Results 25,161-25,180 of 26,350 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Seanad: Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011: Second Stage (6 Dec 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. There was a reference earlier to the manner in which the Bill is being brought through. Will the Minister of State accept amendments after Second Stage for Committee Stage? This should not be taken out of my time because it is a procedural question. The problem is that the Bill was introduced quickly and we had a deadline of 10 p.m. this morning.

Seanad: Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011: Second Stage (6 Dec 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Minister of State and I appreciate it. I ask the Minister to indicate in his summation the other exemptions he will examine. I agree with Senator Landy on OAPs, the unemployed, people with medical cards, those in negative equity and people in receipt of family income supplement. The comments of the Minister of State on the amendments we will table on Committee Stage will frame...

Seanad: Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011: Second Stage (6 Dec 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: Will they be dispersed on the basis of payment?

Seanad: Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011: Second Stage (6 Dec 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: The Bill will address the general point. I ask the Minister of State to deal with shared and affordable housing. Social housing is exempt, which is right. Unfortunately Deputy Penrose is no longer Minister of State. I raised the issue of arrears on shared ownership and affordable housing with him, which are over 18.5% on average and over 20% in some local authorities, with him. They do...

Seanad: Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011: Second Stage (6 Dec 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: We are getting there. Perhaps I am a bad teacher. If we are going to charge people an additional fee for paying the fee in a post office or local authority we should make it easy for them to pay. There should not be a surcharge. We should incentivise prompt payment upfront . If a senior citizen wants to pay the €100 fee at the start of the year he or she should not be penalised for...

Seanad: Budget 2012: Statements (6 Dec 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: They will not.

Seanad: Budget 2012: Statements (6 Dec 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: The Minister of State referred to a number of changes, on the reform side, in the context of how the budget has been presented. Those in Fine Gael should be particularly pleased about the fact that the junior partner in the Government was given responsibility for doing the dirty work. Earlier today, another man from the Labour Party went overboard. It is good to see the Labour Party...

Seanad: Budget 2012: Statements (6 Dec 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: I hope not.

Seanad: Budget 2012: Statements (6 Dec 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: I would expect nothing less from Senator Gilroy.

Seanad: Budget 2012: Statements (6 Dec 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: I wish to begin by commenting on a number of positive measures in order to try to make my colleagues from the Labour Party somewhat more comfortable.

Seanad: Budget 2012: Statements (6 Dec 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: I wish to cover three matters relating to the two parts of the budget introduced yesterday and today. The first of these is the fact that savings in respect of public procurement are crucial and I am glad the Government has set targets in this regard. What is required to push this through is a body with real powers, the National Procurement Agency, and I am of the view that the latter will...

Seanad: Budget 2012: Statements (6 Dec 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: I will leave it to the Leader to identify those because I am hard pressed to find them. As I stated on the Order of Business - this is a matter which the Government should address - one of the major difficulties with the budget is the proposed cut to the disability allowance, particularly in respect of younger people. The proposal in this regard cannot remain as it stands. The reduction in...

Seanad: Budget 2012: Statements (6 Dec 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: Yes, but of nominal GDP, which the Minister stated in his statement is the main aspect on which to raise revenue.

Seanad: Budget 2012: Statements (6 Dec 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: The Minister, Deputy Noonan, mentioned it in his statement.

Seanad: Budget 2012: Statements (6 Dec 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: The Government will not get €670 million in VAT this year. Before the Government even starts it next year, no doubt it will be behind on that. We will discuss it in mid-year and see exactly what the position is. Ironically, the increase in the student registration fee of €250 was announced by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Howlin, whose party seemed to get all...

Seanad: Budget 2012: Statements (6 Dec 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: The increase of €250 will not go to the third level sector. The Government is cutting back its allocation to the third level sector and that increase will go into the general pot as well. The Government is closing 31 Garda stations and restricting ten others. That was announced by the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Shatter, by way of press release. He did not have the decency...

Seanad: Budget 2012: Statements (6 Dec 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: Tá mé beagnach críochnaithe.

Seanad: Budget 2012: Statements (6 Dec 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: Ministers should not be taking questions from the media-----

Seanad: Budget 2012: Statements (6 Dec 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: -----when they are not even taking questions from their own colleagues, the elected representatives of the people of this country. On dealing with the social welfare Bill next week in this House, I would ask the Minister to go back to Cabinet to look at the cuts on the disability allowance. The Minister should not bring in those cuts next week.

Seanad: Budget 2012: Statements (6 Dec 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: Talk to Labour about that one.