Results 1,041-1,060 of 21,404 for speaker:Mary Lou McDonald

Leaders' Questions (17 Nov 2011)

Mary Lou McDonald: We do respect them.

Leaders' Questions (17 Nov 2011)

Mary Lou McDonald: Walking away with a big pension is a rare form of ballyragging.

Order of Business (17 Nov 2011)

Mary Lou McDonald: Deputy Ó Cuív has a point. Today's announcement on public sector reform should be more properly made here in the Dáil.

Order of Business (17 Nov 2011)

Mary Lou McDonald: I want to ask the Tánaiste about the Taoiseach's meeting in Berlin yesterday. It seems that the honeymoon with Angela is well and truly over.

Order of Business (17 Nov 2011)

Mary Lou McDonald: Given that the euro is in serious jeopardy and in light of the austerity measures that are being cooked up in advance of the budget and delivered in salami slices-----

Order of Business (17 Nov 2011)

Mary Lou McDonald: Can time be allocated for the Taoiseach to report to the House on his tête-À-tête?

Order of Business (17 Nov 2011)

Mary Lou McDonald: Will he give us some sense of where matters stand and of whether there is a plan B, or even a plan A, for this State in respect of the survival of the euro?

Order of Business (17 Nov 2011)

Mary Lou McDonald: It would be more important to hear-----

Order of Business (17 Nov 2011)

Mary Lou McDonald: -----from the Taoiseach who was actually at the meeting rather than this second-hand version.

Expenditure Reviews (17 Nov 2011)

Mary Lou McDonald: Question 2: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the impact he believes the Budget 2012 expenditure cuts of €2.2 billion will have on the vulnerable, low and middle income families; and the policy measures he will put in place to minimise hardship on citizens. [35356/11]

Expenditure Reviews (17 Nov 2011)

Mary Lou McDonald: I apologise for my late arrival.

Expenditure Reviews (17 Nov 2011)

Mary Lou McDonald: Tá brón orm. I got caught up in the finance committee. It was all fascinating, so I am sorry about that. I would like to ask about the impact of the expenditure cuts on lower and middle income families. I know the Minister is going to publish the comprehensive spending review. I understand that it is a very detailed document. I wonder about an impact assessment for those on fixed...

Expenditure Reviews (17 Nov 2011)

Mary Lou McDonald: It has dispensed with that. The argument was about expenditure cuts or taxation measures. The evidence is not that measures on the expenditure side are most effective. The Minister might dust down that analysis. What way does he propose to protect low and middle income families? What kind of an impact assessment has his Department carried out?

Sale of State Assets (17 Nov 2011)

Mary Lou McDonald: Question 5: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will reconsider the Programme for Government commitment to sell off commercial State assets taking into consideration that neither the IMF nor the EU have demanded the budgetary measure nor does the Memorandum of Understanding explicitly call for the privatisation of State assets. [35357/11]

Sale of State Assets (17 Nov 2011)

Mary Lou McDonald: That is a great pity. We have debated this matter before and I believe the Minister is making a great mistake and that his thinking is short term. Should the Government proceed in these matters it will amount to a fire sale of valuable strategic assets. I am consistently baffled that the Minister describes the disposal of a 10% share of the ESB as playing with a non-strategic asset. The...

Departmental Agencies (17 Nov 2011)

Mary Lou McDonald: I thank the Minister for confirming in the previous answer that the decision on the ESB, whatever the percentage, was that of the Government alone and not the troika. I have read the Minister's report. Is the Minister seeking to introduce a cutback in terms of fees for board members for these State agencies?

Departmental Agencies (17 Nov 2011)

Mary Lou McDonald: Yes. The Minister makes a general argument about increased efficiencies and cost savings but he has not detailed these anywhere. I refer, for instance, to one of the decisions made, that is, the case of the Ombudsman for Children. I wonder at the wisdom of this given how central, sensitive and successful the office has been. Is it wise to amalgamate even back office functions with another...

Departmental Agencies (17 Nov 2011)

Mary Lou McDonald: I agree with the Minister's last points. Did he consult with the Ombudsman for children in respect of the amalgamation?

Departmental Agencies (17 Nov 2011)

Mary Lou McDonald: Did the Department?

Departmental Agencies (17 Nov 2011)

Mary Lou McDonald: Only limited consultation with the actual agencies took place.