Results 25,141-25,160 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (29 Mar 2012)

Michael McGrath: Question 136: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will introduce a requirement for all pension holders to receive a single annual consolidated statement of their accrued benefits; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17478/12]

Written Answers — Local Authority Charges: Local Authority Charges (29 Mar 2012)

Michael McGrath: Question 167: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding the application of the household charge to properties that are not deemed to be habitable; if he will provide details of the assessment of whether a property is habitable or not; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17310/12]

Order of Business (29 Mar 2012)

Michael McGrath: I am glad the Minister is open. I have no intention of playing the usual game on this one but I have a very straightforward valid question for the Minister. Will he assure the House and the people that the suspension of the Dáil until 18 April will not result in any delay in the passage of any important Government legislation on any issue? On behalf of my party, I state we are perfectly...

Order of Business (29 Mar 2012)

Michael McGrath: -----if the Minister is willing to accept our legislation to provide for an extension of time on the household charge. In his response the Minister might also address the issue of the implications for Dáil sittings of the referendum being held on 31 May. The Dáil was due to sit right up to this date and not sit the following week. In consideration of the motion before us today, the...

Order of Business (29 Mar 2012)

Michael McGrath: I wish to raise a number of issues.

Order of Business (29 Mar 2012)

Michael McGrath: I wish to raise a number of issues. Last night, we had the unusual but welcome development of all parties, and even non-party Deputies, agreeing to an Opposition Bill from Fianna Fáil which will allow the Financial Services Ombudsman to publish the complaint records of individual financial services providers. I wish to take this opportunity to thank the Government for supporting the Bill...

Leaders' Questions (29 Mar 2012)

Michael McGrath: I am sure the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Howlin, will agree that the vast majority of Irish people are law-abiding citizens. The fact that, with less than three days to go, more than 1 million people have yet to pay the household charge is a measure of the shambles the Government has made of this whole affair. Since the Government forced the charge through in its...

Leaders' Questions (29 Mar 2012)

Michael McGrath: The Government has refused point blank to allow a waiver for people who have a genuine inability to pay.

Leaders' Questions (29 Mar 2012)

Michael McGrath: The Government refused point blank to allow a waiver for people who have a genuine inability to pay. Since then people have been given the wrong information and been threatened, and genuine concerns have been dismissed out of hand. Ministers have taken to the airwaves and publicly contradicted each other about the role of An Post. People have been threatened that a council official would...

Leaders' Questions (29 Mar 2012)

Michael McGrath: -----that fraudsters are knocking on the doors of vulnerable elderly people throughout the country, looking for the €100 charge-----

Leaders' Questions (29 Mar 2012)

Michael McGrath: -----all because of the Government's threat. The deadline for paying this charge by instalments passed at the end of February, at a time when awareness of the charge was much less than it is today. There are many thousands of ordinary people who simply do not have access to €100 between now and Saturday night.

Leaders' Questions (29 Mar 2012)

Michael McGrath: Is it not the case that the only thing preventing people being allowed extra time to pay this charge is the stubborn political pride of the Minister, Deputy Hogan, and this Government?

Leaders' Questions (29 Mar 2012)

Michael McGrath: Is the Government really going to force fines and penalties on more than 1 million ordinary people? Irish people are reasonable and fair-minded. Will the Minister take the heat out of this situation, extend the deadline for the payment-----

Leaders' Questions (29 Mar 2012)

Michael McGrath: -----allow people to pay through their local post office and allow them to pay by instalments in accordance with the means they have?

Leaders' Questions (29 Mar 2012)

Michael McGrath: The Minister acknowledged the need to broaden the tax base. Implicit in that is acceptance by the Government that this must be done. The Minister consistently highlights the Government's negotiating skills with the EU and the IMF but at no stage has this Government sought to renegotiate the household charge or the property tax.

Leaders' Questions (29 Mar 2012)

Michael McGrath: It should be honest with the people and at least acknowledge that fact.

Leaders' Questions (29 Mar 2012)

Michael McGrath: I am only too well aware of the situation of the national finances. The important thing in that regard is that the €160 million pencilled into the budget to come from the household charge be collected over the course of 2012, not by midnight on Saturday. By imposing these strict terms and conditions in this manner the Government is placing enormous pressure and stress on ordinary Irish...

Leaders' Questions (29 Mar 2012)

Michael McGrath: The Minister must acknowledge that he has not managed to bring the people with him on this issue. For once, he should eat some political humble pie. He has already acknowledged mistakes in the budget in respect of cuts to people with profound disabilities and should acknowledge that the way this has been handled is also a mistake. The deadline should be extended and people who genuinely...

Leaders' Questions (29 Mar 2012)

Michael McGrath: Is that the Government view or Deputy Howlin's personal view?

Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (28 Mar 2012)

Michael McGrath: I thank Members from all sides who have contributed to this debate. I have sat through the three hours of the debate and have been very impressed by the quality and constructiveness of their contributions. We have had a very good debate. I also acknowledge and thank the Minister for Finance, Deputy Noonan, and his colleagues for accepting this Bill in the spirit with which it was offered....