Results 821-840 of 3,895 for speaker:John Halligan

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Departmental Funding (4 Jul 2013)

John Halligan: 39. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she has undertaken or intends to undertake an analysis or impact study on the cumulative effects of the cuts in family support services, health services, guidance and mental health services, special needs assistants and resource hours and school completion programme on children and young persons in the areas catered for by the City of...

Leaders Questions (9 Jul 2013)

John Halligan: The Taoiseach may be aware of a situation where a man who has spent two weeks outside the Dáil is now on the 23rd day of a hunger strike. He has been taken home by his family to his home in Trim, County Meath and although weak, he is continuing his protest. A number of Deputies from different parties, including Deputies Barry Cowen, Willie O'Dea, Clare Daly and others, have spoken to...

Leaders Questions (9 Jul 2013)

John Halligan: His second issue is that he made a stand against the household property tax by refusing to pay. This was a conscientious decision, and we all know the conscientious decisions that have been made in the Dáil over the past number of weeks, which people are entitled to make. Because of this, if he was to receive work-----

Leaders Questions (9 Jul 2013)

John Halligan: -----he would not be able to gain a tax compliance certificate, which would prevent him from working. Will the Taoiseach consider this issue? With all of the measures we have introduced, with the extra fines and people not being able to purchase their houses and so on, this is an extremely harsh measure in dealing with somebody of conscience, except that-----

Leaders Questions (9 Jul 2013)

John Halligan: -----a majority of people are compliant with the property tax, albeit against their will, because of the high fines. If one likes, a whole swathe of people have been bludgeoned against their will, which I believe is probably the reason the Government is becoming one of the most unpopular of recent years.

Leaders Questions (9 Jul 2013)

John Halligan: These are the two issues. As I said, it was not my choice for Leaders' Questions-----

Leaders Questions (9 Jul 2013)

John Halligan: -----as I had other questions lined up, but I could not but-----

Leaders Questions (9 Jul 2013)

John Halligan: The Taoiseach might come back to me on that.

Leaders Questions (9 Jul 2013)

John Halligan: I thank the Taoiseach for his compassionate reply. This is inevitable under the present economic circumstances, with the hardship that hundreds of thousands of people are feeling. My worry is, as it has always been, and I have spoken about this in regard to many issues at public meetings, that somebody might go to the end because they are at the end of their tether with regard to how they...

Leaders Questions (9 Jul 2013)

John Halligan: -----something serious will happen and we will all be responsible for it. I thank the Taoiseach for his reply. I believe he said he would be prepared to meet him. He is quite a nice guy. I think he has made a principled stand and, while I do not agree with it and think it is not the way to do it, he has two very good issues. By the way-----

Leaders Questions (9 Jul 2013)

John Halligan: -----I am looking at Deputies shaking their heads because many of us know it is not the case that it is easy for many people who were self-employed to go onto unemployment benefit.

Leaders Questions (9 Jul 2013)

John Halligan: That is not the case. The Taoiseach can ask across his own party and they will tell him the truth. It is not the case. It is almost impossible for the self-employed to get it when they become unemployed.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rental Accommodation Scheme Administration (9 Jul 2013)

John Halligan: 87. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will look at the case of a person (details supplied) whose son has a disability who has been issued with a notice to quit in her current accommodation and cannot find anywhere to live within the rent caps; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33194/13]

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (9 Jul 2013)

John Halligan: 101. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will review the issue of rent allowance caps in the case of a person (details supplied) a young woman, homeless for three months who cannot find anywhere within the rent allowance caps; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33193/13]

Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) (10 Jul 2013)

John Halligan: I concur with the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, that some Members hold the suspicion that women may falsely claim to be suicidal. Psychiatrists and psychoanalysts have not been able to determine why someone is suicidal and why they take their own lives. The Bill is deeply restrictive and offensive to women in this sense, although I am obliged to vote for it. For instance,...

Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) (10 Jul 2013)

John Halligan: Two weeks ago on Leaders' Questions, I brought this issue up during a visit to the House by a number of women who then held a press conference in the hotel across the road. They got together and produced a booklet entitled, A Family's Journey of Torture, in which 35 women related their stories of fatal foetal abnormalities. If one listened to their stories and what they go through, one...

Leaders' Questions (17 Jul 2013)

John Halligan: No doubt the Taoiseach is familiar with the recent ruling from the European Court of Justice which held that the State is obliged to protect the pension rights of 1,500 Waterford Crystal workers. The case is now back in the High Court to determine what percentage of their pensions the workers are entitled to. Should the legal process run its full course all the way to the Supreme Court, it...

Leaders' Questions (17 Jul 2013)

John Halligan: There is nothing prohibiting reaching a settlement. The barristers and legal teams have said as much and it is under the European directive. There is nothing stopping the Government from speaking to the union and making a settlement outside of court. That has been made quite clear by the legal teams. If the Taoiseach read the European directive he would see that it has almost been...

Leaders' Questions (17 Jul 2013)

John Halligan: I again appeal to the Taoiseach, and specifically to members of the Labour Party to whom I have spoken, to do something about this. I appeal to him not to force these workers, who have made a huge contribution to the Irish economy, into the Supreme Court until 2016 or 2017.

Leaders' Questions (17 Jul 2013)

John Halligan: Sorry Taoiseach, the specific ruling was in respect of these workers and it can be separated. The specific case covers 1,500 workers and not all workers in the country.