Results 4,681-4,700 of 13,375 for speaker:Pat Rabbitte

Social Partnership Talks. (24 Apr 2007)

Pat Rabbitte: I do not want to cause the Ceann Comhairle's blood pressure to rise. I am in a very agreeable mood today as things are looking very sunny.

Social Partnership Talks. (24 Apr 2007)

Pat Rabbitte: Was the issue of decentralisation raised with the Taoiseach in the discussions with the social partners? I notice that all Government Deputies boycotted the meeting in Liberty Hall on the forced relocation of civil and public servants to various parts of provincial Ireland which has been put in place instead of a balanced programme of negotiated decentralisation. The latter might have...

Social Partnership Talks. (24 Apr 2007)

Pat Rabbitte: Why not, sir? This is a meeting with the social partners.

Social Partnership Talks. (24 Apr 2007)

Pat Rabbitte: We are asking about the meeting with the social partners.

Social Partnership Talks. (24 Apr 2007)

Pat Rabbitte: I do not know how in the next Dáil we will roll back some of the new precedents the Ceann Comhairle has established. They have made a joke of Question Time. Members have put down questions to the Taoiseach about his meeting with the social partners. I am asking him if decentralisation came up and what assurances he can give the very many people in this city who have children in education...

Social Partnership Talks. (24 Apr 2007)

Pat Rabbitte: On the key issue of inflation, the Taoiseach stated that the two main elements contributing to the extraordinary position in Ireland are energy prices and interest rates. Is it not the case that those member states which are members of the eurozone are subject to exactly the same regime of interest rates and pay the same prices for oil and gas on the international exchange? Why is it that...

Social Partnership Talks. (24 Apr 2007)

Pat Rabbitte: It arises out of the Taoiseach's reply. He dealt with the matter at some length in response to Deputy Kenny. I am asking a question which arises from the Taoiseach's answer.

Social Partnership Talks. (24 Apr 2007)

Pat Rabbitte: Can a timeframe be agreed that would permit the phasing in by a certain date of the 35 hour week and allow any pay claims to be dealt with by the existing machinery? Is that not the broad parameter of a settlement to this dispute? Ultimately, there must be a settlement. Why risk further alienating nurses whose work at the coalface is essential? Whoever is to blame for the shambles that is...

Leaders' Questions (24 Apr 2007)

Pat Rabbitte: That is another brief the Minister, Deputy Martin, did not get.

Leaders' Questions (24 Apr 2007)

Pat Rabbitte: I join my colleagues in offering my condolences and those of my party to the relatives and friends of the Dunne family on the poignant tragedy that has been visited upon them and their community. In particular I offer condolences to Mrs. Mary Dunne, who lost a husband and two sons in recent weeks. I refer the Taoiseach to today's Order Paper, in particular to the instruments laid before the...

Leaders' Questions (24 Apr 2007)

Pat Rabbitte: She did not consult the chief executive of the HSE about this initiative. Why was a measure, enshrined in statute by the Houses of the Oireachtas, which requires the Minister to take a certain action, not implemented? Why is there a headlong rush, without any democratic mandate, to engage in a major shift in public policy towards an American style of for-profit health services, with the...

Leaders' Questions (24 Apr 2007)

Pat Rabbitte: If there is anything more indicative of the incompetence of the Government, it is the change in direction from the health strategy that it campaigned on to provide 3,000 public hospital beds in 2002 to this American system, ideologically driven by the Minister's advisers. Does the Government, on the eve of the general election, still propose to proceed with these contracts? When will the...

Leaders' Questions (24 Apr 2007)

Pat Rabbitte: ——many of whom are as concerned about this matter as we are on this side of the House? One of his backbenchers even claims that one of his Ministers has assured him that it will not happen in any event and that "Harney", as he put it, will be thwarted. Is that the case?

Leaders' Questions (24 Apr 2007)

Pat Rabbitte: Does the Taoiseach agree that an admitted breach of the Act is not an administrative oversight? If the Act has been breached, surely what has been done is open to challenge by any person wishing to do so. The Taoiseach took up most of his reply by telling me what is in the Health Act. I know what is in the Health Act. The Minister did not know what was in the Act. The reason the...

Leaders' Questions (24 Apr 2007)

Pat Rabbitte: ——will worsen that two tier system. The Taoiseach will permit the cherry-picking of the profitable procedures. He will turn the public health service into the poor relation. He is pushing ahead with that without any public mandate, knowing that the country is divided on it, knowing he has no support not just from this side of the House but from consultants and professionals working in...

Leaders' Questions (24 Apr 2007)

Pat Rabbitte: There are people outside this House who want to know the answers because they know that we need those scarce public lands to provide the extra public hospital beds and the step-down and community care that will free up acute hospital beds and facilitate the smoother functioning of the accident and emergency service. The Taoiseach has no support for this initiative, not even in his own party,...

Leaders' Questions (24 Apr 2007)

Pat Rabbitte: The Taoiseach has no mandate to do it. He did not seek it in the last election.

Leaders' Questions (24 Apr 2007)

Pat Rabbitte: He did not seek it in the programme for Government. He campaigned on a health strategy to provide 3,000 public hospital beds which he failed to do.

Leaders' Questions (24 Apr 2007)

Pat Rabbitte: The Taoiseach knows as well as I do——

Leaders' Questions (24 Apr 2007)

Pat Rabbitte: I know you did.