Results 4,821-4,840 of 13,375 for speaker:Pat Rabbitte

Order of Business (27 Jun 2007)

Pat Rabbitte: Regardless of the reasons for guillotine motions in the dying days of the last Government, which I do not think were strong even then in terms of the scrutiny of legislation, it is wrong in the first week of the life of this Government that we should be presented with two guillotine motions, as is the case today. I oppose the proposal.

Order of Business (27 Jun 2007)

Pat Rabbitte: I oppose this proposal. The Cabinet Handbook makes plain that "Any Bill introduced or presented by or on behalf of a member of the Government, other than a Bill dealing with Budgetary or Estimates matters, should be accompanied by an Explanatory and Financial Memorandum to explain in simple, non-technical language, the provisions of the Bill, setting out the existing law and the changes...

Order of Business (27 Jun 2007)

Pat Rabbitte: Has the Taoiseach studied the report of the Standards in Public Office Commission? In untypically trenchant terms, it has criticised the funding of political parties and argued that it is necessary to refurbish the law in this regard. Does the Government intend to act upon the report?

Order of Business (27 Jun 2007)

Pat Rabbitte: There is nothing green about the lads over there.

European Council: Statements. (27 Jun 2007)

Pat Rabbitte: It may be unseemly to quote Bismarck in the context of a German Presidency of Europe, but he made one apposite comment when he remarked that laws are like sausages; it is better not to see them being made. We have not yet seen the law that will eventually result from last weekend's summit but, having seen just part of the process of its manufacture, even its greatest fans could not disagree...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (27 Jun 2007)

Pat Rabbitte: Question 100: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her views on the disclosure that the Health Service Executive handed back almost €100 million in unspent money to the Exchequer in 2006; the amount that was returned in 2005; the amount spent to date in 2007; the projects submitted to the HSE in 2005, 2006 and to date in 2007 related to new hospital beds, step down beds and new...

Written Answers — Health Reports: Health Reports (27 Jun 2007)

Pat Rabbitte: Question 154: To ask the Minister for Health and Children when the Health Service Executive review into pathology services will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17612/07]

Order of Business (28 Jun 2007)

Pat Rabbitte: As a matter of curiosity will we return soon to normal electronic voting? Is there any reason the House divides manually?

Order of Business (28 Jun 2007)

Pat Rabbitte: Is it a technical problem?

Order of Business (28 Jun 2007)

Pat Rabbitte: I thank the Minister of State for his explanation. Will the Tánaiste tell me when the Ombudsman (Amendment) Bill is likely to come before the House? It was authorised for drafting by the Government on 26 January 1999. Are there drafting problems with it or is the Government not as committed to it as all the parties on this side of the House are? The Green Party was concerned about it when...

Order of Business (28 Jun 2007)

Pat Rabbitte: The Ombudsman Bill is an example.

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (28 Jun 2007)

Pat Rabbitte: Question 68: To ask the Minister for Transport and the Marine his views on the request from the Medical Bureau of Road Safety for increased funding and resources to allow for an expansion of its drug-testing programme. [17915/07]

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (28 Jun 2007)

Pat Rabbitte: Question 84: To ask the Minister for Transport and the Marine the action he proposes to take under section 41 of the Roads Act, 1993 or otherwise, to provide a more effective policy on the provision of lay-bys and set down areas on motorways and major inter-urban routes. [17916/07]

Social Partnership. (3 Jul 2007)

Pat Rabbitte: Question 5: To ask the Taoiseach when the last meeting with the social partners under the auspices of Towards 2016 was held; when the next meeting is planned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16872/07]

Social Partnership. (3 Jul 2007)

Pat Rabbitte: Question 6: To ask the Taoiseach if his attention has been drawn to the serious concerns expressed by trade union leaders regarding the implications of the continuing high level of inflation and the view expressed that negotiations for a new national pay agreement may have to be brought forward; his response to these calls; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16873/07]

Social Partnership. (3 Jul 2007)

Pat Rabbitte: Question 7: To ask the Taoiseach if, in regard to his statement of 7 June 2007, the meeting he was seeking with IBEC and ICTU to discuss measures to tackle inflationary pressures has been held; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16874/07]

Social Partnership. (3 Jul 2007)

Pat Rabbitte: The greatest benefit of the past 15 years of economic expansion has been that we have greatly increased the number of people at work, but I am sure the Taoiseach will agree that a surprisingly large number of people are on modest incomes. They are confronted with a situation where the entire value of the pay terms provided for in Towards 2016 is being eaten up by inflation. Will the...

Social Partnership. (3 Jul 2007)

Pat Rabbitte: I asked about mortgage interest relief and VAT.

Social Partnership. (3 Jul 2007)

Pat Rabbitte: I have a specific supplementary question. The Taoiseach spoke about the Competition Authority. He quite properly pointed to excessive profit taking in certain areas of the economy and, indeed, excessive profits from fee increases imposed by various professionals. There is no doubt such practices have existed for the past dozen years but, other than the Taoiseach's assurance that the...

Social Partnership. (3 Jul 2007)

Pat Rabbitte: That is great but it does not amount to a hill of beans in volume.