Results 521-540 of 11,979 for speaker:Billy Kelleher

National Development Plan: Motion (Resumed) (9 Jul 2008)

Billy Kelleher: ——and the national development plan, across all aspects of the economy, are matters we should highlight and about which we should speak positively. The 3% reduction in payroll is a matter to which speakers opposite have referred. This is not a cap across all areas of the public sector. It allows local management to ensure front line services will not be affected. This is a fundamental...

National Development Plan: Motion (Resumed) (9 Jul 2008)

Billy Kelleher: A 3% payroll cut is not necessarily an embargo, as some would like to suggest. It allows flexibility at local level.

National Development Plan: Motion (Resumed) (9 Jul 2008)

Billy Kelleher: The difficulty from my point of view is that while the Opposition outlines that we must take corrective measures, Deputy after Deputy spends more money and does not tell us where savings will come from. To date, the Opposition has not told us where savings could be made or where savings should have been made in recent years.

National Development Plan: Motion (Resumed) (9 Jul 2008)

Billy Kelleher: Over the past number of months, I have listened to the Opposition highlighting inadequacies in the services and then stating that there should be cutbacks in the public sector and savings there.

National Development Plan: Motion (Resumed) (9 Jul 2008)

Billy Kelleher: I would like to know where the Opposition would make savings because I only hear the same mantra, that the boom times were squandered.

National Development Plan: Motion (Resumed) (9 Jul 2008)

Billy Kelleher: This is one of the most important debates we have had in a long time and it should not be trivialised. We can be very proud of having substantially reduced the national debt over the past ten years.

National Development Plan: Motion (Resumed) (9 Jul 2008)

Billy Kelleher: The Opposition continually asks what was done with the budget surpluses. This is what was done with them. The national debt was reduced substantially, with major investment in the National Pensions Reserve Fund and the national development plan——

National Development Plan: Motion (Resumed) (9 Jul 2008)

Billy Kelleher: ——and these areas of the economy are sound. We must ensure we remain competitive. Wage restraint and keeping taxation low will be of fundamental importance during the next 18 months. I urge all those involved in social partnership to sit down, ensure they come up with an agreement which protects the vulnerable and the low paid and ensures everybody across society carries this burden...

National Development Plan: Motion (Resumed) (9 Jul 2008)

Billy Kelleher: At the end of the day, the most fundamental issue is that we remain competitive and I am sure my colleagues will continue to speak in this vein. What we are doing is right and proper and the Opposition making nice, juicy soundbites will not serve any citizen, be it those under pressure in the construction industry or in other areas.

National Development Plan: Motion (Resumed) (9 Jul 2008)

Billy Kelleher: Is it a liability for the Deputy now?

National Development Plan: Motion (Resumed) (9 Jul 2008)

Billy Kelleher: The Democratic Left as well.

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (10 Jul 2008)

Billy Kelleher: From a budget allocation of €234m for Redundancy Payments in 2008, a provisional figure of €80, 484.868.76 was expended for the year to 30 June 2008. The budget allocation for Insolvency Payments for 2008 is €10m. The provisional expenditure figure for the year to 30 June 2008 is €4,634,287.31.

Job Losses. (24 Sep 2008)

Billy Kelleher: I propose to take Questions Nos. 112 and 113 together. The live register is not designed to measure unemployment. It includes part-time, seasonal and casual workers entitled to unemployment benefit. The total number of people recorded on the live register for August 2008 is 247,384, showing an increase of about 73,000 in the 12-month period. Employment and unemployment are measured by the...

Job Losses. (24 Sep 2008)

Billy Kelleher: The Deputy asked a number of questions and I will try to deal with the issues of substance.

Job Losses. (24 Sep 2008)

Billy Kelleher: I admire that in the Deputy.

Job Losses. (24 Sep 2008)

Billy Kelleher: The quarterly national household survey, which is published by the Central Statistics Office, compiles figures for people who are unemployed. The live register by itself is not as accurate because the people reported may seek benefits as casual or seasonal workers.

Job Losses. (24 Sep 2008)

Billy Kelleher: In regard to the IDA and the pipeline, the Deputy should not dismiss the challenges that exist——

Job Losses. (24 Sep 2008)

Billy Kelleher: ——and the competition in the global market for foreign direct investment. We are competitive with other countries in terms of a flexible workforce, low corporation taxes and highly educated third-level graduates and Ireland is actively pursuing direct investment. For fear that the Deputy takes these matters for granted, it is important that we set out the success of IDA Ireland rather...

Job Losses. (24 Sep 2008)

Billy Kelleher: Some years ago the Government — the Irish people endorsed the decision subsequently in a general election — opened up our labour market. Is the Deputy implying that we should have a green card system for other EU citizens to work here or vice versa?

Job Losses. (24 Sep 2008)

Billy Kelleher: In the event of an Irish person wishing to work in another European country, should there be stipulations and regulations on their access to that labour market?