Results 4,261-4,280 of 28,255 for speaker:Éamon Ó Cuív

Irish Language. (17 Nov 2009)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I must clarify that I never said or intended to convey the idea that nobody read the Clare county plan or that people were not using it every day. I imagine that if one looked at the number of hits for the county plan on the website one would see it was one of the most used documents, in Irish and English, to be found anywhere. County plans are working documents that are used every day....

Irish Language. (17 Nov 2009)

Éamon Ó Cuív: As a member of Cabinet, I am aware of that. I understand the reason is that translation in the House comes under the remit of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission, but it was not in a position to ensure the Irish-language version would be ready when the Bill was signed by the President. The problem arising is that under section 7 of the Official Languages Act, the Bill is not enacted...

Pre-budget Outlook: Statements (Resumed) (17 Nov 2009)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Is maith liom éisteacht leis an Teachta Michael D. Higgins mar bíonn go leor rudaí speisiúla le rá aige. Tá fealsúnacht an-láidir aige agus ní thiocfaidh salach ar chuid mhaith den tuairimíocht atá aige. I share his belief that we must have a view on where we are going and a vision of Irish society. His vision and mine may not be exactly the same but we share a number of ideas....

Pre-budget Outlook: Statements (Resumed) (17 Nov 2009)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I take it the Deputy is proposing a drop in the rate of VAT.

Pre-budget Outlook: Statements (Resumed) (17 Nov 2009)

Éamon Ó Cuív: If one does so, one must cost it. I have no doubt that the Deputy, who is living on the Border, will agree that if excise duties are increased, there will be diminishing returns. Sinn Féin advocated today a tax of 1% on properties, on assets.

Pre-budget Outlook: Statements (Resumed) (17 Nov 2009)

Éamon Ó Cuív: On wealth. This would mean every farmer in the country-----

Pre-budget Outlook: Statements (Resumed) (17 Nov 2009)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Would the Deputy exclude farmland? What about private houses?

Pre-budget Outlook: Statements (Resumed) (17 Nov 2009)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Up to €3 million. I have no doubt but that if these exemptions were made, the retail sector would come into question.

Pre-budget Outlook: Statements (Resumed) (17 Nov 2009)

Éamon Ó Cuív: One would not have much of a shop for €1 million. Sinn Féin would probably argue on another occasion there are too many taxes on the productive sector, including small businesses. Deputy Morgan will find that, when he does his sums, he will not be raising a great deal of money when he takes all the inevitable exceptions into account.

Pre-budget Outlook: Statements (Resumed) (17 Nov 2009)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I am not saying one cannot raise some money by taxation – the issue of carbon tax is under consideration – but we must accept there is not a great amount of money to be gained by increasing taxes because one reaches the point of diminishing returns.

Pre-budget Outlook: Statements (Resumed) (17 Nov 2009)

Éamon Ó Cuív: No.

Pre-budget Outlook: Statements (Resumed) (17 Nov 2009)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Exactly. Therefore, the Deputy agrees with my theory. This is a useful debate because we are getting cohesion in our ideas.

Pre-budget Outlook: Statements (Resumed) (17 Nov 2009)

Éamon Ó Cuív: When it comes to expenditure cuts, if people say not to cut social welfare and public service wages, that leaves one with approximately €22 billion in which to do all the cutting. If one does that, the result is Garda cars with no petrol and hospitals with no bandages because one cannot keep taking the money out of the service delivery area and leave all the rest intact. They are the hard...

Pre-budget Outlook: Statements (Resumed) (17 Nov 2009)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I did not interrupt anyone. We are perfectly capable of doing the job. It is Fine Gael that is talking about-----

Pre-budget Outlook: Statements (Resumed) (17 Nov 2009)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I am highlighting the issues we are considering. We will give the answers to those problems on budget day.

Pre-budget Outlook: Statements (Resumed) (17 Nov 2009)

Éamon Ó Cuív: The Fine Gael Members are the ones who are telling us there is another way. They should put their cards on the table.

Pre-budget Outlook: Statements (Resumed) (17 Nov 2009)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I am sure Members would like to make an input into the budget and that we would listen to that.

Pre-budget Outlook: Statements (Resumed) (17 Nov 2009)

Éamon Ó Cuív: The Deputy will find that out on budget day.

Pre-budget Outlook: Statements (Resumed) (17 Nov 2009)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Tá a fhios agam. It is interesting that all the Members of the Opposition are so sensitive about being asked for their ideas.

Pre-budget Outlook: Statements (Resumed) (17 Nov 2009)

Éamon Ó Cuív: We will make them happen, but we have to deal with the real world, not the kind of utopia the Deputies believe can be created and that they pretend-----