Results 1,221-1,240 of 5,294 for speaker:Michael McCarthy

Seanad: Telecommunications Services: Motion (25 Mar 2009)

Michael McCarthy: Exhibit A.

Seanad: Telecommunications Services: Motion (25 Mar 2009)

Michael McCarthy: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Seán Power. I look forward to debating this issue. It is important we debate broadband, especially in the current economic climate and given that there has been so much doom and gloom, threats and challenges to the Government and the country. We need to start focusing on what is positive. We need to start looking at the smart economy and to consider...

Seanad: Economic and Recovery Authority: Motion (1 Apr 2009)

Michael McCarthy: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Martin Mansergh, a former Member of this House, to this very important debate. More frightening figures were released this morning by the Central Statistics Office, CSO, with another 20,000 people having lost their jobs. In February it was 1,000 jobs a day. The Taoiseach has said that the trend appears to indicate that the rate of unemployment is...

Seanad: Schools Building Projects (1 Apr 2009)

Michael McCarthy: I thank Senator O'Donovan for generously sharing his time with me on the issue of Summercove national school and I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I support this call because I do not think it is economically viable to spend money renting prefabricated buildings which will never be permanent educational infrastructure. There are probably instances in the Minister of State's...

Seanad: Schools Building Projects (1 Apr 2009)

Michael McCarthy: I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach for his indulgence and his masterful craft of delivering guidance on procedure and adhering to it. In support of Senator O'Donovan's case, I point out that this is another example, as if one were needed, of a lack of joined-up thinking. The State, on the one hand, deserves to be commended on requesting the OPW to identify a site for the school, but the local...

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Apr 2009)

Michael McCarthy: The man in question called for a 3% social welfare cut.

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Apr 2009)

Michael McCarthy: I thank the Cathaoirleach for his indulgence. I want to make two brief points. First, the ECB rate is expected to fall again this week. In fact, it is expected to fall later this afternoon. The rate is as close to zero as it ever has been. Those on tracker mortgages will automatically be beneficiaries of that reduction, those of us who are on variable rates may, at the discretion of the...

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Apr 2009)

Michael McCarthy: IBEC should not be dictating social welfare policy. Let us not forget that the night of the budget last year a certain senior banker stated medical cards should be taken from those over 70. These people should not be allowed dictate our social welfare policy. Let us not forget that those in the banks and all these people brought us to this level, and also that IBEC represents its...

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Apr 2009)

Michael McCarthy: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Apr 2009)

Michael McCarthy: The House will have an opportunity to debate the budget today but I have a few questions for the Leader. I refer to the creation of the new agency, NAMA, and the ramifications for the taxpayer which will be absolutely huge. Does the Leader think it is fair that the Government has bailed out the banks and the developers? We as taxpayers will now own apartment blocks in Dubai, land in...

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Apr 2009)

Michael McCarthy: They have also sought to dismantle any normal household set up by a young couple with a young family. We must bear in mind that young people are now paying for the era of the Progressive Democrats and Charlie McCreevy. They have bailed out the bankers and the developers and the ordinary people are expected to deal with it. What will the liability be for the taxpayer once this body is...

Seanad: Supplementary Budget Statement 2009: Statements (9 Apr 2009)

Michael McCarthy: That is not true.

Seanad: Supplementary Budget Statement 2009: Statements (9 Apr 2009)

Michael McCarthy: Give us a break.

Seanad: Supplementary Budget Statement 2009: Statements (9 Apr 2009)

Michael McCarthy: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Sargent, to the House. My opening comments were planned to be directed to the Minister of State, Deputy Martin Mansergh. I was appalled last night to watch "Nightly News with Vincent Browne" and to hear the Minister of State, Deputy Mansergh, defend the budget in the way he did. The practice whereby serving TDs and Senators were in receipt of...

Seanad: Supplementary Budget Statement 2009: Statements (9 Apr 2009)

Michael McCarthy: The manner in which backbench Deputies nearly jumped out of their seats last October, yet only gave a cautious clap last Tuesday, is the most difficult aspect to accept. What are the Senators on the opposite side of the House telling their constituents? What do Ministers and Government representatives say when they are approached by people whose houses are about to be repossessed, who have...

Seanad: Supplementary Budget Statement 2009: Statements (9 Apr 2009)

Michael McCarthy: I am glad the Minister of State, Deputy Mansergh, has returned to the House, as I will conclude on this question. Is it fair of any Minister to argue that a Taoiseach should retain a pension worth €170,000 per year while, like the Grinch, the Christmas bonus from social welfare recipients is removed? Reconciling these facts is beyond me. Why are the poor and most vulnerable being made to...

Seanad: Supplementary Budget Statement 2009: Statements (9 Apr 2009)

Michael McCarthy: Tell that to pensioners.

Seanad: Supplementary Budget Statement 2009: Statements (9 Apr 2009)

Michael McCarthy: Grinch.

Seanad: Supplementary Budget Statement 2009: Statements (9 Apr 2009)

Michael McCarthy: It is a week's income for a pensioner.

Seanad: Supplementary Budget Statement 2009: Statements (9 Apr 2009)

Michael McCarthy: The structural deficit.