Results 1,261-1,280 of 7,404 for speaker:Mick Wallace
- Other Questions: Open Government Partnership (9 Oct 2013)
Mick Wallace: 6. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the proposed new Open Government initiative will extend to increasing transparency and accountability in budgetary matters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42473/13]
- Other Questions: Open Government Partnership (9 Oct 2013)
Mick Wallace: I think we would all agree that aspirations have still to become a reality. The self-appointed Economic Management Council has been widely criticised for falling beyond the reach of democratic oversight. Given the gravity of the decisions made concerning public expenditure and income, the budgetary process must be open to greater scrutiny. Surely, open government must include increased...
- Other Questions: Open Government Partnership (9 Oct 2013)
Mick Wallace: Will the Minister-----
- Other Questions: Open Government Partnership (9 Oct 2013)
Mick Wallace: The next time the Minister is preparing a budget, if he wants to have a chat with me about it, I will certainly take up the offer.
- Other Questions: Open Government Partnership (9 Oct 2013)
Mick Wallace: I thank the Acting Chairman but I am entitled to another minute. Last week I pointed out that section 42(j) of the Freedom of Information Bill 2013 provides that the Bill does not apply to documents "given by a [freedom of information] body to a member of the Government or a Minister of State for use by him or her for the purposes of any proceedings in either House of the Oireachtas or any...
- Other Questions: Open Government Partnership (9 Oct 2013)
Mick Wallace: In terms of-----
- Other Questions: Equality Proofing of Budgets (9 Oct 2013)
Mick Wallace: 11. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he plans to equality proof cuts made by him in budget 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42472/13]
- Other Questions: Equality Proofing of Budgets (9 Oct 2013)
Mick Wallace: Ladies first.
- Other Questions: Equality Proofing of Budgets (9 Oct 2013)
Mick Wallace: I am surprised by some of the Minister's boasts about the progressive tax system. I read last week that-----
- Other Questions: Equality Proofing of Budgets (9 Oct 2013)
Mick Wallace: I have paid more over my lifetime than the Minister has.
- Other Questions: Equality Proofing of Budgets (9 Oct 2013)
Mick Wallace: I have paid over €15 million. I am not going to take lectures from the Minister who will get far more out of this system than I ever will. Research by Grant Thornton shows that successive budgets have been regressive and have had a disproportionate impact on lower and middle income households. In a study released last week, Grant Thornton found that a family with one parent earning...
- Other Questions: Equality Proofing of Budgets (9 Oct 2013)
Mick Wallace: My question is linked to Question No. 11.
- Criminal Justice (Forensic Evidence and DNA Database System) Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (9 Oct 2013)
Mick Wallace: As I mentioned in the recent debate on the freedom of information legislation, our society is at a critical juncture. With the advent of new technologies that are having a massive impact on how societies are informed, monitored and organised, an extensive international discussion is taking place in respect of the role of government in people's lives and how it relates to the privacy of the...
- Other Questions: Small and Medium Enterprises Supports (10 Oct 2013)
Mick Wallace: While the Minister has done well in meeting his responsibilities for exports, jobs and enterprise, the economy has suffered a great deal on the Government's watch. Besides the lack of action to address upward only rent reviews, which I do not propose to discuss now, lending to businesses remains a serious problem. I am aware from experience that banks are ending financial arrangements with...
- Financial Resolutions 2014 - Budget Statement 2014 (15 Oct 2013)
Mick Wallace: I welcome the retention of the 9% VAT rate which makes a lot of sense.
- Financial Resolutions 2014 - Budget Statement 2014 (15 Oct 2013)
Mick Wallace: I also welcome the new round of sports capital grants. The value of sport in our society is still very much underestimated. I hope that this time around the soccer clubs in Wexford are treated fairly. Last time round, the biggest sport in the county got only 5% of the money allocated because Deputy Howlin interfered and commandeered the bulk of the money for his own backyard. It is good...
- Financial Resolutions 2014 - Budget Statement 2014 (15 Oct 2013)
Mick Wallace: It is a start. It will build approximately 180 houses. If I got the job, I could build them in about 18 months.
- Financial Resolutions 2014 - Budget Statement 2014 (15 Oct 2013)
Mick Wallace: The two-year exemption from income tax for new start-up businesses will not cost the Government any money. Clearly the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Howlin, has never been engaged in trying to set up a business or he would know that. Sadly, the general thrust of the budget is similar to its two predecessors. This Government has been in power for two and a half years...
- Financial Resolutions 2014 - Budget Statement 2014 (15 Oct 2013)
Mick Wallace: The last budget led to an increase of 1.3% in taxes for a worker on an annual salary of €20,000, while a worker with a salary of €100,000 experienced a 0.2% increase in taxes. That means the impact on the person earning €20,000 was six times greater than on the person earning €100,000. What measures are being taken in this budget to counteract the situation where...
- Financial Resolutions 2014 - Budget Statement 2014 (15 Oct 2013)
Mick Wallace: I am reminded of the Lou Reed song, "Statue of Bigotry":Give me your hungry, your tired, your poor I'll piss on 'em, That's what the Statue of Bigotry says, Your poor huddled masses, let's club 'em to death.Welcome to today's Ireland.