: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason or reasons for postponing the submission date in relation to the patronage of schools to 24 February; the weighting that will be applied to families who have more than one child in the eligible consultation category; if it will be numbers alone that will determine the patronage or will other criteria apply; if so, the...

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (13 Dec 2011)

Catherine Murphy: Question 521: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding the National Transport Authority's NaPTAN project; the current and projected overall cost of the project; the expected date at which the project will go live; if the Dublinbikes municipal bike scheme is included in this project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39852/11]

European Council Meeting: Statements (14 Dec 2011)

Catherine Murphy: It took a long time to negotiate European treaties. They were very complex and legal, and there is a legal backup to them, which is the European Court of Justice. Stitched into the Lisbon treaty is an executive federalism where there is at least a sharing of competence across the Commission, the Parliament and the European Council. It seems we have jettisoned the things that are likely to...

Decentralisation Programme (14 Dec 2011)

Catherine Murphy: Question 3: To ask the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine if he will provide details of the full extent of his compliance with the decentralisation programme including details of premises bought or leased, staff which have moved location under the terms of the programme and communications systems which have been installed or upgraded as a consequence of the programme; his...

Decentralisation Programme (14 Dec 2011)

Catherine Murphy: I did not support the decentralisation programme but it is appropriate to decentralise functions in respect of certain Departments. This question and similar questions I tabled for other Departments seek to determine our liabilities now that the programme has been cancelled. It will not be clean because staff have moved, computer systems and other supports have been put in place and...

Decentralisation Programme (14 Dec 2011)

Catherine Murphy: I presume the Minister is also engaging with NAMA. When does he expect to make a final decision on the accommodation arrangements?

Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Committee Stage (14 Dec 2011)

Catherine Murphy: I had an opportunity to speak on this last night. I will now make points on this section similar to those made by other speakers. The EU-IMF agreement mentioned a property tax. How do we define a property tax? We call this a household charge. It is very similar to the Financial Provisions Act 1983 which introduced water and refuse charges. The Act had nothing to do with water and refuse...

Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Committee Stage (14 Dec 2011)

Catherine Murphy: The Minister of State claimed local authority tenants would be excluded from the household charge. The majority buy their houses by way of mortgage because they have little choice with, for example, 100,000 on local authority housing waiting lists. People have no choice but to house themselves in that way. I refer to householders who have paid stamp duty. The late Brian Lenihan said on...

Rural Areas: Motion (Resumed) (14 Dec 2011)

Catherine Murphy: I am sharing time with Deputies Luke Flanagan, Seamus Healy and Joan Collins. I was quite intrigued by the Private Members' motion put down by the Fianna Fáil Party in that every sentence of it referred to rural Ireland. It is probably to do with the fact that most of the Fianna Fáil Party Deputies are from rural Ireland and, obviously, there is no Dublin Deputy in the House representing...

Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Final Stages (14 Dec 2011)

Catherine Murphy: They were introduced in 1983 by Fine Gael and Labour.

Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Final Stages (14 Dec 2011)

Catherine Murphy: I left it in good hands.

Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Final Stages (14 Dec 2011)

Catherine Murphy: Did the Deputy read the Bill?

Written Answers — Genetically Modified Organisms: Genetically Modified Organisms (14 Dec 2011)

Catherine Murphy: Question 227: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there are any research trials at present being conducted by Teagasc involving the cultivation of genetically modified crops; if so, the details of this research; the details of any such research trails undertaken in the past; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40291/11]

Written Answers — Horticulture Sector: Horticulture Sector (14 Dec 2011)

Catherine Murphy: Question 228: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will detail the grants awarded to date under the terms of the fourth round of the scheme of investment aid for the development of the commercial horticulture sector; if this funding will be broken down by successful applicants and amounts awarded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40357/11]