Results 11,021-11,040 of 50,453 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Financial Resolutions 2012: Financial Resolution No. 13: General (Resumed) (7 Dec 2011)

Micheál Martin: Never before did parties have such detailed access to public finances before an election. In April, the Taoiseach tried to claim that things were much worse than expected, but he was undercut by the Minister for Finance, Deputy Noonan, when he said that the books were "better than on target". This was confirmed again yesterday.

Financial Resolutions 2012: Financial Resolution No. 13: General (Resumed) (7 Dec 2011)

Micheál Martin: This week and for the past nine months, there has been a steady escalation in the amount of praise which the Government has lavished on itself. In this process we are getting to the stage where words such as "reform"', "radical"', "fairness"' and "job creation" are being reduced to a level of Orwellian news speak. In area after area, supposed "proof" of the Government's effectiveness is...

Financial Resolutions 2012: Financial Resolution No. 13: General (Resumed) (7 Dec 2011)

Micheál Martin: The Taoiseach is getting better. We have heard a series of speeches this week with claims that the Government had "negotiated" a €10 billion reduction in interest payments while the facts show that it was a pan-European deal which was over four times the size of what Ministers were actually negotiating for. Tomorrow the Taoiseach will attend a European summit which will take decisions...

Financial Resolutions 2012: Financial Resolution No. 13: General (Resumed) (7 Dec 2011)

Micheál Martin: This crisis was not caused by national governments breaking fiscal rules.

Financial Resolutions 2012: Financial Resolution No. 13: General (Resumed) (7 Dec 2011)

Micheál Martin: It has been caused by market concerns that the ECB might be willing to see a country fail to refinance its debts. The Taoiseach is so blinded by his partisan agenda in domestic politics that he cannot see the reality that is now accepted by most experts, that the Irish and Portuguese bailouts were required by a policy which has failed and which Europe is trying to find a way of abandoning.

Financial Resolutions 2012: Financial Resolution No. 13: General (Resumed) (7 Dec 2011)

Micheál Martin: Under the targets agreed before the bailout and supported now by both Government parties, Ireland's debt is due to peak at a level below many countries that have no problem raising funds in the markets. The same applies for Portugal and other countries which are facing problems. Investors have fled the bond market because they believe that the ECB will not help countries to raise new...

Financial Resolutions 2012: Financial Resolution No. 13: General (Resumed) (7 Dec 2011)

Micheál Martin: The Minister, Deputy Brendan Howlin, is looking after that issue.

Financial Resolutions 2012: Financial Resolution No. 13: General (Resumed) (7 Dec 2011)

Micheál Martin: Will Deputy Tom Hayes stop the cuts?

Financial Resolutions 2012: Financial Resolution No. 13: General (Resumed) (7 Dec 2011)

Micheál Martin: There is €7 billion in NewERA.

Departmental Expenditure (13 Dec 2011)

Micheál Martin: Question 58: To ask the Minister for Defence the capital projects he intends to undertake during 2012. [38691/11]

Leaders' Questions (13 Dec 2011)

Micheál Martin: The devil was truly in the detail of the budget last week. The Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Burton, boasted that there would be no cuts to primary weekly social welfare payments. However, the deeper one examines this budget, the more devastating and sinister the cuts become. Despite stating that payments to families at risk of poverty will remain unchanged, it is clear that as a...

Leaders' Questions (13 Dec 2011)

Micheál Martin: I am trying to maintain the anonymity of the people who wrote to us. The Taoiseach's answer does not give any sense of understanding the enormity of the impact of this premeditated budgetary change to means test those on family income supplement who are in receipt of the carer's allowance. People are saying they know we have a great deal on our plates but please stand up for them and their...

Leaders' Questions (13 Dec 2011)

Micheál Martin: The Government has been aware of this since September yet it took a decision which is having an enormous, devastating and incredibly damaging impact. The e-mails we are receiving on the budget describe it in language such as being "driven to despair" and "over the brink" or being "unable to deal with it". Some of those affected have mortgages while others do not. I cannot get over that any...

Leaders' Questions (13 Dec 2011)

Micheál Martin: It had choices.

Leaders' Questions (13 Dec 2011)

Micheál Martin: There are alternatives.

Leaders' Questions (13 Dec 2011)

Micheál Martin: We proposed alternative taxes but the Government did not agree with them.

Leaders' Questions (13 Dec 2011)

Micheál Martin: The Taoiseach is digging a bigger hole.

Leaders' Questions (13 Dec 2011)

Micheál Martin: The problem I raise relates to more than one family.

Leaders' Questions (13 Dec 2011)

Micheál Martin: The e-mails I received were general and will have been received by the Taoiseach also.

Leaders' Questions (13 Dec 2011)

Micheál Martin: This particular cut is affecting a small number of people in a disproportionate manner.