Results 5,121-5,140 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (1 Apr 2009)

Richard Bruton: Question 131: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the minimum rent payable by a person on social welfare under the rent supplement scheme; and when this was last increased. [13573/09]

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (1 Apr 2009)

Richard Bruton: Question 172: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason only 30% of his capital budget for 2009 has been committed to school building projects at this point in view of the number of building projects awaiting sanction; if he will provide assurances that the remaining €626 million will not be sacrificed; and if his attention has been drawn to the fact that all other...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (1 Apr 2009)

Richard Bruton: Question 182: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, in view of the crisis in which qualified people in the construction sector are required to re-skill, he will lift some of the restrictions that apply to grant eligibility for undertaking study at undergraduate level or introduce other tailored re-skilling or back to education programmes for graduates in job areas in which demand...

Light Rail Project. (2 Apr 2009)

Richard Bruton: Question 9: To ask the Minister for Transport the amount of money that has been spent on enabling works for all proposed rail projects; if the Department of Finance has been in contact with him regarding the metro north project; when he expects Government commitment for the metro north project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13763/09]

Written Answers — Student Visas: Student Visas (2 Apr 2009)

Richard Bruton: Question 126: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the extent to which the work limits of persons on student visas are policed; the number of infringements detected and the sectors involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13853/09]

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (2 Apr 2009)

Richard Bruton: Question 183: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she is aware of complaints that her Department is promoting excessive entry into the taxi trade through the back to work scheme; the extent to which people have availed of the scheme in this way; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13852/09]

Supplementary Budget Statement 2009 (7 Apr 2009)

Richard Bruton: There is some realisation on the benches opposite that this budget does not deserve a standing ovation. I am not surprised. On 14 October last, when a huge round of applause and a standing ovation greeted the Minister's statement, this is what he said: The budget I put before you today is our plan of action for economic renewal. It will bring order and stability to our public finances. It...

Supplementary Budget Statement 2009 (7 Apr 2009)

Richard Bruton: The cruel choices faced today are not the product of bad luck, rather, they are the product of bad government.

Supplementary Budget Statement 2009 (7 Apr 2009)

Richard Bruton: People see in this budget and the history of the past several months that the banks bailed out developers before being themselves bailed out by the Government. Today, the taxpayer is being asked to bail out the Government once again. Who is going to bail out the taxpayer given that today's budget will add almost €2 billion to the tax bill that has to be paid by every family, on top of the...

Supplementary Budget Statement 2009 (7 Apr 2009)

Richard Bruton: Those sort of problems had to be addressed. Those tax expenditures are unjustified. Why should we be giving tax breaks to artists? Some 60% of the money goes to just 28 artists. They are not a deserving case when we are asking ordinary people to take up the slack.

Supplementary Budget Statement 2009 (7 Apr 2009)

Richard Bruton: Why should we be giving huge subsidies to building nursing homes and schemes like that? Why should we even be giving subsidies to trade union subscriptions? At a time when we want to protect employment, the Minister should not continue with those tax-based expenditures that are well past their sell-by dates and need to be done away with. There is a lack of focus, too. I can understand...

Supplementary Budget Statement 2009 (7 Apr 2009)

Richard Bruton: This was a solemn commitment of the Government, but we are now reducing the proportion of our national income that we will commit to this area. It was a soft target and that is the underlying theme. This was a time not to look for soft targets, but to make hard decisions that should have been faced up to now. I welcome a scrappage scheme for five Ministers of State, but it is a...

Supplementary Budget Statement 2009 (7 Apr 2009)

Richard Bruton: Daily, we hear Ministers from the Green Party, and there is one of them here today, saying that those who led us into these difficulties in the banks cannot be the ones to lead us out. Many members of the public would like to see a much more extensive scrappage scheme than five Ministers of State.

Supplementary Budget Statement 2009 (7 Apr 2009)

Richard Bruton: Many companies that are now struggling expected to see reforms that would ease the tax burden. The Minister himself said that it was a mistake to raise VAT, yet when it comes to dealing with some of these things there is a deafening silence. Surely there was an opportunity to look at some areas where taxes could be reduced, as well as areas where they could be increased. The airport tax is...

Supplementary Budget Statement 2009 (7 Apr 2009)

Richard Bruton: I also worry about the Minister's approach to those who have lost their jobs. We need to think much more outside the box about protecting the unemployed and finding opportunities for them. I welcome the Minister's back to education scheme, which will be available to people three months earlier than was previously the case, but people will still have to be unemployed for nine months before...

Supplementary Budget Statement 2009 (7 Apr 2009)

Richard Bruton: People put their trust in Fianna Fáil which promised it could manage in bad times as well as good. We were told it had a plan and had built a strategy on sound foundations. All those plans have proved hollow and the foundations have collapsed. Ireland is not working under Fianna Fáil. Our public services are not working under Fianna Fáil and people are seeing through that. What is...

Supplementary Budget Statement 2009 (7 Apr 2009)

Richard Bruton: Time and again, we were told by the Green Party Ministers that those who led us into these problems should not be the ones to lead us out of them. Today, this budget has proved that this Government cannot lead us out of these problems.

Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (7 Apr 2009)

Richard Bruton: Question 84: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the reason she has chosen to use gross income as the basis of the means test for medical cards in respect of persons aged 70 years and over whereas net income is used in all other medical card eligibility tests; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14063/09]

Written Answers — Adoption Services: Adoption Services (7 Apr 2009)

Richard Bruton: Question 149: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the steps necessary to acquire a visa or immigration clearance letter for a non-Irish national child who has been adopted from a country (details supplied) by an Irish parent without prior clearance by the Adoption Board of Ireland, and when the child currently resides in another country; and if he will make a statement...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (7 Apr 2009)

Richard Bruton: Question 179: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of applications for naturalisation in each of the past four years; the numbers approved in each of the past four years; the typical period between application and granting for applications granted in each of the past four years; and his proposals to streamline the procedures. [14606/09]