Results 3,461-3,480 of 25,732 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien
- Seanad: Budget 2014: Statements (15 Oct 2013)
Darragh O'Brien: I need some protection, a Chathaoirligh.
- Seanad: Budget 2014: Statements (15 Oct 2013)
Darragh O'Brien: I have only arrived in the Chamber. The Senator seems very exercised. She is obviously trying to defend the indefensible.
- Seanad: Budget 2014: Statements (15 Oct 2013)
Darragh O'Brien: It does not make a great deal of difference.
- Seanad: Budget 2014: Statements (15 Oct 2013)
Darragh O'Brien: The Senator obviously did not watch the speech.
- Seanad: Budget 2014: Statements (15 Oct 2013)
Darragh O'Brien: I have a headache right now. So the Senator should just carry on.
- Seanad: Budget 2014: Statements (15 Oct 2013)
Darragh O'Brien: Great credit for that is due to the Tánaiste, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade. He has been on one trade mission in 12 months.
- Seanad: Budget 2014: Statements (15 Oct 2013)
Darragh O'Brien: That certainly was a very good initiative by the Minister, Deputy Leo Varadkar. A good Fine Gael initiative.
- Seanad: Budget 2014: Statements (15 Oct 2013)
Darragh O'Brien: I am trying to work out what input the Labour Party had.
- Seanad: Budget 2014: Statements (15 Oct 2013)
Darragh O'Brien: That is not true.
- Seanad: Budget 2014: Statements (15 Oct 2013)
Darragh O'Brien: I welcome the Minister of State. I am sure it is a bitter-sweet day for him today to come back to the Seanad.
- Seanad: Budget 2014: Statements (15 Oct 2013)
Darragh O'Brien: I am personally delighted the Minister of State is back. I note he is much better behaved here today than he was on the last occasion he was here. He is always very welcome. I will commence with a few positive points. I welcome the retention of the 9% VAT rate. It was a Government initiative that I welcomed at the time it was introduced and it has worked.
- Seanad: Budget 2014: Statements (15 Oct 2013)
Darragh O'Brien: What is the Senator talking about? That is stupid. I welcomed it at the time it was introduced and it has worked. I remind the Deputy that other initiatives were paid for by the pension levy - there were other elements of it. This measure worked but others did not. That aspect is certainly to be welcomed and there is no question about it. The removal of the travel tax is also a welcome...
- Seanad: Budget 2014: Statements (15 Oct 2013)
Darragh O'Brien: What I note from this budget, and I will go through some of these points, is how irrelevant the Labour Party has become. It is irrelevant in government. It has not been able to bring forward any measure whatsoever. It has had to stand over another €113 million worth of medical card cuts - these are called "medical card reviews" or, as the Civil Service has said, "probity reviews on...
- Seanad: Budget 2014: Statements (15 Oct 2013)
Darragh O'Brien: Only €30 million is going to be allocated for social housing. That is pathetic. The telephone allowance is being abolished with the Government having taken more than €26 per month from people. That is real income for old age pensioners. For pensioners who are solely dependent on their old age pension or for those who may have also some small residual pensions, that is a big...
- Seanad: Budget 2014: Statements (15 Oct 2013)
Darragh O'Brien: The Deputy does not consider that allowance is relevant. That is fine and she can tell anyone who contacts her that she does not believe it is important.
- Seanad: Budget 2014: Statements (15 Oct 2013)
Darragh O'Brien: Fewer and fewer people will be contacting the Senator after this budget. The Government had options. Fine Gael has been strong in its record over the years on protecting the wealthy and the privileged in society. The Government has done that again. Fine Gael was the party that said that would be not be any income tax increases. The Labour Party barked like a poodle last year about the...
- Seanad: Budget 2014: Statements (15 Oct 2013)
Darragh O'Brien: I will finish on this point. I put it to the Minister of State that there is a bomb waiting to go off in the Department of Health. It is all over the place and all of those in the Government know it. I refer to the fact that there are €600 million to €700 million in additional cuts which the Minister for Health cannot deliver and he has had to bring in the Taoiseach, the...
- Seanad: Budget 2014: Statements (15 Oct 2013)
Darragh O'Brien: I will finish on this point.
- Seanad: Budget 2014: Statements (15 Oct 2013)
Darragh O'Brien: A child benefit cut will come into force on 1 January this year for fourth and subsequent children. That will happen so we should get real about this.
- Seanad: Budget 2014: Statements (15 Oct 2013)
Darragh O'Brien: It will take effect this January. Let us get real about this budget.