Results 7,521-7,540 of 13,375 for speaker:Pat Rabbitte

Moriarty Tribunal Report: Statements (Resumed) (30 Mar 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I thank everybody who contributed to the debate. I again put on record on behalf of the Government our thanks to Mr. Justice Moriarty. I deplore the intemperate attacks made on his integrity and motivation. In saying that I do not take any issue with any Member of the House who wants to dispute a particular finding or wants to dispute a matter of fact from any tribunal report. However,...

Moriarty Tribunal Report: Statements (Resumed) (30 Mar 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: Deputy Kelleher is sitting beside the man who is the leading graduate of the academy of financial jiggery pokery that was Fianna Fáil for so many years. He comes in here, puts on his Mother Teresa face and starts lecturing us on these issues.

Moriarty Tribunal Report: Statements (Resumed) (30 Mar 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: In that case the Deputy should not walk into it. I do not know very much about the funding of Fine Gael-----

Moriarty Tribunal Report: Statements (Resumed) (30 Mar 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: -----but in all fairness I cannot believe Deputy Martin made the contribution he did. His younger colleagues were very careful to take the report on its merits and to look forward. They wanted to see whether the Government will implement the reforms. However, you came in with no other purpose than to seek to link what has transpired to Fine Gael in the futile attempt to damage the Government.

Moriarty Tribunal Report: Statements (Resumed) (30 Mar 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I am talking to the Deputy through the Chair. I regretted that because he is the Deputy from whom we heard so much during the general election campaign about new politics. He gave all sorts of assurances through all his interlocutors that politics would not and could not go on as it went on before and he would do it differently. He claimed there would be no more Punch and Judy politics....

Moriarty Tribunal Report: Statements (Resumed) (30 Mar 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: He did; I have the transcript.

Moriarty Tribunal Report: Statements (Resumed) (30 Mar 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I also have the transcript of the McCracken report, which Deputy Martin and Mr. Ahern had before they entered into the deal with Deputy Lowry. That report was very clear in stating: It is an appalling situation that a Government Minister and chairman of a parliamentary party can be seen to be consistently benefiting from the black economy from shortly after the time he was first elected to...

Moriarty Tribunal Report: Statements (Resumed) (30 Mar 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I find it very difficult to keep up with that. He also criticised the inadequate time provided.

Moriarty Tribunal Report: Statements (Resumed) (30 Mar 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I know what is in the Moriarty report but a number of people on the other side who wanted a debate on it last week could scarcely have read the cover, never mind the report. They were complaining about the Taoiseach not conceding a debate last week or complaining about the Taoiseach avoiding questions on it when he came in here about an hour after receiving it. There was such humbug about...

Moriarty Tribunal Report: Statements (Resumed) (30 Mar 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: We have, and in considerable detail. Furthermore, we have allowed a two day debate a week after its publication. Some two months after findings of the McCracken report against Mr Haughey were published Fianna Fáil finally conceded a debate on it for 90 minutes. It is a great help to have people to check things for you; I was used to doing it for myself. I asked someone to check what...

Moriarty Tribunal Report: Statements (Resumed) (30 Mar 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: That is the track record and it does not augur well for the future. How he conducts the business of his party is entirely a matter for Deputy Martin. However, as far as a new agenda is concerned it seems to me that there is very much an old agenda and nothing has really changed. A number of points were raised. Deputy Pringle wanted to know whether the Government would demonstrate good...

Moriarty Tribunal Report: Statements (Resumed) (30 Mar 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: It was not enacted and the Government sent poor former Deputy John Gormley away without one of the trophies he had promised his people. It was an admirable objective on his part but one which he failed to implement, I presume because of obstruction by the other party in that Government. Given what has happened in politics as I understand it - Deputy Martin can correct me if I am wrong -...

Written Answers — Energy Security: Energy Security (30 Mar 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: The oil industry is fully privatised, liberalised and deregulated and there is free entry to the market. International Energy Agency statistics show that Ireland obtained 23.3% of its crude oil supply from Libya in 2010, representing 8.78% of overall oil imports to this country in the year in question. The oil was sourced on the commercial market and I would emphasise that Ireland does not...

Written Answers — Disconnection of Utilities: Disconnection of Utilities (30 Mar 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: The Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) collects and periodically issues information on the global number of disconnections by all energy supply companies based on data obtained from ESB networks and Bord Gáis networks, in relation to electricity and gas respectively. The total number of domestic disconnections completed by ESB networks on behalf of all supply companies for non-payment...

Order of Business (31 Mar 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: They are pioneers.

Finance Act 2004 (Section 91) (Deferred Surrender to the Central Fund): Motion (31 Mar 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I move: That Dáil Éireann approves the following Order in draft: Finance Act 2004 (Section 91) (Deferred Surrender to the Central Fund) Order 2011, copies of which have been laid in draft form before Dáil Éireann on 28 March 2011.

Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Bill 2010 [Seanad]: Second Stage (31 Mar 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am pleased to present this Bill for the consideration of the House. The Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Bill is the first piece of legislation I will be introducing to the 31st Dáil and I am pleased that it is such a significant one. The Bill was passed by the Seanad last December and was introduced in this House prior to its...

Prospecting Licences (5 Apr 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 24 and 25 together. While Ireland has recognised potential as a petroleum producing area, the Irish offshore is relatively underexplored. As a result, Ireland's petroleum potential is largely unproven. This is likely to continue to be the case until there is an increase in the level of Irish offshore exploration, exploration drilling in particular. Ireland...

Prospecting Licences (5 Apr 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: I do not have any knowledge of reported stories concerning the protests at the Corrib field but I agree with the Deputy that the allegations are unedifying. With regard to the tax regime as applying to offshore prospecting, it is true that a different regime existed up to 1987, when it was changed. The change occurred because the expectations from the early 1970s were, unfortunately, not...

Prospecting Licences (5 Apr 2011)

Pat Rabbitte: Deputy Boyd Barrett only listened to half of the sentence. I stated that according to seismic data and available information, there is a "guesstimate" of 10 billion barrels out there. The problem is we have not found any of it. If Deputy Boyd Barrett can help us and point us in the right direction-----