Results 321-340 of 20,725 for speaker:Mattie McGrath

Report of the Standing Order 103 Select Committee: Motion (17 May 2011)

Mattie McGrath: There is a significant financial and symbolic significance associated with our corporation tax rate, which has drawn tens of billions of dollars of foreign direct investment, much of it from the United States. This is attracting high-skilled activity in the high-tech areas, pharmaceuticals, biomedical industries and others. In my own constituency in south Tipperary, we are nearly the...

Criminal Justice Bill 2011: Second Stage (18 May 2011)

Mattie McGrath: Ba mhaith liom mo chomhgairdeachas a gabháil don Aire. I congratulate the Minister and wish him all the best in his portfolio. I welcome this overdue Bill relating to white collar crime. Recent episodes, particularly the inquiry into the operations of Anglo Irish Bank, have highlighted the need to amend the law on white collar crime. I compliment RTE and the journalists working on "Prime...

Army Barracks (24 May 2011)

Mattie McGrath: Question 42: To ask the Minister for Defence the plans he has to ensure the ongoing sustainability and development of Kickham Barracks, Clonmel, County Tipperary. [12133/11]

Army Barracks (24 May 2011)

Mattie McGrath: I too am concerned, as Kickham Barracks is in a strategic location in the south east, with valuable personnel. I am sure the Defence Forces and the Garda Síochána were of great assistance in the past week with the visits of the Queen and President Obama to Tipperary. I would like to be associated fully and wholeheartedly with the comments the Minister made about the Garda. However, I...

Agriculture: Motion (24 May 2011)

Mattie McGrath: I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate on the motion. As previous speakers indicated, the importance of agriculture to this country and its economy cannot be overstated. In previous recessions and downturns we turned to agriculture in order to get ourselves out of the morass. With the provision of the right supports and the removal of unnecessary regulation, we can prosper...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (24 May 2011)

Mattie McGrath: Question 143: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the value for money report undertaken by him and particularly inquiries relating to school transport provision. [12646/11]

Written Answers — National Reserve Applications: National Reserve Applications (24 May 2011)

Mattie McGrath: Question 327: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when a decision will issue on an application under the national reserve 2011, category B, in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12621/11]

Written Answers — National Reserve Applications: National Reserve Applications (24 May 2011)

Mattie McGrath: Question 328: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when a decision will be made on an application under the national reserve 2011, category B, in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12622/11]

Requests to move Adjournment of Dáil under Standing Order 32. (25 May 2011)

Mattie McGrath: I seek the Adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 32 to raise a matter of national importance, namely, the negative impact of NAMA on the daily working of viable businesses seeking to trade out of their financial difficulties. Most officials in NAMA have no understanding of business and it is unfair to those business people trying to survive in this difficult climate.

Agricultural Price Levels (25 May 2011)

Mattie McGrath: I thank the Minister for his reply. Like most Deputies, I am concerned by the outrageous act of the Competition Authority last week when it did a dawn raid on the Irish Farm Centre with 15 officers and a search warrant, just because of one person's complaint. It was totally high-handed and that is the problem. There is too much regulation and I am glad the Minister will meet his colleague,...

Agricultural Price Levels (25 May 2011)

Mattie McGrath: I accept that.

Finance (No. 2) Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (26 May 2011)

Mattie McGrath: I am delighted to have the opportunity to express my opinion on this very important Bill. I know how serious Deputy Neville has been about many issues during the last Dáil and all through his public life, and I am interested to hear his views in this regard also. The people have now had a chance to absorb fully the ramifications of the recent jobs initiative proposed by the Government,...

Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (1 Jun 2011)

Mattie McGrath: I am also delighted to have the opportunity to speak on the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2011. This will see the Department of Finance effectively divided into a Department for spending and a Department for cutting. Everybody seems to be in favour of reform as it is the flavour of the month and the new buzz word. The problem is there is little agreement on what the reform...

Government and Oireachtas Reform: Motion (Resumed) (1 Jun 2011)

Mattie McGrath: I too am pleased to speak to the Technical Group's motion. I thank my colleagues in the group for researching the issue and coming up with the formula used in the motion. Real reform is necessary in the House. I offer my congratulations to my neighbour, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Phil Hogan. I wish him well. I hope to meet him in September in...

Government and Oireachtas Reform: Motion (Resumed) (1 Jun 2011)

Mattie McGrath: We will have another battle like last year. We need more than tokenism. The debate follows on from the Second Stage of the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill. We saw from that the tokenism that is involved in some of the ways it was introduced. The huge ideological difference between Fine Gael and Labour will be a problem for the Government. We wish the parties well. The public...

Dáil Reform: Statements (2 Jun 2011)

Mattie McGrath: In the previous general election the public voted in large numbers for both Labour and Fine Gael who are now the Government parties. They have promised us real reform. I look forward to engaging with the process also with my colleagues in the Technical Group and all Opposition parties. Not much zeal is evident for reform at present. It is difficult to get meaningful answers in the House or...

Dáil Reform: Statements (2 Jun 2011)

Mattie McGrath: I accept that. The party in Government, of which I was a part, set it up, before I was a Member. However, Fine Gael promised the system would be changed, but we have just changed seats here. Fine Gael has moved across the House and is carrying on the same old policy, with some cosmetic changes. It stood down the board of the HSE, but that is all. We could see that the other night when...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Second Stage (7 Jun 2011)

Mattie McGrath: I intend to share my time with Deputies Richard Boyd-Barrett, John Halligan, Finian McGrath and Healy.

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Second Stage (7 Jun 2011)

Mattie McGrath: I, too, am delighted to be able to speak here this evening on Second Stage of the Social Welfare and Pensions Bill. Like many others, I am obviously disappointed that the Bill is being guillotined. As mentioned today, it is being rushed through under the auspices of or the time lines laid down by the EU-IMF agreement. However, that is becoming a catchphrase for many issues and I am...

Spent Convictions Bill 2011: Second Stage (7 Jun 2011)

Mattie McGrath: I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Bill and I compliment Deputy Calleary on bringing it forward. I was delighted to hear the Minister promise he will bring in his own Bill which will go further in some areas while being restrictive in other areas. As Deputy Jonathan O'Brien said, we should consider the community service legislation which was recently discussed in the House, in...