Results 2,221-2,240 of 3,523 for speaker:Lucinda Creighton

Seanad: EU Fiscal Compact Treaty: Statements, Questions and Answers (Resumed) (16 Feb 2012)

Lucinda Creighton: I appreciate the Members who have attended today. I also appreciate that Members are busy and that several committees are meeting at this time also. Senator Reilly asked about the treaty's inflexibility. I have tried to address some of her concerns regarding the three year transition period and how the one twentieth requirement is calculated. There was some misunderstanding about this....

Seanad: EU Fiscal Compact Treaty: Statements, Questions and Answers (Resumed) (16 Feb 2012)

Lucinda Creighton: It is hugely important. With regard to whether we sought a debt write-down, the Minister for Finance had informal but high level contacts with the ECB, with Mr. Jean-Claude Trichet and with other member states and finance ministers. It was made abundantly clear that there was no question of a write-down being agreed in a mutual sense at this time. There has been some criticism of my party,...

Seanad: EU Fiscal Compact Treaty: Statements, Questions and Answers (Resumed) (16 Feb 2012)

Lucinda Creighton: We are committed to making our debt burden as manageable and sustainable as possible. In the past 11 months, we have already achieved many concessions, most notably at the July summit when the interest rate on our loans was reduced and the maturity date extended.

Seanad: EU Fiscal Compact Treaty: Statements, Questions and Answers (Resumed) (16 Feb 2012)

Lucinda Creighton: The Senator does not know what he is talking about, because he was not there.

Seanad: EU Fiscal Compact Treaty: Statements, Questions and Answers (Resumed) (16 Feb 2012)

Lucinda Creighton: I will not come before this House with Senator Mooney in the Chamber if he accuses me of being a liar. That is unparliamentary language and it is untrue. I ask him to withdraw the accusation.

Seanad: EU Fiscal Compact Treaty: Statements, Questions and Answers (Resumed) (16 Feb 2012)

Lucinda Creighton: Senator Mooney just called me a liar.

European Union Values (21 Feb 2012)

Lucinda Creighton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 65 and 81 together. Both questions touch on fundamental aspects of Ireland's relationship with the European Union and I welcome the opportunity to record once again the firm commitment of the Government to the ideals and values enshrined in the European treaties. The European Union has faced and continues to confront a crisis of a scale and complexity that...

European Union Values (21 Feb 2012)

Lucinda Creighton: The Deputy has asked three questions which I will try to address. On the role played by Chancellor Merkel and President Sarkozy, it is fair to say there has been widespread criticism of the European Union's capacity to respond in an efficient and speedy manner to the crisis that has engulfed us in the past two years. It is also fair to say neither the Union nor the eurozone was equipped to...

European Union Values (21 Feb 2012)

Lucinda Creighton: I have participated in a number of meetings of that nature, which were organised in conjunction with the European Commission office and European Movement Ireland, and they were hugely beneficial. I am very much open to further meetings but our resources are limited. The entire budget for the communicating Europe initiative in the Department of the Taoiseach is €150,000. It is negligible...

European Union Values (21 Feb 2012)

Lucinda Creighton: That is why the Lisbon treaty referendum failed.

Lá na Gaeilge: Statements (7 Mar 2012)

Lucinda Creighton: Tá siad le fáil má tá gá leo.

US Visas for Irish Emigrants (21 Mar 2012)

Lucinda Creighton: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter, in addition to his parliamentary question on the subject today. I also thank him for his generous comments on the Taoiseach's recent visit to the United States. Addressing the position of the undocumented Irish and reforming our migration arrangements with the United States remain important priorities for the Government in its relationship with the...

US Visas for Irish Emigrants (21 Mar 2012)

Lucinda Creighton: I reiterate that the Government places importance on addressing the position of the undocumented Irish and reforming our migration arrangements with the United States. In addition to the ongoing political contacts on emigration reform, the E-3 visas in particular, the Government also provides considerable financial support for the invaluable Irish community and welfare organisations which do...

Human Rights Issues (21 Mar 2012)

Lucinda Creighton: I thank Deputy Keaveney for bringing this horrendous case to the attention of the Dáil. I am sure I speak for everyone in this House in expressing my horror at the details of the case of Amina Filali. As the Deputy correctly pointed out, she was raped and then forced to marry her assailant so as to prevent him from being prosecuted for his appalling and heinous crime. She then suffered...

Human Rights Issues (21 Mar 2012)

Lucinda Creighton: I have met him already.

Human Rights Issues (21 Mar 2012)

Lucinda Creighton: I thank the Deputy once again for his contribution. I have no difficulty with either myself or the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade calling in the ambassador. I will discuss the matter with the Tánaiste. As the Deputy correctly states, it is of such grave concern that it behoves the Government to take strong and decisive action. There is no doubt the case has resulted...

National Asset Management Agency (21 Mar 2012)

Lucinda Creighton: I thank the Deputy for bringing this issue to the floor of the Dáil. NAMA has a commercial remit under the National Asset Management Agency Act 2009 and must dispose of assets in a commercial manner in order to repay the loans it has incurred in the acquisition of such assets. However, within the legal and fiscal boundaries in which it must operate and notwithstanding its commercial remit,...

National Asset Management Agency (21 Mar 2012)

Lucinda Creighton: I again thank the Deputy for his contribution and for his constructive suggestions. I will happily pass on his comments on the inclusion of community groups to the Minister for Finance. With regard to his question on whether properties are being sold back to developers, as I said, the details of sales will not be published because of commercial sensitivities, but I am not aware of any such...

Private Members' Business. European Stability Mechanism: Motion (21 Mar 2012)

Lucinda Creighton: I commend the Government amendment to the House. The Minister for Finance, Deputy Noonan, has set out the logic and urgency of ensuring the Oireachtas plays its part in putting in place a viable stability mechanism to succeed the European Financial Stability Fund, EFSF, in order that EU member states have a clear and tangible insurance mechanism to restore stability to the markets and order...

Private Members' Business. European Stability Mechanism: Motion (21 Mar 2012)

Lucinda Creighton: The introduction of the European Stability Mechanism will safeguard stability in the eurozone while assisting us in calming the crisis. The fact that implementation has been brought forward by a year to July, along with the agreement for the fiscal treaty, has begun to have that effect. That is quite clear, as I have outlined. It is inconceivable that Sinn Féin could think ratification of...