Results 1,281-1,300 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (6 Dec 2005)

Richard Bruton: Question 246: To ask the Minister for Finance his views on whether it would be timely to review the linking of lump sum payments from pension funds to retirement age and instead allow the lump sum to be paid at 65 leaving persons the option to work on beyond this age if they wish. [38016/05]

Written Answers — International Terrorism: International Terrorism (6 Dec 2005)

Richard Bruton: Question 263: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has assessed the recent report by a person suggesting that Ireland could be regarded as a legitimate target for al-Qaeda; if he has assessed this threat; if he has sought to clarify the nature of the Government's position in regard to the use of Shannon Airport to representatives of the Muslim community; and if he will make a...

Written Answers — National Training Fund: National Training Fund (6 Dec 2005)

Richard Bruton: Question 286: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his estimate of the revenue that will be raised under the national training fund levy in 2006; and how it compares with the projected outturn in 2005. [37802/05]

Written Answers — Social Insurance: Social Insurance (6 Dec 2005)

Richard Bruton: Question 311: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his estimate of the revenue that will be raised in social insurance contributions from employers, employees and self-employed in 2006; and the way in which this compares with the projected outturn in 2005. [37801/05]

Written Answers — Social Insurance: Social Insurance (6 Dec 2005)

Richard Bruton: Question 315: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason persons who work in full-time week on, week off shift work and pay Class A PRSI contributions lose out on their contributions for the weeks which they have not worked (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38031/05]

Written Answers — Homeless Persons: Homeless Persons (6 Dec 2005)

Richard Bruton: Question 511: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he has satisfied himself that the strategy to tackle homelessness is effectively addressing the problem in Dublin; if there is a group who are not accessing any service; if there are initiatives to reach them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38013/05]

Budget Statement 2005. (7 Dec 2005)

Richard Bruton: Like the Ceann Comhairle, I am long enough in this House to recognise the nervous enthusiasm and giddy laughter that has greeted this budget. It is a bit like the gobbling of turkeys as Christmas approaches because the last time I heard this sort of enthusiasm was when the Minister's predecessor announced decentralisation.

Budget Statement 2005. (7 Dec 2005)

Richard Bruton: That was to be a great new innovation. This budget throws open the door on the bulging fridge of revenue that the Government has enjoyed. Let us not forget, however, that the money the Minister is dishing out today is money that has been paid by the hard-pressed taxpayers, families and businesses throughout the country.

Budget Statement 2005. (7 Dec 2005)

Richard Bruton: The test for this Government, as for every Government, is what it delivers with that money. A popular philosopher whom Deputy McDowell follows with a lot of interest is Homer Simpson. He said, and I am sure the Deputy knows the quote, "making promises makes me a good father". The worldly wise Lisa replied, however, "keeping promises is what would make you a good father". That is the test.

Budget Statement 2005. (7 Dec 2005)

Richard Bruton: Today's budget undoubtedly passes the Homer Simpson test of being a good budget but the Irish people have grown sceptical, like Lisa Simpson. They want to see their money deliver results and the main result that this budget has an eye to, unfortunately, is the outcome of the next general election. That is the glittering prize that this budget, as we saw in 2001 and 2002 before the last...

Budget Statement 2005. (7 Dec 2005)

Richard Bruton: Deputy Roche is interrupting me but perhaps he should go and look after the e-voting machines in his warehouse.

Budget Statement 2005. (7 Dec 2005)

Richard Bruton: The Irish people have lost their trust in this Government and giving them back their own money is not going to change things. Families are fed up with being treated as a soft touch by this Government, to paper over every crack and to fund vanity projects of different Ministers.

Budget Statement 2005. (7 Dec 2005)

Richard Bruton: That is not acceptable and people will no longer accept the style of Government to which we have grown used. In its courtship of the voter, the Government has used a time-worn ploy, based on the belief that some suitors go for a person with a past, some for a person with a future, but every suitor goes for a person with a present. That is what we have today — presents that are carefully...

Budget Statement 2005. (7 Dec 2005)

Richard Bruton: What the Government is trying to do is to get us to forget the past, a past full of waste and disappointment. It wants us to overlook the future that it is seeking to build, full of pious aspirations and fantasy maps. Instead, it wants us to concentrate on today. Those who are tuning in today to listen to this budget are right to take whatever the Minister is offering but they should not be...

Budget Statement 2005. (7 Dec 2005)

Richard Bruton: A sum of €1 billion a week is a large amount to get one's head around. A billion seconds ago it was 1973 and we were just about to join the EU. A billion minutes ago Jesus Christ was still a living memory on this earth. A billion hours ago our ancestors were in the Stone Age, but €1 billion ago was only this day last week in the way the Government spends money. The Government has become...

Budget Statement 2005. (7 Dec 2005)

Richard Bruton: Now we are to have a five-year plan for child care, a five-year plan for elderly care and a ten-year plan for transport. We have travelled this road before. What about the two-year health plan to eliminate waiting lists? The only sense in which waiting lists have been eliminated is the Minister no longer publishes them. We were to have a three-year decentralisation programme. Now even the...

Budget Statement 2005. (7 Dec 2005)

Richard Bruton: We were to have a road safety plan over five years but every target has been missed and the chairman of the group has resigned in despair.

Budget Statement 2005. (7 Dec 2005)

Richard Bruton: We were to have a plan to reduce public service numbers by 5,000 but the latest figures published by the Minister show we have increased numbers by 15,000. We were to have a five-year Government programme with significant commitments such as 2,000 extra gardaí on the streets.

Budget Statement 2005. (7 Dec 2005)

Richard Bruton: We were to see class sizes reduced so that no infant would be in a class of more than 20. We were to see the proportion of people paying tax at the top rate reduced to 20% but the figures today show none of these commitments will be honoured. They have become purely pious aspirations. We have been down the road of five-year plans before and if the hot air at these launches could be harnessed,...

Budget Statement 2005. (7 Dec 2005)

Richard Bruton: The Minister for Finance announced he will reduce the amount people will pay in tax by €20 per week. That is the sum total of his boast. Let us not forget where this came from. Compared with this time last year, the Minister will collect €3,750 more from every household in the country.