Results 1,941-1,960 of 49,836 for speaker:Stephen Donnelly
- Leaders' Questions (23 Jan 2014)
Stephen Donnelly: As part of the recent reconfiguration of Dublin hospitals, the emergency department at St. Columcille's Hospital, Loughlinstown was downgraded to a minor injuries unit and 24-hour care was stopped. I, and many others, supported these changes because the clinicians leading the reconfiguration unanimously believed that it would save lives. The HSE gave us repeated assurances that St....
- Leaders' Questions (23 Jan 2014)
Stephen Donnelly: I appreciate the Tánaiste's offer to set up a meeting. However, I suggest a meeting is probably not enough at this stage. We have been given many assurances. I was given an assurance by the HSE that the combined budgets of the three hospitals involved, St. Vincent's University Hospital, Loughlinstown hospital and St. Michael's Hospital, would increase as part of the reconfiguration....
- Leaders' Questions (23 Jan 2014)
Stephen Donnelly: I suggest to the Tánaiste that while having a meeting is fine, because the allegations are so serious, we need an independent and urgent review. I do not know whether the 50% figure is correct, whether ICU is operating at overcapacity, whether GPs are referring patients or whether there has been a doubling of admissions out of hours, but we need an urgent and independent review. I have...
- Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Jan 2014)
Stephen Donnelly: The Bill before the House has three aims. It aims to reduce the Leader's allowance by 10%; to introduce auditing and vouching of the leader's allowance; and to abolish severance payments for Ministers. I support all three of these aims. The leader's allowance should be reduced. It should be subject to auditing and all expenditure should be vouched, and severance payments to Ministers...
- Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Jan 2014)
Stephen Donnelly: Why not fix the situation in which party leaders continue to be paid handsomely for TDs who have either left or been kicked out of their parties? The leader's allowance is a problem, and this Bill goes some way towards fixing it, but it is far from the only problem. The truth is that political funding in Ireland is funding for the parties, by the parties and because of the parties. Let...
- Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Jan 2014)
Stephen Donnelly: In opposition, Deputy Adams will get, per TD, over four times what is provided to Independent TDs, and Deputy Martin, as leader of Fianna Fáil, will get, per TD, four and a half times what is provided to Independent TDs. The Government reminds us ad nauseam that Fianna Fáil destroyed the country, but it stands over giving that party, per TD, four and a half times what is provided...
- Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Jan 2014)
Stephen Donnelly: There is no box for the Labour Party. There is no box for Fine Gael. The electorate elects persons.
- Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Jan 2014)
Stephen Donnelly: If the people it elects are kicked out of those parties-----
- Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Jan 2014)
Stephen Donnelly: -----or if the people it elects choose to leave those parties, those elected Members of Dáil Éireann still have political functions with regard to research, with regard to training, with regard to all the matters that Independent TDs must do and with regard to all the matters the parties must do.
- Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Jan 2014)
Stephen Donnelly: It is preposterous to say to the voting public, "When you vote, be aware you are not voting for this person; you are voting for their party. If this person, for example, makes a stand and defends an election promise we made, but we change our mind and kick them out-----
- Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Jan 2014)
Stephen Donnelly: -----we will keep their funding." That is preposterous. I do not believe any member of the voting public would say "I absolutely agree. I am not voting for this person; I am voting for this party. Therefore, it does not matter who the person is." The Minister and I have debated this. I know I will not change his mind. However, I want to put it on the record that I fundamentally...
- Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Jan 2014)
Stephen Donnelly: It mentions Members of the Oireachtas. This Bill only reduces the leader's allowance, and that is the only source of political funding that Independent TDs have. As I laid out, parties have three sources of funding, two of which have been completely ignored by the Bill. Whilst I agree that the leader's allowance should be reduced and have previously tabled amendments to have it reduced,...
- Leaders' Questions (28 Jan 2014)
Stephen Donnelly: The Government has rightly criticised Fianna Fáil on many occasions with regard to the way in which it established the HSE. In 2005 the then Fianna Fáil-led Government had an opportunity to establish an efficient and effective health service but it blew that opportunity for political gain. Instead, it created a bureaucratic monster. The current Government is now doing exactly the...
- Leaders' Questions (28 Jan 2014)
Stephen Donnelly: I am not saying we should sack 2,000 workers.
- Leaders' Questions (28 Jan 2014)
Stephen Donnelly: I am saying it is about time that taxpayers stopped funding unnecessary waste in the Irish public system.
- Leaders' Questions (28 Jan 2014)
Stephen Donnelly: There has been enough waste. Are patients better off because Fianna Fáil merged everything into the HSE and retained all the inefficiencies? The answer is that they are not better off. Part of the problem in respect of this matter is that there has been no Dáil oversight. The Taoiseach informed Deputy Martin what Irish Water was not set up in secret. Let us examine the facts....
- Leaders' Questions (28 Jan 2014)
Stephen Donnelly: I will.
- Leaders' Questions (28 Jan 2014)
Stephen Donnelly: It is a fact-----
- Leaders' Questions (28 Jan 2014)
Stephen Donnelly: It is a fact that the Minister, Deputy Hogan, refused to answer questions from any Deputy on the Irish Water set-up costs. It is a fact that the service level agreements on the website are completely devoid of any commercial detail-----
- Leaders' Questions (28 Jan 2014)
Stephen Donnelly: I will. It is a fact that we got a four hour debate in the House-----