Results 2,321-2,340 of 2,386 for speaker:Michael Finneran

Finance Bill 2008: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stages (6 Mar 2008)

Michael Finneran: Sinn Féin in its time over the past 35 years opposed everything. It opposed our entry into the European Economic Community and every treaty. It is all no, no, no and being critical. That is the extent of its contribution to the State. We needed to spend hundreds of millions of euro to protect the State against its activities. There are important issues regarding the hospice movement. I...

Finance Bill 2008: Report Stage (Resumed) (5 Mar 2008)

Michael Finneran: I appreciate that we are dealing with two amendments seeking tax relief for refuse collection and services charges but scorn has been thrown by Deputy Burton on the tax relief available for child care costs. I remind the Deputy that her former leader, Deputy Quinn, when Minister for Finance, did not even consider it appropriate to bring forward tax relief for such costs.

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (13 Feb 2008)

Michael Finneran: I welcome the Minister to the House and I compliment him and the staff at all levels of his Department for the courtesy and help they provide to us as public representatives in our regular contacts on behalf of our constituents. One always feels one's representations have been received in the best possible way. The ongoing contact to follow through on cases is to be commended as is the...

Finance Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (6 Feb 2008)

Michael Finneran: I wish to share time with Deputy Michael McGrath.

Finance Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (6 Feb 2008)

Michael Finneran: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, and compliment him on doing a great job, although he might not get much credit from across the floor. Sometimes when we are considering an important Bill such as this, we forget about its principal aims and refer to parish pumps and byroads. It is no harm for us, therefore, to advert to the main aims of the Finance Bill 2008, as outlined...

Finance Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (6 Feb 2008)

Michael Finneran: It is not where I come from in the midlands. If anything, it is accelerating. New house construction accounts for 13% of our gross domestic product. Anybody with family or relatives buying a house will say it was inappropriate that house prices were increasing at a rate of 20% per year. What was to happen to young people who wanted to get a house for themselves? Prices were so high that...

Finance Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (6 Feb 2008)

Michael Finneran: The Deputy should not hold his breath.

Child Care: Motion (13 Nov 2007)

Michael Finneran: I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this debate on child care and the success story that is child care support in this country. The Government has directly promoted the development of preschool infrastructure virtually from scratch, so to speak. We should be proud that since 2000, the European Union has supported the equal opportunities child care programme which means that many...

Child Care: Motion (13 Nov 2007)

Michael Finneran: ——ensure there is fairness and that people who cannot afford child care are given priority as regards this programme. The programme will be of support to people in disadvantage and I am keen that should be the case. In some cases it has been suggested that people on low incomes will not be in a position to avail of this programme. I disagree with that wholeheartedly. This issue is a...

Child Care: Motion (13 Nov 2007)

Michael Finneran: During the next year, the child care programme will receive a 16% increase. Deputy Finian McGrath welcomed the €47 million made available for 2008. The Opposition motion is political opportunism. It should submit appropriate proposals to the Department instead of making a political issue of it. People in many constituencies are making all kinds of statements and hyping something that...

Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Bill 2006 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (6 Nov 2007)

Michael Finneran: I welcome the opportunity to contribute briefly to this important legislation. Anybody who has had dealings with property will be aware that the area of conveyancing and registering of property is a complex one which most people leave with their solicitor and do not get into the detail. We all know from acting as public representatives that our desks are full of requests to expedite...

Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Bill 2006 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (6 Nov 2007)

Michael Finneran: I thank the Acting Chairman. As I said, I will not name anybody on the floor of the House.

Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Bill 2006 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (6 Nov 2007)

Michael Finneran: I have said the names have been published in the press and that I will not name them here in the House. As legislators, we must address the issue. If not resolved, the matter could slow down the process of purchase, denying people the opportunity to deal in the way in which they have dealt in the past, whereby their solicitor would give an undertaking to the financial institution concerned...

Telecommunications Services. (1 Nov 2007)

Michael Finneran: I call on the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources to address the need for the complete roll-out of broadband in the constituency of Roscommon-South Leitrim. An article appeared in a local weekly newspaper on 23 October 2007 which indicated there may be a delay or shelving of two important broadband projects for County Roscommon, namely one in the town of Castlerea and...

Pre-Budget Outlook: Motion (Resumed) (24 Oct 2007)

Michael Finneran: There is plenty of water in the area.

Pre-Budget Outlook: Motion (Resumed) (24 Oct 2007)

Michael Finneran: I welcome the opportunity to speak on the pre-budget Estimates for the public services and to compliment the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance, Deputy Cowen, and the Government on bringing forward a new format for the Book of Estimates, the budget and the delivery of that €58 billion budget in a more transparent manner in terms of the spending of taxpayers' money. That must be a positive...

Health Services: Motion (Resumed) (3 Oct 2007)

Michael Finneran: I am pleased to have an opportunity to speak and compliment the Minister on a clearly focused determination to provide a world-class health service with the help of the HSE. By any standard, things have moved on dramatically. The figures provided by the Minister in this debate are a clear contradiction of the fraudulent figures provided by the Opposition over the past couple of days.

Health Services: Motion (Resumed) (3 Oct 2007)

Michael Finneran: I am glad the Minister was able to put them on the record tonight so the Irish public can know the exact situation. The Opposition has played a political game on the issue of private beds and hospital co-location. Everybody knows it is inappropriate for people to have the use of public funds and private beds in public hospitals at the expense of ordinary taxpayers. Somebody had to address...

Health Services: Motion (Resumed) (3 Oct 2007)

Michael Finneran: The Minister complimented the staff on the decision and their co-operation with the HSE. It was in the best interest of patients because we no longer had a surgeon who was competent in the area and I do not think the women of County Roscommon would want procedures carried out if they felt those responsible were not competent. In response to the BreastCheck situation, the mobile unit put in...

Health Services: Motion (Resumed) (3 Oct 2007)

Michael Finneran: I am glad to have had the opportunity of making my contribution and I commend the Minister on the fine work she is doing.