Results 1,661-1,680 of 1,954 for speaker:John Gilroy
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)
John Gilroy: The bogeyman hiding under Senator Ó Clochartaigh’s bed, the international vulture capitalist, and the thought of him taking over Irish Water are absolutely terrifying but Senator Ó Clochartaigh’s remark was carefully calculated to terrify people.
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)
John Gilroy: It might be true and I will tell the Senator why. One year ago or less, Sinn Féin issued a policy document in which it said it would invite investors in equity to run Irish Water. Now it is talking about no privatisation. What is an equity investor only someone who buys shares and who would take over Irish Water? That is what Sinn Féin said.
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)
John Gilroy: I have.
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)
John Gilroy: I have it.
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)
John Gilroy: Sinn Féin has not denied it.
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)
John Gilroy: It seems the bogeyman that is the vulture capitalist has already spooked Senators Daly and Ó Domhnaill, who are trying to outdo Sinn Féin in their scare politics. It is interesting to see before our very eyes Fianna Fáil morphing into Sinn Féin in this Chamber.
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)
John Gilroy: Do we want to do what Sinn Féin-Fianna Fáil is doing-----
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)
John Gilroy: -----namely, aligning its policies with the electoral cycle?
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)
John Gilroy: Do we want to do what is fair in society and take a longer-term view? I spoke yesterday on Second Stage about why I believe it is necessary to support this Bill and section. We must remove the cost of Irish Water from the Exchequer. Everyone on the left believes we should not be labouring workers with extra taxes, like my colleagues on-----
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)
John Gilroy: We will see when the measures announced in the budget kick into place in January that the savings accruing-----
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)
John Gilroy: -----to people will more than offset the cost of water. There is no question about that; it is demonstrable. If we can remove water charges and any others we can from the cost of general taxation, it will leave space for the reduction of the universal social charge, and that is my reason for supporting water services charges. The universal social charge is a punitive charge, a tax on work....
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)
John Gilroy: I am just saying that if I understood Senator Ó Domhnaill correctly either my sums or his are wrong. When an opportunity to reduce the universal social charge can be provided by reducing the cost to the Exchequer it will be the way to go. That would be much more equitable.
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)
John Gilroy: The Minister has not responded yet.
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)
John Gilroy: I am almost finished. If we were to accept the amendment would it mean the entire section falls and there would be no charge for water?
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)
John Gilroy: He is going to ask his questions again.
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Dec 2014)
John Gilroy: Fianna Fáil is the king of bailouts.
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Dec 2014)
John Gilroy: A certain Greek artist used to exhibit his paintings publicly in order to attract criticism from his audience. He would hide behind a pillar to listen to the comments. One day the local cobbler started giving out about a drawing of a shoe.
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Dec 2014)
John Gilroy: It is very relevant. Senator Norris reminded me of the story. The artist overheard the cobbler's criticism and he fixed the drawing before redisplaying it on the following day.
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Dec 2014)
John Gilroy: It is particularly relevant where Senator Leyden is concerned. The cobbler came back on the following day and said: "He made a great job of the shoe but he made no job of the leg at all." The painter jumped out and said: "I will take any criticism from you about the shoe but you know nothing about legs."
- Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Dec 2014)
John Gilroy: The moral of the story is that one can talk a great deal on something even though one knows little about it.