Results 3,941-3,960 of 11,979 for speaker:Billy Kelleher

Confidence in the Government: Motion [Private Members] (11 Dec 2012)

Billy Kelleher: There is no point in dressing it up in any other way. It is regressive because those who are on lower pay and social welfare will have to pay proportionately more than those on higher income.

Confidence in the Government: Motion [Private Members] (11 Dec 2012)

Billy Kelleher: It is a mathematical fact, as has been pointed out by the ESRI in regard to last year's budget. The Government's statement of common purpose announces:On the 25th February a democratic revolution took place in Ireland. Old beliefs, traditions and expectations were blown away. The stroke of a pen, in thousands of polling stations, created this political whirlwind. The public demanded...

Confidence in the Government: Motion [Private Members] (11 Dec 2012)

Billy Kelleher: The next line is important from the Labour Party's point of view: "A Government that will be built on partnership and parity of esteem between our two parties." This budget was a Fine Gael budget.

Confidence in the Government: Motion [Private Members] (11 Dec 2012)

Billy Kelleher: It completely stymied any attempt by the Labour Party to defend the vulnerable and those who need the support of the State.

Confidence in the Government: Motion [Private Members] (11 Dec 2012)

Billy Kelleher: That is a fact. Prior to going into government, the Labour Party promised it would not cut child benefit or social welfare rates. It would not even increase the price of a bottle of wine.

Confidence in the Government: Motion [Private Members] (11 Dec 2012)

Billy Kelleher: It was as if Fine Gael wanted to rub the Labour Party's nose in it. Fianna Fáil supports this motion of no confidence partly because we do not have confidence in the ability of the Minister, Deputy Reilly, to continue in office. He was supported by the Government in the vote on our motion of no confidence in him. The Labour Party lost a colleague in that vote.

Confidence in the Government: Motion [Private Members] (11 Dec 2012)

Billy Kelleher: We lost the vote but the Minister of State, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, lost a colleague. She is losing colleagues on a regular basis. We know we will not win the vote on this motion, but I assure her that when she meets the people on the streets, they will tell her they feel betrayed by the Labour Party. There is no point in it claiming the challenges are huge. It knew about these inordinate...

Confidence in the Government: Motion [Private Members] (11 Dec 2012)

Billy Kelleher: It is little changed. The only changes have been made by Ministers who introduced savage cuts in areas where they could have been avoided.

Confidence in the Government: Motion [Private Members] (11 Dec 2012)

Billy Kelleher: If the Labour Party wanted to look after the most vulnerable, it would have fought tooth and nail for an increase in the universal social charge for those earning more than €100,000.

Confidence in the Government: Motion [Private Members] (11 Dec 2012)

Billy Kelleher: I am confident they would not begrudge carers and those who need respite care grants. It is shameful for the Labour Party to defend this budget when it threatened to walk out of Cabinet if it did not get its way. It walked back in rapidly when it thought it might be left outside the door. This motion gives us the opportunity to hold the Government to account. The Oppositions should not...

Confidence in the Government: Motion [Private Members] (11 Dec 2012)

Billy Kelleher: It is merely kicking the repayments down the road. The Labour Party stated clearly it would renegotiate banking debt and that it had no intention of adding it to our sovereign debt.

Confidence in the Government: Motion [Private Members] (11 Dec 2012)

Billy Kelleher: I have accepted what I did. I am on this side of the House and the Minister of State is opposite, but her party is in Government on a flawed mandate because what it promised and what it is doing are at variance. We support the motion for many reasons but primarily because of the Government's attack on vulnerable people and because the Minister, Deputy Reilly, continues to sit at the Cabinet...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Registration of Nurses (11 Dec 2012)

Billy Kelleher: To ask the Minister for Health the reason An Bord Altranais has engaged a call centre in the United Kingdom to deal with queries on nurses' registration; the costs involved; the reason it was not possible to engage a call centre here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55148/12]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Applications (11 Dec 2012)

Billy Kelleher: To ask the Minister for Health his views on the delay with medical assessors when dealing with medical card applications; if he will expedite an application for a medical card in respect of persons (details supplied) in County Sligo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55231/12]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Eligibility (11 Dec 2012)

Billy Kelleher: To ask the Minister for Health if the qualifying medical card criteria for cancer patients has changed in recent times; if not, if he will account for the increasing number of complaints that Deputies are receiving from cancer patients who have had their applications refused; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55239/12]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Staff (11 Dec 2012)

Billy Kelleher: To ask the Minister for Health when the replacement consultant orthopaedic surgeon post will be filled at the Mater Hospital Dublin; the reason this post has been left vacant for 18 months despite his campaign to reduce waiting lists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55287/12]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Accommodation (11 Dec 2012)

Billy Kelleher: To ask the Minister for Health the progress that has been made to reintroduce the beds at the community hospital of the Assumption Thurles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55320/12]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Vaccination Programme (11 Dec 2012)

Billy Kelleher: To ask the Minister for Health if he will bring forward proposals setting out a package of supports for those who developed narcolepsy as a result of vaccination with Pandemrix; the reason for the delay to date in bringing the proposal to the Dáil Éireann; when he will re-establish meaningful contact with Sufferers of Unique Narcolepsy Disorder; and if he will make a statement on...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services (11 Dec 2012)

Billy Kelleher: To ask the Minister for Health if there is a policy document under the remit of his Department, the Health Service Executive or Health Information and Quality Authority which covers the control and administration of medicines by domiciliary care agencies; if so, if he will furnish a copy of this document; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55333/12]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Ministerial Appointments (11 Dec 2012)

Billy Kelleher: To ask the Minister for Health when he plans to fill the four seats vacant since May on the board of Health Information and Quality Authority; if he will outline the process that is being undertaken to fill the posts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55378/12]