Results 27,441-27,460 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton
- Leaders' Questions (6 Nov 2014)
Joan Burton: A few weeks ago, if I recall our encounters correctly, Deputy McDonald and many members of her party were in favour of and indicated they would pay the water charges if they were in a household that was billed for them. Subsequently, as indicated by the Sinn Féin leader, Deputy Gerry Adams, in an RTE interview, the party obviously changed its mind.
- Leaders' Questions (6 Nov 2014)
Joan Burton: To return to first principles, we want clean, healthy water. As Deputy McDonald will be aware, at this time last year, pubs, restaurants and hotels in Dublin, which the Deputy and I have the honour to represent, were in danger of being closed down because the region had reached its maximum usage of water. These facilities play an important part in the city and country's economy. To...
- Leaders' Questions (6 Nov 2014)
Joan Burton: The figure of €500 is interesting because it is significantly higher than the water charge for a family. Deputy Adams is travelling to the United States, a country where water charges are the norm and where he receives medical attention instead of using the Irish health system. To some extent, some of the Sinn Féin Deputies are living between two continents, as it were. They...
- Leaders' Questions (6 Nov 2014)
Joan Burton: I do now know whether Deputy McDonald will get an opportunity to go on the trip; that was not clear.
- Leaders' Questions (6 Nov 2014)
Joan Burton: All I said was that I saw that the indicative cost of the dinner was €500. In anybody's language that is a lot of money. The situation regarding pensioners, those on low incomes or those dependent on social welfare income was a cornerstone of the budget for the first time in a series of budgets. The past six years have been a period of great difficulty for this country which the...
- Leaders' Questions (6 Nov 2014)
Joan Burton: -----the Deputy represents.
- Leaders' Questions (6 Nov 2014)
Joan Burton: We have also made provision for a water conservation payment of €100 for each household.
- Leaders' Questions (6 Nov 2014)
Joan Burton: Can I just say-----
- Leaders' Questions (6 Nov 2014)
Joan Burton: The people to whom the Deputy referred are precisely those about whom I am concerned.
- Leaders' Questions (6 Nov 2014)
Joan Burton: Above all else, I want them, their children and the people whom all of us here have the honour to represent to have a chance to get a job in this country and prosper. That does not seem to feature in Sinn Féin's plans for country. That is the tragedy.
- Leaders' Questions (6 Nov 2014)
Joan Burton: I am glad that the letters, I understand, are to be published formally this afternoon. I note they were in the media this morning.
- Leaders' Questions (6 Nov 2014)
Joan Burton: The letters concern my former constituency colleague, Brian Lenihan, and are very poignant in that context. People may remember that period. It was a very snowy winter and Brian, as we are all aware, was unfortunately ill with an illness to which he would succumb. It is very poignant to see the letter released. From a political perspective, all of this arose from a fatally flawed...
- Leaders' Questions (6 Nov 2014)
Joan Burton: The Governor, Patrick Honohan, went on "Morning Ireland" the morning before and told the nation what was going to happen. I welcome the publication of the Trichet letter. The reference to the banking inquiry was that it is in the process of being established. Deputy Lynch is the chairperson and work is ongoing which he and other members are taking extremely seriously. They will be doing...
- Leaders' Questions (6 Nov 2014)
Joan Burton: On the other hand, in terms of where-----
- Leaders' Questions (6 Nov 2014)
Joan Burton: You supported it.
- Leaders' Questions (6 Nov 2014)
Joan Burton: In terms of where the country is now, yesterday the CSO published independent data on the live register which has fallen to 11%, a level which is still too high. We have just had a budget which provides for the cuts and reductions in USC to which the Deputy referred. USC has been of major concern to most people and the budget is the beginning of the reform. It has also provided for...
- Leaders' Questions (6 Nov 2014)
Joan Burton: It is regrettable - I am surprised the Deputy does not express regret - that at the time all of the Independents voted for the fatal bank guarantee; that is their responsibility.
- Leaders' Questions (6 Nov 2014)
Joan Burton: Deputy Finian McGrath can tell the Deputy all about it. That was the source of the problem. On the current position, the country is in recovery. The issue faced by the family about whom the Deputy spoke, a family with a legacy of debt, is serious. That debt was probably taken on in the good times and the income of that family has probably been reduced or they may rely on social welfare...
- Leaders' Questions (6 Nov 2014)
Joan Burton: On what the European Union owes Ireland, I have said many times that under the previous Government, Ireland took a hit in terms of the eurozone. What direction is the country now taking? We are seeing an enormous amount of international investment in the country, an expansion of job creation and have the development of the ESM. From June 2012, we have had an indication from the Heads of...
- Leaders' Questions (6 Nov 2014)
Joan Burton: We have moved on from what we might have wished to see happen at the time Mr. Trichet wrote his letter and will continue to negotiate the maximum position and recovery for Ireland. Last week, for instance, I was in Farmleigh to meet the head of the European Investment Bank to announce the development of the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland, which in the next period will invest...