Results 3,281-3,300 of 4,810 for speaker:Liam Twomey

Promissory Notes: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (6 Feb 2013)

Liam Twomey: I do not believe that other Members of the Opposition, who claim to have a better understanding of economics than I do, believe some of the nonsense spoken in this House. We know what will happen if we default. It would not be pleasant for the most vulnerable people in our society, whom some Members opposite claim to support.

Promissory Notes: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (6 Feb 2013)

Liam Twomey: This Government has done a great job during the past couple of years in restoring our international reputation and stabilising our economy. It will soldier on for the next couple years despite that what it must do is difficult and will b e tough on the people of Ireland. We will do what is right for this country in the next couple of years and will not engage in cheap political gimmicks. I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2012: Discussion (6 Feb 2013)

Liam Twomey: It usually goes from the member concerned to the clerk

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2012: Discussion (Resumed) with National Newspapers of Ireland (7 Feb 2013)

Liam Twomey: The joint committee is meeting in public session to continue its public consultation on the draft heads of the freedom of information (amendment) Bill 2012. I welcome Mr. Carl O'Brien of The Irish Times, Ms Dearbhail McDonald of Irish Independent, Mr. Frank Cullen, director of National Newspapers of Ireland, and Mr. Mark Tighe of The Sunday Times. The format of the meeting will be as...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2012: Discussion (Resumed) with National Newspapers of Ireland (7 Feb 2013)

Liam Twomey: A mobile telephone is on which is interfering with the sound system.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2012: Discussion (Resumed) with National Newspapers of Ireland (7 Feb 2013)

Liam Twomey: I will play the devil’s advocate. I was a member of the committee in 2003 when the then Minister, Charlie McCreevy, reversed the legislation. It was considered to be a retrograde step. If I could get senior civil servants in here in private session and turned off all the cameras, I would hear words like "frivolous", "vexatious", "fishing exercise" and "unethical". It all boils down...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2012: Discussion (Resumed) with National Newspapers of Ireland (7 Feb 2013)

Liam Twomey: In the same spirit, we want to see more open government. There will always be toing and froing and everyone feels they are hard done by in the media in this game. I am sure we are not and that it is merely our sensitivity. I thank the witnesses for their attendance. All submissions and discussions will go into our final report which will be forwarded to the Department to form part of its...

Promissory Notes: Motion (Resumed) (14 Feb 2013)

Liam Twomey: When listening to Opposition contributions, I am sure Members on these benches wonder what Government would be like if, for example, Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan was Minister for Finance and Deputy Mattie McGrath was his Minister for State. What sort of catastrophe would ensue if their rhetoric became a reality? I do not think Sinn Féin is as financially illiterate as its rhetoric in...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Accident and Emergency Services (14 Feb 2013)

Liam Twomey: To ask the Minister for Health the actions taken to tackle overcrowding and the use of trolleys in the accident emergency department in Wexford General Hospital; the impact of these measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7547/13]

Finance Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (21 Feb 2013)

Liam Twomey: Since the beginning of this crisis the resilience of the Irish people has been truly remarkable considering what we have been through in recent years. We have seen the total collapse of our financial services, construction industry and massive budget adjustments, yet in the midst of all that we have managed to start to get control of public spending and there is still growth in the economy....

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Community Development Projects (6 Mar 2013)

Liam Twomey: To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if it should be insisted that suppliers from whom community groups purchase equipment with State moneys, should have tax clearance certificates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11742/13]

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Mar 2013)

Liam Twomey: Twenty years ago I qualified as a doctor and my college fee was €2,000 which is the equivalent to €7,000 now. There should be some acknowledgement of the circumstances that the country finds itself in. It is under those circumstances that we are trying to make it as attainable as possible for people to attend college. During the good times the previous Government abolished...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Mar 2013)

Liam Twomey: I would like to make a final comment on this section. An Irish hospital consultant collects second-hand equipment in Irish hospitals to bring to Cuba. Perhaps Deputy Boyd Barrett needs to have a good look at the Cuban health system. It might be a bit more two-tiered than he thinks.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Mar 2013)

Liam Twomey: Is this the limit to which the Minister is going to allow access to pension funds? There is a maximum amount that a person can put into a pension fund but will any consideration be given to those who have in excess of that amount in their funds, in terms of allowing them to take out that excess amount?

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Mar 2013)

Liam Twomey: The Minister cannot just be looking after Deputy Mathews.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Mar 2013)

Liam Twomey: This sounds unusual. It does not affect anyone who owns a house. It affects developers only. Does it affect a business involved in land purchase? For example, many SMEs became involved in buying land or property. Does it affect them if they bought land and the banks made a deal with them? This applies to developers also, where banks have made deals with developers not in a position to...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Mar 2013)

Liam Twomey: From the developer's point of view, if he or she made a deal with NAMA or other banks and the banks write down the value of the loan, will half of the write-down sum become a tax liability?

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Mar 2013)

Liam Twomey: Amendment No. 36 has been ruled out of order.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Mar 2013)

Liam Twomey: As we have spent 45 minutes discussing this amendment, there will be no problem if members wish to make a quick comment.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Mar 2013)

Liam Twomey: We cannot go back over the entire discussion. We want to keep going.