Results 1,781-1,800 of 2,725 for speaker:Paul Gogarty

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (2 Jul 2009)

Paul Gogarty: Question 182: To ask the Minister for Education and Science in view of the time delay that has taken place since the completion of the legislation through the Houses of the Oireachtas, if he will implement the Education for Persons with Special Education Needs Act 2004 in the next 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26929/09]

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (2 Jul 2009)

Paul Gogarty: Question 183: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if the delay in implementing the Education for Persons with Special Education Needs Act 2004 relates to funding concerns, even though Section 12 of the Act affords the State protection if resources are limited; if there is some other unexplained factor causing its delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26930/09]

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (8 Jul 2009)

Paul Gogarty: Question 248: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if the decision to close long term respite facilities at Cherry Orchard Hospital, Dublin and move the services into a roll-over respite service unit will result in savings to the HSE; if the benefit of savings made is outweighed by the moving of patients from a long-stay care ward into a roll-over respite service unit outside the...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Offices: Social Welfare Offices (16 Sep 2009)

Paul Gogarty: Question 841: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she will review the staffing rosters and opening hours of social welfare offices here in view of the increase in the number of people seeking social welfare; if she will clarify that such adaptability exists within her Department and is not hampered by public service freezes; and if she will make a statement on the matter....

National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (17 Sep 2009)

Paul Gogarty: I will start by agreeing with Deputy Durkan. An overwhelming case can be made to ensure that those at the helm during the crisis in the banking sector get punished where the law has been flouted. The problem is that in many cases the law was lax. There was not enough regulation or enforcement. No more than in a murder or criminal investigation, one cannot bring a matter before the...

National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (17 Sep 2009)

Paul Gogarty: I am just pointing out the history.

National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (17 Sep 2009)

Paul Gogarty: We will start from the beginning now. The beginning is the legislation before us and where we go from here, how we protect the Irish taxpayer and how we bring liquidity back into the system. As a Member of the Green Party, Comhaontas Glas, I must point my party's disagreement with the concept of the need to get back to economic growth. In the narrow economic thinking, the voodoo economics...

National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (17 Sep 2009)

Paul Gogarty: The great depression in the US became apparent because of a shortage of credit. It was based on money that at the time was related to the gold standard. That no longer applies. The lending process now requires a certain amount of deposits going through the system and is dependent on channelling debt throughout the system. When a person puts approximately €1,200 into a bank, this...

National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (17 Sep 2009)

Paul Gogarty: Absolutely. That is why, in the short term interests of this country, the economic interests of ordinary people being obtain loans for home improvements, business or in order to have their wages paid, we must get the banking system working again. That is the reason the Green Party is supporting this legislation. If we had our way we would change the whole global system of economics....

National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (17 Sep 2009)

Paul Gogarty: We must operate within conventional economic thought. I mention this because issues such as economic growth, sustainability and peak oil arose at our conference in Athlone on NAMA and the various options put forward. Oil prices may have already peaked or are just about to peak and this will have a profound impact on the economic system as it is a limiting factor which will stop unbridled...

National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (17 Sep 2009)

Paul Gogarty: There is another way.

National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (17 Sep 2009)

Paul Gogarty: We realise the limitations in respect of changing the global economic system. However, we are in Government and in a position to do something that will, it is hoped, be far-reaching and positive for the country. I received an e-mail in which I was referred to as a quisling, a person who consorts with the enemy, who is unpatriotic. That is the level of-----

National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (17 Sep 2009)

Paul Gogarty: That is the level of debate we have in this country, namely, a person who does the right thing but who may be aligned to a party that contributed to a problem, is not in Government in order to do the right thing. I do not wish to get into the politics of blame because I believe we are all to blame for this situation.

National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (17 Sep 2009)

Paul Gogarty: Even the Green Party is to blame. We all had credit cards and we all borrowed. We did not sit eating lentils and wearing sandals.

National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (17 Sep 2009)

Paul Gogarty: That is how the situation came about.

National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (17 Sep 2009)

Paul Gogarty: This NAMA legislation is a serious attempt to try to address the liquidity problem. A number of varied proposals have been put forward. On the Labour Party nationalisation scheme, Deputy Eamon Gilmore said it is not nationalisation because it is only for a temporary period. However, as Alan Blinder, former vice-chairman of the Federal Reserve in the US suggested recently, if a government...

National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (17 Sep 2009)

Paul Gogarty: Regardless of how it is done, the taxpayer has to fill the hole. We in the Green Party contend that NAMA, if done properly, will cost the taxpayer less than nationalisation. Nationalisation will lead to an outflow of investment in the country and there is no guarantee in terms of how long that would last. It also raises issues in regard to the 85,000 ordinary decent people employed in the...

National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (17 Sep 2009)

Paul Gogarty: On nationalisation, we have already taken over Anglo Irish Bank. It has received more than €4 billion in capital funding to date and has lost approximately €15 billion in deposits. The Central Bank has had to make up the majority of the difference through a €10 billion liquidity injection. If the State were to wind up Anglo Irish Bank, the cost to the taxpayer would be in the region...

National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (17 Sep 2009)

Paul Gogarty: That is a point. The taxpayer is ultimately responsible for day-to-day operations.

National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (17 Sep 2009)

Paul Gogarty: That is what the taxpayer elects a Government to do. It would be far more politically prudent were my colleagues and I to hold up placards saying NAMA is bailing out the bankers and the developers and for that reason we should call an election and be the heroes.