Results 741-760 of 825 for speaker:John Cregan
- Euro Area Loan Facility Bill 2010: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 May 2010)
John Cregan: It is very easy for any of us-----
- Euro Area Loan Facility Bill 2010: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 May 2010)
John Cregan: -----in the House and outside it to look back with the benefit of hindsight. Unfortunately, from time to time, Ministers from whatever parties they represent-----
- Euro Area Loan Facility Bill 2010: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 May 2010)
John Cregan: -----have to make decisions-----
- Euro Area Loan Facility Bill 2010: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 May 2010)
John Cregan: -----in Government.
- Euro Area Loan Facility Bill 2010: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 May 2010)
John Cregan: Those decisions are made in good faith with the best advice possible at any given time. From time to time such Ministers get it wrong.
- Euro Area Loan Facility Bill 2010: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 May 2010)
John Cregan: We should not have any difficulty admitting that. We should move on from the tired argument at this stage. When we made the tough decisions we were told they were wrong and would not get the country out of trouble. Now we have turned a corner and people are saying we are not doing so badly, we see a return to the old argument that this Government is responsible for the current economic...
- Euro Area Loan Facility Bill 2010: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 May 2010)
John Cregan: To the Taoiseach's credit, and whatever is said or unsaid, history will be kind to Deputy Brian Cowen as Taoiseach and leader of my party for his bravery in putting his country first and not playing politics by looking at county council seats or gaining points in polls. He put his country first and history will be very kind to him for that reason. We can consider many commentaries,...
- Euro Area Loan Facility Bill 2010: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 May 2010)
John Cregan: To achieve full employment, we needed to bring thousands of foreign nationals into our country to work in our service industries. For one reason or another, the 130,000 people signing on were not in a position to take up employment. As such, I always take 130,000 people away from the overall figure. I am not playing games, but being honest. While those people are considered to be signing...
- Euro Area Loan Facility Bill 2010: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 May 2010)
John Cregan: I compliment the NTMA on a good morning's work.
- Euro Area Loan Facility Bill 2010: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 May 2010)
John Cregan: It wanted to sell bonds valued at â¬1 billion and â¬1.5 billion this morning, but it was unsure how the sale would go. The full â¬1.5 billion in bonds were snapped up as soon as they went on offer. This says something about our economy. We have regained the respect of the financial markets and of the people who buy bonds. The NTMA has borrowed two thirds of the required funding for...
- Euro Area Loan Facility Bill 2010: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 May 2010)
John Cregan: Absolutely.
- Euro Area Loan Facility Bill 2010: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 May 2010)
John Cregan: The economists were negative and talking us down. One remarked that since the foundation of the State, we had failed to put people into work. There are 1.8 million employed in this country.
- Euro Area Loan Facility Bill 2010: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 May 2010)
John Cregan: People appear to miss that fact.
- Euro Area Loan Facility Bill 2010: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 May 2010)
John Cregan: We can believe the glass is half full or half empty. I have spoken already on the issue of the 430,000 people on the live register. I am saying now that there are 1.8 million people in this country in good employment, a fact which does not appear to be appreciated. One can say we blew the boom but we put 1 million people to work, decreased the national debt, increased the pension fund-----
- Euro Area Loan Facility Bill 2010: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 May 2010)
John Cregan: -----and built new hospitals and schools. Before it is shouted from across the floor, we purchased electronic voting machines, which I fully accept. However, that is pretty minuscule in the overall context. As I said at the outset, Governments make mistakes. They are not infallible; they take the best advice at any given time and do not have the benefit of hindsight. We must make tough...
- National Disability Strategy (25 May 2010)
John Cregan: I wish to thank the Ceann Comhairle's office for facilitating me in raising this important issue, which concerns not alone my constituency but many others throughout the country. I am a member of the Government party and have voted for various adjustments and cutbacks that were deemed necessary in the past few years. I did so because I felt it was the right thing to do at the time. I am...
- Written Answers — Water Services: Water Services (25 May 2010)
John Cregan: Question 366: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his plans to have water meters installed in households throughout the country; if these meters will be installed by local authorities or private companies; and if there will be a tendering process for the work involved. [21836/10]
- Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (25 May 2010)
John Cregan: Question 449: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills her plans to allow mature students who are Irish citizens and currently studying abroad and wish to return home to study, to be exempt from the regulations governing residency status here in order to qualify for a higher education grant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21835/10]
- Greenhouse Gas Emissions (26 May 2010)
John Cregan: Question 33: To ask the Minister for Agriculture; Fisheries and Food his views on whether there is a case for reducing livestock numbers as a solution to achieving emissions reductions here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21860/10]
- Greenhouse Gas Emissions (26 May 2010)
John Cregan: I thank the Minister of State for his reply. He has allayed some of my fears in putting down the question because I am seriously concerned about a further stock level reduction. How can the responsibility for dealing with the emissions issue be reconciled with the fact that there is an increasing demand for food throughout the world as there are up to 1 billion people who are hungry? We are...