Results 21,761-21,780 of 23,109 for speaker:Paddy Burke

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Nov 2017)

Paddy Burke: It is an honour to serve with the longest-serving Member. It is a great achievement for him and he deserves it.

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Nov 2017)

Paddy Burke: I ask the Leader to arrange a debate on credit unions. The Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform and Taoiseach launched a report on the credit unions today, after a considerable amount of work compiling it. It is a very good report and I ask the Leader to bring the Minister for Finance in to discuss the issue. There are some pressing issues relating to credit unions.

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Nov 2017)

Paddy Burke: My apologies for jumping the gun yesterday in paying tribute to our esteemed colleague Senator Norris. I join my colleagues in wishing him many more years in this House. He has been here for 30 years and seven months. To be the longest sitting Member of Seanad Éireann in the history of the State is a massive achievement. He is to be congratulated. I wish him many more years here. I...

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Nov 2017)

Paddy Burke: Yes. The Senator was victorious. Once when I was in the Chair, Senator Norris asked me to leave the Chair and come down into the body of the Chamber to vote against the legislation on the referendum to abolish Seanad Éireann. I did not do that. I knew I would not have to and that, if the people got the chance, they would make the right decision. They did so. When one is in the...

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Nov 2017)

Paddy Burke: I ask the Leader for a debate in the near future on the high cost of electricity in this country. The cost in Ireland is the fourth highest in Europe. We should debate why we have one of the highest costs because it affects not only the consumer but also industry. I would like the Leader to arrange for this in the near future.

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Dec 2017)

Paddy Burke: I agree with my colleague, Senator Byrne, on the issue of minor works for national schools. There should be an annual payment for that to national schools because they are short of funding to carry out small works such as replacing light bulbs, broken windows and so forth. I raise an issue that was brought to my attention recently but first I welcome the doubling of the acreage at the...

Seanad: Death of Former Member: Expressions of Sympathy (6 Dec 2017)

Paddy Burke: I wish to be associated with the expressions of sympathy in respect of the late Des Hanafin. I welcome his daughter, Mary, his son, John, his grandchildren and his wife, Mona. I served in this Chamber alongside Des Hanafin from 1997 to 2002. I have to say, as Senator Horkan already indicated, he had very strong views. He represented County Tipperary to the best of his ability. He was...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Matters relating to Tracker Mortgage Examination and Consumer Protection Framework: Discussion (7 Dec 2017)

Paddy Burke: I welcome the delegation. When did the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission start to investigate whether a cartel was in operation? What triggered the suspicion in her organisation that there may well have been a cartel in place?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Matters relating to Tracker Mortgage Examination and Consumer Protection Framework: Discussion (7 Dec 2017)

Paddy Burke: What triggered it in this case? Ms Goggin said that the commission looked at whether a cartel was operating in the banks.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Matters relating to Tracker Mortgage Examination and Consumer Protection Framework: Discussion (7 Dec 2017)

Paddy Burke: Ms Goggin said the commission looked to see whether a cartel was in operation.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Matters relating to Tracker Mortgage Examination and Consumer Protection Framework: Discussion (7 Dec 2017)

Paddy Burke: Therefore, the commission did not look to see whether a cartel was in operation.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Matters relating to Tracker Mortgage Examination and Consumer Protection Framework: Discussion (7 Dec 2017)

Paddy Burke: The commission did not ask any of the banks when they started changing their interest rates or their tracker rates. The commission did not do any investigation at all.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Matters relating to Tracker Mortgage Examination and Consumer Protection Framework: Discussion (7 Dec 2017)

Paddy Burke: In other words, the commission did not investigate at all. Let us be fair about it. It carried out no investigation at all as to whether a cartel was operating in the banks.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Matters relating to Tracker Mortgage Examination and Consumer Protection Framework: Discussion (7 Dec 2017)

Paddy Burke: Did the commission carry out any investigation?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Matters relating to Tracker Mortgage Examination and Consumer Protection Framework: Discussion (7 Dec 2017)

Paddy Burke: Did the commission carry out any investigation as to whether a cartel was operating in the insurance industry?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Matters relating to Tracker Mortgage Examination and Consumer Protection Framework: Discussion (7 Dec 2017)

Paddy Burke: Is that an ongoing investigation?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Matters relating to Tracker Mortgage Examination and Consumer Protection Framework: Discussion (7 Dec 2017)

Paddy Burke: Several witnesses have attended here and spoken about how they believe cartels were operating in the insurance industry. When will the commission's investigations be concluded?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Matters relating to Tracker Mortgage Examination and Consumer Protection Framework: Discussion (7 Dec 2017)

Paddy Burke: Will the commission make any interim proposals or report on whether it believes such a thing has taken place. The consumer is being ripped off in the meantime. Ms Goggin is saying that the commission's investigation will not be concluded for another year or a year and a half but, in the meantime, the consumer is being ripped off.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Matters relating to Tracker Mortgage Examination and Consumer Protection Framework: Discussion (7 Dec 2017)

Paddy Burke: I have no doubt about that. However, it may have further implications and we might get further reductions in the insurance industry if the commission were to say it would produce an interim report. The commission has a lot of power.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Matters relating to Tracker Mortgage Examination and Consumer Protection Framework: Discussion (7 Dec 2017)

Paddy Burke: Is this the final report?