Results 20,601-20,620 of 20,768 for speaker:Mattie McGrath

Social and Affordable Housing. (16 Dec 2009)

Mattie McGrath: I am thankful to the Acting Chairman for allowing me to raise this serious question in the House tonight and I am pleased that the Minister, Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív will be replying. He had occasion to visit this housing estate with me a year ago, I believe, in Ballylynch, Carrick-on-Suir. It is a very old housing estate, more than 30 years in existence, with a large number of houses. The...

Relocation of VEC Centre. (15 Dec 2009)

Mattie McGrath: Yes. I thank the Acting Chairman for the opportunity to raise this matter. I am pleased that my constituency colleague the Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works, Deputy Martin Mansergh, is taking this Adjournment matter. In May 2009, the OPW announced in a press release that the old labour exchange building, located in Dillon Street, Clonmel, was being...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (15 Dec 2009)

Mattie McGrath: Question 298: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of staff processing social welfare payments in 2009; and the way this figure compares with the past five years. [46766/09]

Relocation of VEC Centre. (15 Dec 2009)

Mattie McGrath: I hope the Acting Chairman will have more latitude towards the discourse between the Minister of State and myself. We are both constituency colleagues, so we can continue the discussion afterwards.

Third Level Education. (10 Dec 2009)

Mattie McGrath: I appreciate the opportunity to raise a very important issue tonight that concerns the whole of County Tipperary, north and south. We were one constituency back in the 1940s but we are a very proud and united county despite having two county councils, local authorities and Dáil constituencies. We have a serious issue with the Tipperary Institute, although I acknowledge the recent efforts...

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Mattie McGrath: I, too, support the Bill. My constituency colleague, Deputy Tom Hayes, should note that Government backbench Deputies must keep the show on the road, unlike Opposition Deputies who can speak and act as they wish.

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Mattie McGrath: I will not respond to interruptions as I would lose time. I will make my contribution nonetheless.

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Mattie McGrath: The Deputies opposite are taking a blunderbuss approach The public finances are in deep disorder.

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Mattie McGrath: Irrespective of who may have caused the problem, our finances are in deep disorder. We can blame the banks or whomever else but we are in a crisis. The Government expects to have to borrow €26 billion this year. One third of Government spending has gone on social welfare this year. As Opposition Deputies will privately admit, this is an unsustainable position and we must face up to...

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Mattie McGrath: The Department of Finance has carried out a technical analysis which suggests that between September 2008 and September 2009, the consumer price index fell by approximately 3.25% for retired households, 5.75% for unemployed households and 7.5% for working households. Prices fell by approximately 7.5% for those in the highest income bracket and 5.25% for the lowest income bracket. We must...

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Mattie McGrath: Deputies did not refer to the schemes which have been retained. They all lobbied strongly in recent weeks and months to save family resource centres. I compliment the Minister and Minister for Finance on retaining these valuable centres in every town and village. Deputy Tom Hayes and I have three such centres in our constituency of Tipperary South. They are run by participants in...

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Mattie McGrath: There has been a cut of €2 million in funding for the national agencies and their number has been reduced by two. Services on the ground have been maintained. However, we are keeping the services to which, according to Deputy Durkan, everyone will be flocking. I accept more people will be going to these organisation and will be in need of more supports. Thankfully, they will be in...

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Mattie McGrath: I cannot hear the Deputy. I am not listening. I should not listen. I shall continue to say what I intended to say when I entered the Chamber.

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Mattie McGrath: I refer to protecting the pensioners. Almost a half a million people aged over 66 years are fully protected in this budget. This is something to which they are entitled and richly deserve. We will support them. We have also avoided any cuts in the State pension. Other supports will not be cut, such as the household benefit package, which included free TV licences, electricity and gas...

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Mattie McGrath: RTE receives sufficient subventions from the Government and licence fee payers without the need for a further subvention from the Department of Social and Family Affairs. I will lobby on that matter because RTE does not deserve it.

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Mattie McGrath: The cuts could come from the wages of certain people. It could address the mismanagement on the board of RTE, which pays the millionaire presenters.

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Mattie McGrath: We will keep lobbying and we will not give up. The Deputy should note that the idea is to try and try again. We will succeed in the end. There is no point in stopping because empty vessels always make the most noise. Unfortunately, we are challenged with the problem of running the country.

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Mattie McGrath: We are stabilising the public finances and protecting the most vulnerable people across the board. It has been a fair budget. I do not like the cuts and I appreciate that families will suffer. There is a level playing field. The big people are being touched and I wish to see more of that. In case there is any doubt I will be supporting the legislation. Deputy Hayes called on me to go on...

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Mattie McGrath: However, I will not walk across the lobbies to do anything he might wish me to do in this House. I realise he has no wish for an election either.

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Mattie McGrath: I commend the Bill to the House.