Results 801-820 of 2,940 for speaker:Séamus Healy

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (25 Jan 2012)

Séamus Healy: I had only started. In respect of remedial works on septic tanks, rural dwellers have already paid towards the cost of municipal system upgrading and should not be asked to pay a second time. This work should be done by the State, which would help to create jobs and thus save money in making social welfare payments.

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (25 Jan 2012)

Séamus Healy: I listened to Deputy Michael Creed's contribution. Today we have heard the pot calling the kettle black and vice versa.

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (25 Jan 2012)

Séamus Healy: As for the call for honesty, everyone in the House and the country is aware that the Government was elected on a programme of change and a promise of a new beginning. However, it walked into office, took the clothes from the backs of Fianna Fáil and the Green Party and continued to implement the very same programmes.

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (25 Jan 2012)

Séamus Healy: The Government will be gone, too.

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (25 Jan 2012)

Séamus Healy: Austerity is the name of the game for both the Government and its predecessor. This is part of a suite of taxes, comprising the household tax, the water tax, the septic tank tax and the property tax, all of which have been imposed on ordinary, middle and low-income earners and poor people in general. Its purpose is to pay anonymous speculators and bondholders. The money raised is to be...

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (25 Jan 2012)

Séamus Healy: Buckets of money are being shovelled to bondholders and speculators. Incidentally, the particular bondholders the Government paid today have made a huge killing-----

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (25 Jan 2012)

Séamus Healy: -----as they bought the bonds for 54 cent in the euro but got the full face value today.

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (25 Jan 2012)

Séamus Healy: The people concerned have made almost €600 million in profit from the payment made by the Government today.

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (25 Jan 2012)

Séamus Healy: No; I will be brief. If the Minister was genuine, he could solve the problem by agreeing to defer the Bill until the consultation process has been completed and the draft regulations have been brought to the House for debate. There is no need for the Bill to be passed this week. It is clear that the information the Minister for Education and Skills gave to the House on 12 January is...

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (26 Jan 2012)

Séamus Healy: In regard to the registration fee, the assurances we have been given are nothing but talk. Regardless of what the Minister says, we all know the fee will not be held at €50 but will instead increase, over a short period, until it reaches the €300 proposed by the Fianna Fáil Party in government.

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (26 Jan 2012)

Séamus Healy: We all know it is the thin end of the wedge. I am around a long time and so is the Minister. As an example of what is likely to happen, I remember well the introduction of refuse charges in south Tipperary. I was at the council meeting where they were introduced and where I voted against them. In the course of that debate a Fianna Fáil Party councillor stood up, took a box of matches from...

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (26 Jan 2012)

Séamus Healy: I concur with the remarks of Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan about the €50 registration charge, about which I spoke previously. I remember an election campaign not too long ago during which the Minister and his party told us that they would burn the bondholders-----

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (26 Jan 2012)

Séamus Healy: I am responding to the Minister. They said there would not be another red cent for the banks.

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (26 Jan 2012)

Séamus Healy: It was going to be all change. It was going to be Labour's way, not Frankfurt's way. Talk about hypocrisy.

Order of Business (31 Jan 2012)

Séamus Healy: The programme for Government promised legislation to ensure transparency and accountability from the National Asset Management Agency, NAMA. Every day, issues arise around this. The Taoiseach himself raised the possibility of developers or those connected to them gaining access to property.

Order of Business (31 Jan 2012)

Séamus Healy: Legislation was promised in this regard through a freedom of information amendment Bill. Have the heads of the Bill been drawn up and when is the Bill expected before the House, as there are serious issues around NAMA?

Private Members' Business. Small Primary Schools: Motion (31 Jan 2012)

Séamus Healy: We would not be debating these cuts if the Labour Party and Fine Gael had honoured their election commitments. It is important to recall those commitments. They were going to burn the bondholders, not another red cent would be given to the banks, it would be Labour's way not Frankfurt's way and the weak and vulnerable would be protected. The Government robbed the clothes from Fianna Fáil...

European Council Meeting: Statements (1 Feb 2012)

Séamus Healy: As I have said before in the House, the EU and IMF are not good samaritans helping out a country in need. They are ripping off this country to pay for the reckless lending of European, particularly French and German banks. The major European powers have insisted that the liability of Irish banks be absorbed into Irish State or sovereign debt. The very wealthy in all eurozone countries...

European Council Meeting: Statements (1 Feb 2012)

Séamus Healy: To get to the 3% deficit, we know what is coming down the tracks in terms of reductions and cutbacks of €3.8 billion this year and €3.2 billion next year. Surely, before the Taoiseach agreed to this treaty, he had some idea of what figures are involved in getting us to the 0.5% target to which we are told there must be rapid convergence. Will the Minister of State explain what are the...

Health Service Plan 2012: Statements (1 Feb 2012)

Séamus Healy: On a point of order, is the Minister's speech available?