Results 4,081-4,100 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Fiscal Policy. (25 Sep 2008)

Joan Burton: Question 2: To ask the Minister for Finance his budget deficit forecast for the year to 31 December 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31748/08]

Fiscal Policy. (25 Sep 2008)

Joan Burton: We are three weeks away from the budget and various leaks have suggested there will be a deficit of up to €5 billion. The Minister has just said the tax returns for September — I presume the Minister gets weekly or more frequent returns — are continuing. Does this suggest we are now looking at a deficit of up to €7 billion, 7% unemployment and 300,000 people unemployed by the end of...

Fiscal Policy. (25 Sep 2008)

Joan Burton: Why does the Minister refuse to publish the pre-budget outlook this year? Last year, when Deputy Brian Cowen was still Minister for Finance, he praised the publication of a pre-budget outlook as a major reform and improvement in transparency and accountability of the public finances. The Minister and his officials must have a very good idea of the spending plans by Department at this time...

Fiscal Policy. (25 Sep 2008)

Joan Burton: What about the taxpayers, the people who pay the money?

Fiscal Policy. (25 Sep 2008)

Joan Burton: I have a brief supplementary question.

Fiscal Policy. (25 Sep 2008)

Joan Burton: I wrote to the Minister last week requesting such a briefing. He might have the courtesy to acknowledge that his offer, which I welcome, comes in response to my letter.

National Development Plan. (25 Sep 2008)

Joan Burton: Has the Minister decided what will be the total spend on the national development plan? Does he, unlike former Fianna Fáil Governments which, in the late 1970s, borrowed for consumption and led us on the road of economic ruin, propose to borrow to invest in the national development plan? Will public transport and education issues be prioritised in the national development plan if revised?...

National Development Plan. (25 Sep 2008)

Joan Burton: Could the Minister answer my question?

National Development Plan. (25 Sep 2008)

Joan Burton: I will repeat my question to the Minister.

National Development Plan. (25 Sep 2008)

Joan Burton: I am sorry. I thought you were calling me.

National Development Plan. (25 Sep 2008)

Joan Burton: Does the Minister propose to borrow for the national development plan, and what scale of borrowing does he envisage? I refer to borrowing for investment as opposed to borrowing for current consumption. How does he propose to rate the different proposals in the national development plan? I have likened these before to a big soufflé. Now the oven door is open and soufflé is sinking...

Appointments to State Boards. (25 Sep 2008)

Joan Burton: The Minister spoke about diversity with regard to appointments to political boards. Does the Minister agree that after 11 years of Fianna Fáil in government, what most people think of in terms of diversity in State boards is the diversity of Fianna Fáil cumainn represented by many of the board members? That is, unfortunately, what people have begun to see. Historically, that may be a...

Appointments to State Boards. (25 Sep 2008)

Joan Burton: It certainly helps to be a member of Fianna Fáil.

Value for Money Initiative. (25 Sep 2008)

Joan Burton: Given the development of Government bodies — quangos — does the Minister believe it would be possible in current form for Dáil committees to examine public bodies seriously? I will give an example to which the Minister referred. The Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland issues regular reports and its representatives appear before the Oireachtas Joint Committee on...

Value for Money Initiative. (25 Sep 2008)

Joan Burton: They were also questioned on previous occasions about what they were doing to ensure the stability of the banking system and, in particular, asked to ensure we would not be overexposed to risky practices in lending to developers to purchase land. We received the vaguest answers to very specific questions such as what was the accounting treatment of the interest payments on loans to...

Economic Competitiveness. (25 Sep 2008)

Joan Burton: In the context of preparing for the budget, has the Minister taken the opportunity to look at comparative costs for public services in other countries? For example, one can visit a doctor in France and expect to pay €20 or €30 and proportionate amounts, perhaps, €70 or €80 to visit a consultant, whereas in Ireland the cost of a visit to a doctor, unless one has a medical card, would...

Economic Competitiveness. (25 Sep 2008)

Joan Burton: Has the Minister used it? How many of his consultants use it?

Unemployment Levels (25 Sep 2008)

Joan Burton: Does the Minister agree, as has been publicly announced, that unemployment is already over 6%? This is the most recent figure. I do not know who wrote the brief for the Minister today but things have got worse since July. We have figures regarding unemployment that relate to the end of August and early September and these show 6.1%. Does the Minister share the analysis of the ESRI that...

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (25 Sep 2008)

Joan Burton: Question 33: To ask the Minister for Finance if, due to his proposed 3% cut in public sector payroll, reductions are proposed in his private office or constituency office, or those of the junior Ministers in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31352/08]

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (25 Sep 2008)

Joan Burton: Question 51: To ask the Minister for Finance the number of staff, or whole-time equivalents, in the civil and public service for each year since 2000, including the latest figure for 2008, broken down by Department; the annual increase or decrease in the number of civil and public servants or whole time equivalents for each year since 2000, including a forecast for 2008, broken down by...