Results 681-700 of 2,940 for speaker:Séamus Healy

Sale of State Assets: Statements (13 Oct 2011)

Séamus Healy: -----and who are freeloading on the backs of middle and lower income families-----

Sale of State Assets: Statements (13 Oct 2011)

Séamus Healy: I refer the Minister to previous Ministers for Finance and to a former Minister, Richie Ryan. He was a Fine Gael Minister for Finance and he introduced a wealth tax which was abolished afterwards by Fianna Fáil. If that wealth tax was in place now at the rate of 2% as at the time, it would be bringing in €5 billion per year. It is not unrealistic and it is most reasonable to suggest to...

Sale of State Assets: Statements (13 Oct 2011)

Séamus Healy: -----would fund real job creation. It would also take the weight of austerity and the recession off the backs of ordinary people.

Common Agricultural Policy Reform Proposals: Statements (13 Oct 2011)

Séamus Healy: The proposals published yesterday are of serious concern for farmers. Therefore, I welcome the Minister's assurances today in regard to his objectives. I hope his key priority will be to ensure the Food Harvest 2020 targets are achieved. Farming is a major enterprise in this country and a huge driver of the economy. Some 60% of Irish manufactured exports were derived from agriculture with...

Common Agricultural Policy Reform Proposals: Statements (13 Oct 2011)

Séamus Healy: I have two questions. Will the Minister comment on Deputy Kirk's question on the sugar industry? We know what happened with the industry, but I am aware of numerous farmers who believe that the industry can be reinstated. What are his views on that? Second, the age profile of farmers has been a cause of concern for a number of years. Are there new proposals to improve the age profile?

State Companies (19 Oct 2011)

Séamus Healy: Question 5: To ask the Minister for Communications; Energy and Natural Resources if he will rely in the main on investment in modern industry through State companies such as the ESB and others to generate economic growth and jobs in view of problems (details supplied). [30361/11]

State Companies (19 Oct 2011)

Séamus Healy: I thank the Minister for his reply. Would he agree that the policy of relying on the private sector to create jobs and solve the economic and social crisis in this country has failed? He himself stated that the various companies under his umbrella have been successful. In the early years of the State, companies like the ESB, Bord na Móna and the Irish Sugar Company were the key drivers...

State Companies (19 Oct 2011)

Séamus Healy: Of course I never suggested that it is either-or. The current situation is that the private sector has simply failed to create the jobs. The jobs the sector has created are obviously very welcome. I am suggesting that we cannot be excessively dependent on either the private sector or foreign direct investment and that we must invest in our own State and semi-State companies to create jobs....

State Companies (19 Oct 2011)

Séamus Healy: It seems to be taking a long time.

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme) and Remuneration Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (19 Oct 2011)

Séamus Healy: I support the contribution of Deputy Finian McGrath on this issue. He made a very strong case in regard to this Bill, which is about grand theft. It is a discriminatory taxation scheme rather than a pension scheme. It is one of many attacks on public servants who, as we all know, have been demonised in the media in recent years, and this continues almost daily. These public servants are...

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme) and Remuneration Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (19 Oct 2011)

Séamus Healy: The Minister had his opportunity. I am entitled to my say.

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme) and Remuneration Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (19 Oct 2011)

Séamus Healy: It is a shame the Labour Party is involved in these attacks on public servants.

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme) and Remuneration Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (19 Oct 2011)

Séamus Healy: The fact remains that this scheme will be open to legal challenge-----

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme) and Remuneration Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (19 Oct 2011)

Séamus Healy: -----on the basis that it is a rip-off. People will pay more into this scheme than they will get out of it and this is to be done on a compulsory basis. The next situation we will face will be claims that the existing scheme for existing public servants is too generous and should be reduced. In fact, this has already happened. I heard a Government party Member say as much.

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme) and Remuneration Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (19 Oct 2011)

Séamus Healy: The Government and employers, IBEC and Government party Members will say this, and further down the road, existing public servants and the existing scheme of which they are members will be attacked. I reiterate I heard this stated today by Government party Members. There is no effective employer contribution in this scheme.

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme) and Remuneration Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (19 Oct 2011)

Séamus Healy: This would be illegal in the private sector.

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme) and Remuneration Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (19 Oct 2011)

Séamus Healy: As soon as this scheme is introduced, there will be further attacks on public servants.

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme) and Remuneration Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (19 Oct 2011)

Séamus Healy: The scheme proposes a move to a career average assessment, later retirement and consumer price index linkage, which makes for a drastic disimprovement in retirement benefits for public servants. I reiterate this is an attack on public servants. The new scheme will be less generous than all private sector schemes.

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme) and Remuneration Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (19 Oct 2011)

Séamus Healy: These are figures produced by the Trident report and by actuaries.

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme) and Remuneration Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (19 Oct 2011)

Séamus Healy: The Minister is hiding behind his own figures and figures from-----