Results 5,901-5,920 of 19,173 for speaker:Shane Ross

Houses of the Oireachtas (Appointments to Certain Offices) Bill 2014: Second Stage (18 Jun 2015)

Shane Ross: I am sharing time with Deputy Finian McGrath. I am in two minds about this Bill. It is laudable that it is intended to have an open competition for the position of Clerk but the essence of the Bill represents a missed opportunity, more of the same and a failure to modernise. I wish to preface my remarks by joining previous speakers in saying that anything I say about the appointment to...

Houses of the Oireachtas (Appointments to Certain Offices) Bill 2014: Second Stage (18 Jun 2015)

Shane Ross: That may be the case. It is something that should be far more transparent because when it is shrouded in this sort of mystery, one wonders how the appointments are made. This Bill is certainly underwhelming in that it does not fulfil the promises made to make appointments in this House more transparent, radical and modern. The very odd two-year delay in making these appointments and...

Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Jun 2015)

Shane Ross: I am sharing time with Deputy Thomas Pringle. I rather like the way people continuously talk about the "construction industry" in this House and elsewhere as though it is some large identifiable group. It is like the way people talk about business, saying it has a voice which wants this, that and the other. The construction industry contains a large number of groups, large builders...

European Council Meeting: Statements (23 Jun 2015)

Shane Ross: Hear, hear.

European Council Meeting: Statements (23 Jun 2015)

Shane Ross: I echo the words of my colleagues on this side of the House about the absolute horror and shock at the attitude taken by the Government, and in particular the Minister for Finance, on the Greek crisis recently. Until now, we have been surprised at and condemned the silence of the Government in the crisis and for not sticking with the Greek people. I would have preferred if it had remained...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (25 Jun 2015)

Shane Ross: 92. To ask the Minister for Finance his plans to raise the threshold for inheritance tax for those who inherit from their parents, whilst being under 18 years of age. [25559/15]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Visa Applications (25 Jun 2015)

Shane Ross: 227. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the efforts being made to assist the Irish students currently in Canada, who continue to await their summer working visas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25558/15]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (30 Jun 2015)

Shane Ross: 245. To ask the Minister for Finance his plans to raise the threshold for inheritance tax for those who return to the family home to care for elderly parents, thus reducing the need for additional or nursing home care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25999/15]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (30 Jun 2015)

Shane Ross: 495. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if the passport express service delivered by his Department is meeting the agreed service level agreements; if the Passport Office is provided with additional resources during seasonal variations to maintain the ten-day agreed turn-around time; if penalties are due to be paid to consumers when Passport Office service level agreements are...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council Reports (2 Jul 2015)

Shane Ross: 3. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the action he plans to take in response to the recent warnings from the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council regarding public expenditure. [26505/15]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council Reports (2 Jul 2015)

Shane Ross: What action does the Minister intend to take in response to the recent warnings from the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council, IFAC, about public expenditure?

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council Reports (2 Jul 2015)

Shane Ross: I thank the Minister for his reply. The problem is that the fiscal advisory council has continually made statements and issued 11 reports but the Government picks and chooses what it likes from those reports but does not take much notice of anything that it does not like. The council has indicated that the Government is ignoring, in its own forecasts, the tax and expenditure statements it...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council Reports (2 Jul 2015)

Shane Ross: I thank the Minister as he has answered my question fully, although he did not mean to. It is quite simple. He is going to ignore completely the advice of the fiscal advisory council. It specifically indicates that the structural deficit requirement reduction is 0.6% but the Government will come in at 0.3%. The council has specifically warned about the real questions about the credibility...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Services for People with Disabilities (7 Jul 2015)

Shane Ross: 372. To ask the Minister for Health the number of children who have undergone the assessment of need under the Disability Act 2005 since its implementation; the number of these children who now receive one to one treatment as opposed to group sessions from the Health Service Executive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27401/15]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Nursing Homes Support Scheme Review (7 Jul 2015)

Shane Ross: 390. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 678 of 26 May 2015, if he is considering a review of the fair deal scheme to create a distinction between the elderly infirm who are in need of nursing care, and the chronic sick who may be under 65 years of age on admission to a nursing home, as a result of insufficient supports in the community, and whose condition...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant Funding (8 Jul 2015)

Shane Ross: 230. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will consider increasing the level of funding under the housing adaptation grant for people living with a disability to complete all 106 houses on the waiting list of Cork City Council for works to adapt their homes at an approximate cost of €4.3 million; if he is aware that all 106 houses are in urgent need...

Houses of the Oireachtas (Appointments to Certain Offices) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2015)

Shane Ross: I move amendment No. 1:In page 3, to delete lines 10 to 34, and in page 4, to delete lines 1 to 5 and substitute the following:"Amendment of the Staff of the Houses of the Oireachtas Act 1959 and the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission Act 2003 1. (1) In this section—'Act of 1959' means the Staff of the Houses of the Oireachtas Act 1959; 'Act of 2003' means the Houses of the...

Houses of the Oireachtas (Appointments to Certain Offices) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2015)

Shane Ross: So we have a few extra minutes. As an Independent Member, I did not have any representatives on the select committee that took Committee Stage of the Bill, and I could not table any amendments to it. I am grateful to have the opportunity to do so now. The main thrust of the amendment-----

Houses of the Oireachtas (Appointments to Certain Offices) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2015)

Shane Ross: It is okay. I am speaking very slowly for the Minister's sake. The main thrust of the amendment, with its focus on the appointment of a Secretary General and the assignment, rather than the appointment, of Clerk positions, is to ensure that the Houses of the Oireachtas Service will be, from the top down, a flexible, modern organisation which can adapt to the demands of providing support...

Houses of the Oireachtas (Appointments to Certain Offices) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2015)

Shane Ross: I thank the Minister for his reply. Although this is a short Bill, it was a couple of years in the drafting and, as such, I did not really expect him to accept any amendments. I am aware of the political dynamics that have been going on behind the scenes and the difficulties that are left unspoken, for some reason, in this House and which are the reason it took so long bring the legislation...