Results 3,601-3,620 of 36,054 for speaker:Pearse Doherty

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Services (14 Nov 2012)

Pearse Doherty: To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide in tabular form the number of children who have accessed the paediatrics services in Letterkenny General Hospital for the years 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and to date in 2012; the number of children currently on the waiting list to access the paediatric services; the plans for the Health Service Executive to provide for the permanent...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Disability Diagnoses (14 Nov 2012)

Pearse Doherty: To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide in tabular form the number of children diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum in County Donegal aged between zero to four years, four to 12 years, 12 to 18 years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50416/12]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Disability Diagnoses (14 Nov 2012)

Pearse Doherty: To ask the Minister for Health the number of persons in Ireland that have been diagnosed with fragile X syndrome; the number of persons currently awaiting testing for this condition; the locations at which testing is available for the condition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50417/12]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals. (14 Nov 2012)

Pearse Doherty: It will come as no surprise to the officials that Sinn Féin and I are opposed to the measures. We have discussed them in the Chamber in respect of their impact on democratic accountability and the ability of the Oireachtas to set economic policy. In my view, it ties us into a fiscal straitjacket. It is also part of the austerity programme within the Commission. During the debate on...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals. (14 Nov 2012)

Pearse Doherty: I agree with that. There is a need to be cognisant of what independent forecasters are saying. The forecasting ability of the Department in years gone by is well documented. I am not sure what the Department has done with the mid-term statement that is sitting in our pigeonholes but I am sure the forecasts have again been downgraded for this year and next year, and, if the trend continues,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals. (14 Nov 2012)

Pearse Doherty: My point is that if, for the purpose of this discussion, we take it that the fiscal council will be the independent agency - it may not be, but there is merit and sense to the suggestion - the buck will stop with the fiscal council. I understand the point Mr. Palmer is making that it can negotiate. However, if the fiscal council, after endless nights of negotiation, turns around to the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals. (14 Nov 2012)

Pearse Doherty: I thank Mr. Palmer for providing clarity on this. This is worth pointing out because we are dealing with Report and Final Stages of the Fiscal Responsibility Bill, which establishes the fiscal council. I believe this is a good thing in terms of independent advice; I do not agree with the advice it has given us, but it is good to have it. It represents a significant strengthening of the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals. (14 Nov 2012)

Pearse Doherty: I will be brief. I thank Ms McVeigh for her presentation on the FTT. The Government's approach to this is the right one maybe for the wrong reasons but its approach in terms of opposing the tax in the format being suggested is definitely the right one. Also, in her presentation she said that the Government believes that it is best that the EU budget is funded through own resources and not...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals. (14 Nov 2012)

Pearse Doherty: With the indulgence of the Chairman, I have two final questions. There is a proposal for enhanced co-operation to which 11 member states have opted in. Has an assessment been carried out by the Department or has it asked anybody else to carry out an assessment of what impact, positive or negative, enhanced co-operation on the basis of the proposal on the table could have for Ireland? I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals. (14 Nov 2012)

Pearse Doherty: What is Ms McVeigh's gut instinct on whether it would have a neutral, positive or negative effect on us?

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Promissory Notes (15 Nov 2012)

Pearse Doherty: To ask the Minister for Finance if a common position has yet been agreed with the Troika on the restructuring or refinancing of the Anglo Irish Bank promissory note; if in addition to the discussions of lower interest rates and longer maturities he is seeking an earlier wind down of IBRC than currently planned; if he will provide an update on the negotiations and a timescale for when the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Promissory Notes (15 Nov 2012)

Pearse Doherty: Go raibh maith agat. I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for his indulgence and apologise for being late. At the beginning of our discussions on the promissory note I want to make it clear, as I have done consistently, that Sinn Féin wishes the Minister and the Government well in their endeavours with the troika to negotiate a deal on the promissory note. Having said that, however,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Promissory Notes (15 Nov 2012)

Pearse Doherty: The Minister threw in the towel a long time ago and that towel is smothering ordinary people across this State with the Government's policy of austerity. Last night was the opening night of "Anglo The Musical" and I am told there was a very funny scene at the end which struck a chord with the audience. Angela Merkel walked out and stood on stage to tell the Irish people that they must...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Promissory Notes (15 Nov 2012)

Pearse Doherty: The Minister said earlier that it is his desire that a deal will be concluded by 31 March. The deal may not be concluded by then. None of us has a crystal ball and we do not know what that deal will look like. Is the Minister standing willing, ready and able, as Minister for Finance, on 31 March, in the absence of a deal, to put €3.1 billion of taxpayer's money into the IBRC,...

Other Questions: NewERA Project (15 Nov 2012)

Pearse Doherty: I have asked this question before. I hope to get some clarification on this occasion. As Deputy Michael McGrath said, the strategic investment fund is supposed to channel money from the National Pensions Reserve Fund into the productive economy. It cannot be done until the Government introduces legislation to amend the National Pensions Reserve Fund Act. The legislation in question will...

Other Questions: European Banking Sector (15 Nov 2012)

Pearse Doherty: We all understand the difficulty in setting up the SSM and the timeframe. If it is the second half of next year, which it will at least be, that poses an issue because that is when the real discussions will take place in terms of trying to recoup the money we injected into the pillar banks. Does the Minister agree that, at that stage, this State needs to be, if not fully, then very close to...

Other Questions: Tax Yield (15 Nov 2012)

Pearse Doherty: I agree with the Minister that the profiling of tax returns by his Department has been impressive, and I have said that personally to individuals within the Department. It is great to see that targets set 12 months in advance are being achieved and, hopefully, those targets will continue to be achieved during the course of November. The Minister will be aware, and we discussed it during...

Other Questions: Tax Yield (15 Nov 2012)

Pearse Doherty: That is not the case.

Other Questions: Banking Sector Remuneration (15 Nov 2012)

Pearse Doherty: There is public outcry about bankers' remuneration and salary packages. The Minister has stated that the new appointment that was made was within the salary cap, so the appointee is getting only €500,000. It is time to wake up. This country is broke and the Minister cannot afford to pay someone a basic salary of €500,000 out of taxpayers’ money. That is simply not...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: General Government Deficit (15 Nov 2012)

Pearse Doherty: To ask the Minister for Finance the level that the general Government deficits from 2008 to 2009 would have been excluding deficit increasing direct payments to the banks from the general Government sector and excluding deficit reducing direct receipts from the banks to the general Government sector and what this is expected to be for 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50237/12]