Results 1,681-1,700 of 21,404 for speaker:Mary Lou McDonald

State Assets: Motion (Resumed) (29 Feb 2012)

Mary Lou McDonald: I suppose the lesson is plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose. The Minister, Deputy Rabbitte, was upset at the fact and he quoted the many things on which we have challenged the Government. He is correct that we stated there should be a referendum in respect of the fiscal compact treaty. He is correct that we put the Government under pressure in respect of restoring the minimum wage.

State Assets: Motion (Resumed) (29 Feb 2012)

Mary Lou McDonald: The Minister, Deputy Rabbitte, is absolutely correct to say that we pressurised him to maintain the ESB as a vertically integrated utility. That is correct and if that causes some problem for the Minister he will simply have to get over it. He did not mention that we also put the Government under pressure in respect of cuts in teaching numbers in DEIS programme schools. He might also have...

State Assets: Motion (Resumed) (29 Feb 2012)

Mary Lou McDonald: We put the Government under pressure in respect of the household charge and the septic tank charge. We will put the Government under pressure on this issue of maintaining State assets in full public ownership. We will hold the Government to account in respect of job creation. We will continue to do this and we make no apology for it. The Minister of State, Deputy O'Dowd, referred to the...

State Assets: Motion (Resumed) (29 Feb 2012)

Mary Lou McDonald: We argue for the retention of these assets in public ownership not purely from an ideological position, although we are politically and ideologically committed to public ownership and public provision of essential and strategic services and we make no apology for that. That is our view. Crucially, we also make this argument on a pragmatic basis because the assets in question are valuable....

State Assets: Motion (Resumed) (29 Feb 2012)

Mary Lou McDonald: A 0% holding gives the State absolutely no say whatsoever yet that is what the Government proposes. A Minister serving in Government on an island nation proposes that the State should have a 0% holding and no influence over what was once the national airline. Michael O'Leary of Ryanair holds 29% of Aer Lingus. He is a vocal shareholder indeed. I am not a fan of Michael O'Leary or the...

State Assets: Motion (Resumed) (29 Feb 2012)

Mary Lou McDonald: Like the McCarthy report so lamented by them, Labour and Fine Gael have failed to present any evidence-based analysis of the impact on the Irish economy of the sale of these assets. They make vague, general statements that they cannot back up about competition. They say they are committed to jobs, yet they will use the bulk of the proceeds to write down debt. It is not that we are all...

State Assets: Motion (Resumed) (29 Feb 2012)

Mary Lou McDonald: Citizens and businesses have every right to expect the State will not abdicate its responsibilities in respect of energy, transport or the use for the common and collective good of the harvest of 7% of the land mass. I thank everyone who participated in this debate. I urge Deputies, particularly Labour Party Deputies, to think carefully, hard and long term and support our motion.

Written Answers — Regional Aid: Regional Aid (29 Feb 2012)

Mary Lou McDonald: Question 40: To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the steps that he has taken to renegotiate the regional aid guidelines that govern the areas in which the enterprise and industrial development agencies in member states may grant regional aid; and when the new fairer guidelines will be in place. [11317/12]

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (29 Feb 2012)

Mary Lou McDonald: Question 41: To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will compare and contrast the resources assigned to the Competition Authority here with those operating at best practice level within the EU; if he will detail the resources needed within the economy here; and if he will detail the additional expenditure that he will designate to the Competition Authority to deal...

Leaders' Questions (1 Mar 2012)

Mary Lou McDonald: The Tánaiste and the Taoiseach repeatedly tell us that they wish to restore Irish sovereignty. However, they do not seem to be having very much success. They propose a referendum to give away even more control over Ireland's economic affairs while the German Parliament discusses the Irish budgetary situation when Members of this House and the public are kept in the dark. For a second...

Leaders' Questions (1 Mar 2012)

Mary Lou McDonald: Does the Government have the document?

Leaders' Questions (1 Mar 2012)

Mary Lou McDonald: The Tánaiste may wish to try to trivialise matters when they are raised in this session. He may be amused at his own jokes - his backbenchers clearly are - but I hazard a guess that-----

Leaders' Questions (1 Mar 2012)

Mary Lou McDonald: -----people who are suffering from the results of his austerity will not find this a bit funny. I am glad to hear he will pursue this matter again. He told us this the last time. Does he remember the last time the Bundestag finance committee discussed the economic circumstances of this State at length? On that occasion, he also told us he would pursue the matter vigorously. If there was...

Leaders' Questions (1 Mar 2012)

Mary Lou McDonald: -----because he is clearly very happy that Germany, perhaps France, the Commission and outside agencies and institutions would have a first view, a first opinion and a final decision-making capacity in respect of the economic governance of this State. His colleague, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Varadkar-----

Leaders' Questions (1 Mar 2012)

Mary Lou McDonald: -----thinks the referendum is still undemocratic. He obviously would prefer the German parliamentarians to take decisions for us. The Tánaiste told us there will not be a mini-budget.

Leaders' Questions (1 Mar 2012)

Mary Lou McDonald: He indicated that he has this document. Will he tell us how long he has had it? How was it that parliamentarians in Germany saw and debated it before any Member of this House? Will he give a serious answer rather than a trivial one because that would be extremely helpful?

Order of Business (1 Mar 2012)

Mary Lou McDonald: In the programme for Government, the Government is committed to legislating for a new code of laws replacing the Ministers and Secretaries Act and the Public Service Management Act. The objective is to spell out the legal relationship between Ministers and civil servants and the legal accountability for decisions and management of Departments. I ask this question given its importance and...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (6 Mar 2012)

Mary Lou McDonald: Question 67: To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of staff that left his Department and agencies operating under the aegis of his Department in the grace period; the contingency plans in place to ensure continuation of service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12483/12]

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (6 Mar 2012)

Mary Lou McDonald: Question 113: To ask the Minister for Finance if, further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 132 and 133 of 22 November 2011, he will consider revoking the ability of a member of the Government living outside of Dublin to claim a tax deduction on an amount of €3,500 per annum for maintenance costs associated with maintaining a second residence in a hotel, examples of which are laundry and so...

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (6 Mar 2012)

Mary Lou McDonald: Question 143: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide a full list of all payments and allowances paid to vocational education committee chief executive officers; the changes, if any, he plans to make to these payments and allowances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11212/12]