Results 2,441-2,460 of 19,173 for speaker:Shane Ross

Leaders' Questions (22 Feb 2012)

Shane Ross: In addition, if they have to pay for sick leave, they will have to pay for the substitutes for those out on sick leave. I beg the Taoiseach to assure the House once again that, whatever conversation is going on in the Department of Social Protection, this proposal will be stillborn and small businesses will not be asked to bear that burden. He should give them reassurance today that this...

Health Services: Motion (Resumed) (22 Feb 2012)

Shane Ross: I agree with much of the sentiment behind the motion and understand the emotion being expressed on this side of the House. Even if one looks at the health service and the Health Service Executive in a very forensic way, one cannot justify what is happening. Looking at the figures in a cold, calculating way shows that the behaviour of those involved is unacceptable. To anybody who observes...

Referendum on European Stability Treaty: Statements (28 Feb 2012)

Shane Ross: On behalf of the Technical Group, all of it, I wish to welcome the fact that we are having a referendum on this treaty. I only regret that it was not called without having to go to the Attorney General. What happened in this case was that the Government was against holding a referendum, as enunciated by the Minister for Transport earlier, because it would apparently involve a lot of...

Referendum on European Stability Treaty: Statements (28 Feb 2012)

Shane Ross: That will be part of this debate whether the Government likes it or not. What will arise in this debate will be the promissory notes and the debt. Those two issues will be the most important ones. Government Ministers will have to face the fact that the people did not like that initial deal and, as a result, they will not particularly like this deal either. This deal is an extension of...

Referendum on European Stability Treaty: Statements (28 Feb 2012)

Shane Ross: As Deputy Adams said, this is a fiscal union pact on austerity. It is a pact which has not been a product of Irish input, but one that is dictated by Germans, French and others. It is a realistic reflection of where power lies in Europe. Let there be no doubt whatsoever that this is not an end in itself. In this pact we will see the forerunner of further fiscal union down the road, which...

Referendum on European Stability Treaty: Statements (28 Feb 2012)

Shane Ross: That is the demand that should have been made in Europe before we signed up for this deal. Before the Taoiseach signs up for this deal on Friday, he should promise one thing - that there will be a credit write-off for the Irish people as a minimum quid pro quo for this treaty.

Written Answers — Local Authority Charges: Local Authority Charges (28 Feb 2012)

Shane Ross: Question 514: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of persons that were notified about payment of the NPPR charge in 2011; of those persons notified, the number that paid; the number that did not pay; the number that have paid including a penalty for late payment; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that some persons are concerned about...

Written Answers — Marine Safety: Marine Safety (28 Feb 2012)

Shane Ross: Question 600: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the fact that Bord Iascaigh Mhara is providing subsidised marine safety training to the commercial sector, thus putting the private training companies which are Government approved, at a disadvantage in view of the fact that they are unable to compete with Government subsidised training...

European Council: Statements (29 Feb 2012)

Shane Ross: God bless the Attorney General. It is refreshing to find that an officer of the State is prepared to take a decision that is patently against the wishes of the Government. She has given the people an opportunity to make a decision and the House to hold a debate that would otherwise not take place. This is not a political point but holding a referendum is against the Government's wishes....

State Assets: Motion (Resumed) (29 Feb 2012)

Shane Ross: I always find it very difficult to debate this subject because of the strong ideological positions taken on either side which are unrealistic and very unfair. The right attitude to State assets is a pragmatic one. A lot of the so-called assets are not assets at all, rather they are liabilities. The Government is very limited in its options and what it can sell. If it decided to sell CIE,...

Leaders' Questions (1 Mar 2012)

Shane Ross: The Tánaiste has missed the point. The point about these embarrassing leaks which came from the Bundestag today is that the impression, and maybe the rightful impression, remains that our economic policy and the policy of austerity is dictated, decided and revealed elsewhere. It did not come here first. That is the problem. We need an assurance today that this will not happen again. It...

Leaders' Questions (1 Mar 2012)

Shane Ross: They are and they are very strongly linked to the riddle of austerity which is being imposed on this country. Will the Tánaiste assure this House that he will embark on a diplomatic offensive to tell those 27 countries that the Irish people would look much more benignly on this referendum, which they want to see passed, if they looked more benignly on our debt and were prepared to give us a...

Leaders' Questions (1 Mar 2012)

Shane Ross: I now understand why the Tánaiste did not make the Minister for Social Protection the Minister for Finance because she said in an interview today with the Financial Times that the European Union should cut the cost of Ireland's bailout to help it pass the eurozone fiscal pact in a high stakes referendum. If that is not linking one with the other, I do not know what is. She went on to...

Leaders' Questions (1 Mar 2012)

Shane Ross: Perhaps the Tánaiste will comment on what the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Joan Burton, had to say to the Financial Times this morning.

Leaders' Questions (6 Mar 2012)

Shane Ross: I understand, from his replies to Deputy Martin, that there are many reasons the Taoiseach feels he cannot give us a date for the referendum. However, it seems to me to be more than coincidental that we are not getting a date either for the referendum or for the solution the Government is going to find on the Anglo Irish Bank promissory notes. It would be fair to draw a conclusion that one...

Leaders' Questions (6 Mar 2012)

Shane Ross: The Taoiseach may be surprised. One would never know.

Leaders' Questions (6 Mar 2012)

Shane Ross: I will respond to something the Taoiseach stated, which is important. He stated that the Minister who is sitting beside him stated he had hoped it would be done by 31 March. Can I quote from the article?

Leaders' Questions (6 Mar 2012)

Shane Ross: It states, "Minister Pat Rabbitte said that some sort of restructure will be agreed with the country's bailout lenders before the next annual repayment of the IOUs falls due next month." There is nothing wrong with him saying that, it if is true.

Leaders' Questions (6 Mar 2012)

Shane Ross: If it is being diluted, that is fine. There is nothing wrong, by the way, with linking the Anglo Irish Bank promissory notes and a deal. My guess is-----

Leaders' Questions (6 Mar 2012)

Shane Ross: Yes, of course. My guess is that the Taoiseach will surprise himself how quickly-----