Results 9,281-9,300 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Seanad: Infectious Disease Screening Service (14 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I thank the Senator for raising this matter as it provides me with an opportunity to outline to this House the importance of the issue raised. As of 1 January 2011, the national TB surveillance system moved to the computerised infectious disease reporting system, CIDR. This has improved timelines for reporting outbreaks. Provisional data for 2010 showed an 11% decline in TB cases, with 427...

Leaders' Questions (15 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I congratulate the Deputy on his promotion to raising questions.

Leaders' Questions (15 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I thank the Deputy for his question, as it gives me an opportunity to clarify the position on this matter and to allay fears, particularly in the agricultural community, which is experiencing a spectacular year of performance under this Government. We hope it will continue.

Leaders' Questions (15 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: As far back as the 1990s when Mrs. Niamh Bhreathnach was the Minister for Education, a commission chaired by Dr. Dónal de Butléir reported on equality among people accessing third level grants to participate in third level education. There was found to be a discrimination against PAYE workers and others compared with the self-employed, including members of the farming community. The...

Leaders' Questions (15 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I regret that the Deputy has sought to scaremonger once again. There is no attack on rural Ireland or the farming community.

Leaders' Questions (15 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: There is no attack on any self-employed group of people. We are looking for fairness and the way in which the Deputy is protesting suggests that he realises that the current system is not fair. This will be done objectively and the conclusions will be published so that we can debate them in this House. The Deputy can then decide whether it is fair or an attack on rural Ireland.

Leaders' Questions (15 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I believe it will be fair and this Fine Gael-Labour Party Government is committed to introducing fairness throughout the country and in every sector.

Leaders' Questions (15 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The household charge will amount to the vast sum of €2 per week.

Leaders' Questions (15 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: It will go towards the cost of local services.

Leaders' Questions (15 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I recall people previously opposing the bin charges. So successful was their incitement to people not to pay bin charges that the service and the employment that was provided by local authorities ended up being privatised.

Leaders' Questions (15 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The very people-----

Leaders' Questions (15 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: This is a charge that will go towards the provision of local services.

Leaders' Questions (15 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: It is necessary and-----

Leaders' Questions (15 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Every elected Member of this House has a duty to uphold the laws of this land.

Leaders' Questions (15 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Inciting people not to pay the charges means, as was the case with the bin charges, that innocent citizens end up in court because they are encouraged not to comply with the law.

Leaders' Questions (15 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: People who are receiving mortgage interest supplement, those who live in social housing or on certain unfinished ghost estates and the commercial properties and premises owned by charities will be exempt from the charge. A large number of exemptions have been designed to ensure people who have difficulty meeting their commitments will not have to pay. It is a fair charge as far as we are...

Leaders' Questions (15 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: This charge is necessary. It is part of where we are at present. It will be a short-lived tax pending the introduction of a more equitable tax but it is necessary and lawful. I urge the Deputy to consider his position in regard to inciting people who earn far less than he does.

Leaders' Questions (15 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I urge any Deputy who suggests people should not pay the charge to think again. It is not constructive in this democracy.

Leaders' Questions (15 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I seem to recall that up until the dying days of the previous Administration the Deputy was a fairly enthusiastic supporter.

Leaders' Questions (15 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: He was a fairly enthusiastic supporter of the Administration that brought the country to its knees and forced us to lose our economic sovereignty, which we have not yet regained and which obliged this Government to introduce a range of measures that are distasteful and painful, but sadly are necessary.