Results 2,741-2,760 of 7,975 for speaker:Joe Higgins

Leaders' Questions (1 Dec 2011)

Joe Higgins: I would like to raise the plight of a cohort of people in this city and this State. We have not heard about them for many months. They are being overlooked because they are ordinary working-class people who do not have the resources to hire expensive lawyers or make large donations to the political establishment. Between 2,000 and 3,000 families and individuals were badly burned when a...

Leaders' Questions (1 Dec 2011)

Joe Higgins: I thank the Tánaiste. It is not surprising that this matter is not to the forefront of his consciousness because-----

Leaders' Questions (1 Dec 2011)

Joe Higgins: The Tánaiste should tell his backbenchers to maintain their silence until they hear what I have to say in full.

Leaders' Questions (1 Dec 2011)

Joe Higgins: As I was saying, it is not surprising that this matter is not to the forefront of the Tánaiste's consciousness because it has not featured since last August.

Leaders' Questions (1 Dec 2011)

Joe Higgins: My point is that poor people and ordinary working people in these circumstances are not the subject of the same consideration as the very wealthy do when they take a dive.

Leaders' Questions (1 Dec 2011)

Joe Higgins: Many people were aware of this matter when it was big news for a few days last August. Details of the plight of these families and individuals are easily available. The Tánaiste does not need to know the individual details of each case to give the House an assurance, as a matter of principle, that these people will be assisted before matters are reconciled when the liquidation comes to its...

Leaders' Questions (1 Dec 2011)

Joe Higgins: The Government pledged that social welfare payments would be maintained. I would also like to know whether the €500 increase in the college registration charge that was imposed by Fianna Fáil will be reduced or reversed, as promised by the Minister, Deputy Quinn, who is sitting beside the Tánaiste. That would be of assistance to those who saved to meet the cost of sending their children...

Order of Business (1 Dec 2011)

Joe Higgins: The disastrous decisions on the banking system made by successive Governments and the majority in the Dáil have been the source of much of the crisis we are experiencing and the suffering of our people to bail out speculators and gamblers. At the very least we deserve a full and thorough opportunity to go through the experience of the past three years and not least for Labour Party...

Order of Business (1 Dec 2011)

Joe Higgins: We on this side of the House are opposed to guillotines, which the Tánaiste used to oppose when those Fianna Fáil Members in front of me made similar proposals when in Government. If the Tánaiste is consistent with his days in opposition, he will give more time to this debate.

Order of Business (1 Dec 2011)

Joe Higgins: On Monday, the Minister for public expenditure cuts, Deputy Howlin, cast in his favourite role as the grim reaper of public expenditure-----

Order of Business (1 Dec 2011)

Joe Higgins: -----public sector jobs, etc., will come into the Dáil and lay out, in effect-----

Order of Business (1 Dec 2011)

Joe Higgins: -----a programme of savage cuts, including the loss of 25,000 jobs in the public sector, which, as the House will be aware, is already under serious pressure in many services such as health, a cut of €750 million in capital expenditure which can cost up to 10,000 jobs and so on. The Minister will have half an hour to roll out his list, which is easily done. However, responding to the...

Order of Business (1 Dec 2011)

Joe Higgins: The 30 minute statements are utterly inadequate.

Order of Business (1 Dec 2011)

Joe Higgins: In addition, at least some Labour Party backbenchers are in an acute state of mental angst over these cuts.

Order of Business (1 Dec 2011)

Joe Higgins: Rather than sending them off to the elf counselling services, also known as Deputy Stagg, the Chief Whip-----

Order of Business (1 Dec 2011)

Joe Higgins: -----it would be much better to let them express their reservations and objections-----

Order of Business (1 Dec 2011)

Joe Higgins: -----to the devastation caused by their Minister and the Government. Then they can tell us that they will vote against them as well and that would be a great deal off their chest. We need far more time on Monday to spell out the implications of what the Government is proposing and to put our alternative.

Written Answers — Tax Yield: Tax Yield (1 Dec 2011)

Joe Higgins: Question 49: To ask the Minister for Finance the total amount of universal social charge paid by pensioners in receipt of the State pension since the charge was first introduced. [38087/11]

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (1 Dec 2011)

Joe Higgins: Question 50: To ask the Minister for Finance the reason the threshold for qualification to pay the universal social charge was set at €4,004.00 per annum; and if he will raise this figure considerably in budget 2012. [38088/11]

Leaders' Questions (6 Dec 2011)

Joe Higgins: I am sure all those people out there today suffering and looking forward to the savage cuts will be very impressed looking in here this afternoon. Does the Taoiseach accept that at the heart of the political establishment in this State, there is a monumental hypocrisy? When the same cuts in child benefit and in other areas that were delivered and promised yesterday were delivered last year...