Results 20,621-20,640 of 21,499 for speaker:Mary Lou McDonald

Leaders' Questions (20 Oct 2011)

Mary Lou McDonald: Yesterday, the Taoiseach ducked and dived as he tried to explain away the Government's inaction in respect of the 950 job losses at Aviva. Following yesterday's briefing, workers at Aviva are still in the dark and fearful for their jobs. It is not clear whether the redundancies will be voluntary or compulsory. The Government has done a great deal of talking about jobs but the only action...

Leaders' Questions (20 Oct 2011)

Mary Lou McDonald: Perhaps the Tánaiste can enlighten the House on why the Government has not directly intervened with Aviva management. Why has it not moved to secure these jobs? Does it intend simply to let 1,000 jobs, and possibly more, haemorrhage from this economy with no Government response or action?

Leaders' Questions (20 Oct 2011)

Mary Lou McDonald: That is all very laudable.

Leaders' Questions (20 Oct 2011)

Mary Lou McDonald: The Government's response to the loss of jobs at TalkTalk and Aviva has been milk and water, to say the least.

Leaders' Questions (20 Oct 2011)

Mary Lou McDonald: It strikes me that if the Government is not in a position to protect existing jobs, its capacity to create new work has to be questioned. The Tánaiste correctly said the workers have been treated despicably by management. I am glad he acknowledged that. Their union, Unite, has made it clear that the workforce is willing to consider any other cost-cutting plans. In other words, the...

Leaders' Questions (20 Oct 2011)

Mary Lou McDonald: A passive engagement from the Minister, Deputy Bruton, and others with management is not enough and neither is tea and sympathy for workers.

Leaders' Questions (20 Oct 2011)

Mary Lou McDonald: I want the Tánaiste to tell the House what precisely he, as Minister with responsibility for trade and investment, and his Government colleagues will do in the next 24 to 48 hours to ensure these jobs are not lost.

Leaders' Questions (20 Oct 2011)

Mary Lou McDonald: What does that mean?

Leaders' Questions (20 Oct 2011)

Mary Lou McDonald: Is that the Tánaiste's message to the Aviva workers?

Leaders' Questions (20 Oct 2011)

Mary Lou McDonald: I am not being smart. I am very angry about this.

Leaders' Questions (20 Oct 2011)

Mary Lou McDonald: Absolutely.

Leaders' Questions (20 Oct 2011)

Mary Lou McDonald: How can these jobs be saved?

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme) and Remuneration Bill: Second Stage (19 Oct 2011)

Mary Lou McDonald: I am sharing time with Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh.

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme) and Remuneration Bill: Second Stage (19 Oct 2011)

Mary Lou McDonald: When Deputy Fleming questions the pension entitlement of the Financial Regulator, it strikes me that he is not be alone. One would wonder about the pensions of many who sat on the opposite benches not so long ago, and why they received them. I must make that point.

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme) and Remuneration Bill: Second Stage (19 Oct 2011)

Mary Lou McDonald: My party welcomes this legislation. Clearly, the Public Sector Pensions (Single Scheme) and Remuneration Bill cannot go unchecked. I welcome the Minister's comment in respect of sustainability in pensions, especially in respect of fairness, and welcome this opportunity to address the inequities of the current system which unduly favour the higher echelons. It appears that lower paid workers...

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme) and Remuneration Bill: Second Stage (19 Oct 2011)

Mary Lou McDonald: This should be on the basis of choice, not enforcement.

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme) and Remuneration Bill: Second Stage (19 Oct 2011)

Mary Lou McDonald: When the Minister introduced this increase in pension age entitlement it was a cutback, or a savings measure. It would be disingenuous, therefore, to paint it as some type of affirmation for active aging. Comment was made on the enabling clause. I share the reluctance to give to the Minister those kinds of powers. I note also that the enabling clause, if I understand it correctly, applies...

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme) and Remuneration Bill: Second Stage (19 Oct 2011)

Mary Lou McDonald: Broadly speaking that is the case and it is not a desirable position. The Minister has repeatedly said he cannot touch the existing schemes. In the House he indicated this was because he would consider it to be unfair. He also hinted there may be legal issues concerning notions of legitimate expectation and so on. I would like to hear something more concrete from the Minister. If it is...

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme) and Remuneration Bill: Second Stage (19 Oct 2011)

Mary Lou McDonald: The term "pension levy" is unhelpful and misleading. It is extremely irritating for people who are being taxed in a particular way to have their contribution dressed up as a pension levy. The Minister has indicated, to the trade unions and in this House on two occasions, that he perceives the levy to be a temporary measure.

Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme) and Remuneration Bill: Second Stage (19 Oct 2011)

Mary Lou McDonald: Yes. However, if the Minister is going to inform the teachers' unions and, by extension, their membership, that this is a temporary measure, he must provide a timeline indicating when the pension levy will be lifted.