Results 11,301-11,320 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton
- Leaders' Questions (13 Mar 2014)
Richard Bruton: Fianna Fáil needs to look to its own record given that much of this happened under its watch. There were reports going back over many years which called for the codification of the process of cancellation of points-----
- Leaders' Questions (13 Mar 2014)
Richard Bruton: ----- and Fianna Fáil did not act on those recommendations. Fianna Fáil Members need to acknowledge that we are proceeding immediately to fix this system that has been broken for well-nigh ten years. They cannot pretend they are not party to that failure.
- Leaders' Questions (13 Mar 2014)
Richard Bruton: As I have already acknowledged, the whistleblowers have had a vital role in getting us to this point. As the Deputy said, the report exposes many very serious failings. With so-called "send-backs", 65% were not returned. As the Deputy has acknowledged there was huge variation in the treatment in different districts with some refusing every application for cancellation and others accepting...
- Leaders' Questions (13 Mar 2014)
Richard Bruton: There is an attempt to seek to politicise this by going back repeatedly to this issue, which the Minister dealt with at great length, as to whether there was co-operation between the O'Mahoney investigation and the whistleblowers. We know as a point of fact that there was not engagement between them. That is very clear and it has been acknowledged that different people have different...
- Leaders' Questions (13 Mar 2014)
Richard Bruton: I understand the Commissioner yesterday clarified the context in which he used the word "disgusting" in respect of the incidents that occurred. I will not repeat his clarification. He made that clarification over the context in which he made that remark. On the question as to whether the Commissioner has failed, it is very clear the Commissioner introduced new measures and procedures as a...
- Leaders' Questions (13 Mar 2014)
Richard Bruton: I thank Deputy Healy for raising this issue. Certainly, this is one of the biggest challenges we face in terms of getting over the legacy of the banking crisis, and there are many families trying to cope with this. What is encouraging is that, for the first time, there is a sign that the numbers in mortgage difficulty are beginning to decline. As the Deputy knows, under the guidance of the...
- Leaders' Questions (13 Mar 2014)
Richard Bruton: In order to write down the value of mortgages on that scale, as these are losses that are not provided for, someone would have to provide capital for the banks to do that. This could run to many billions and, indeed, probably €40 billion or €50 billion would have to be provided in additional capital to do that. The taxpayer has already put €64 billion into the banks and...
- Leaders' Questions (13 Mar 2014)
Richard Bruton: Of course, I acknowledge there have been changes to deal with a number of areas of the legislation in regard to people in difficulties. There has been a suite of legislation, as I said, which includes the introduction of new personal insolvency arrangements to allow for work on this. There was a court case on which the Government acted as a result of the earlier court decisions in regard to...
- Leaders' Questions (13 Mar 2014)
Richard Bruton: We have to work within the system we have put in place. As I said, it is delivering an increased number of work-outs, restructurings and split mortgages. In the case we have seen, there has been write-downs and warehousing of certain mortgages. There are mortgage-to-rent schemes and an increasing number of options are being developed. That is the way we need to work through these...
- Order of Business (13 Mar 2014)
Richard Bruton: It is proposed to take No. 24, statements on the 20-year strategy on the Irish language (resumed), to adjourn at 2 p.m. today if not previously concluded; and No. 21, statements on the Government's priorities for the year ahead (resumed). It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that the Dáil shall on its rising today adjourn until 2 p.m. on Tuesday, 25 March 2014.
- Order of Business (13 Mar 2014)
Richard Bruton: I join with Deputy Calleary in wishing people a very happy St. Patrick's Day. I know many people will be travelling and I hope they do so safely. As the Deputy acknowledges, ministerial travel abroad is of benefit to our economy and the promotion of Ireland as a good location for tourism and economic activity. This is a good opportunity and many countries would be envious of the way in...
- Order of Business (13 Mar 2014)
Richard Bruton: I join with the Deputy in wishing those who have left our shores to find work well. The most useful thing we can do is create an economy that once again offers opportunities. It is encouraging to see that in the past 12 months, employment growth in this country has been faster than in any other OECD country. Hopefully, we will be in a position to offer more and more people the chance to...
- Order of Business (13 Mar 2014)
Richard Bruton: A date has not been fixed for that Bill.
- Order of Business (13 Mar 2014)
Richard Bruton: In respect of the rental accommodation scheme, RAS, and the rent supplement, new housing assistance payments legislation is in preparation. There is no date for the landlord and tenant Bill but work is continuing on it.
- Order of Business (13 Mar 2014)
Richard Bruton: Unfortunately, I only have a briefing on promised legislation, so I must advise the Deputy to submit a parliamentary question to the Minister for Health in respect of those two matters. I do not know of any promised legislation in that regard, but if there is I will communicate with the Deputy. However, I do not think there is any such promised legislation.
- Order of Business (13 Mar 2014)
Richard Bruton: The Deputy cannot encourage Ministers to go abroad for St. Patrick's Day and then lament the fact that there are not enough of them here to deal with all the questions as Gaeilge.
- Order of Business (13 Mar 2014)
Richard Bruton: To be fair, I have been a Member of this House for many years and I have never seen a Taoiseach and Tánaiste deal constantly with more questions in Irish.
- Order of Business (13 Mar 2014)
Richard Bruton: The House is making progress in this area but we must acknowledge that not every Member of the House has the level of competence in Irish to deal with the serious matters that Deputies might raise on the Order of Business or during Leaders' Questions. I am therefore dealing with this issue to the best of my ability.
- Order of Business (13 Mar 2014)
Richard Bruton: The heads of the Bill reviewing the Irish language will come to the Government shortly. I understand that the consumer and competition Bill will be published in this session.
- Order of Business (13 Mar 2014)
Richard Bruton: It will be later this year.