Results 26,621-26,640 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Order of Business (9 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: No.

Order of Business (9 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: When Finland had a bank crash some decades ago, the Finnish Government wisely decided to invest not just in bricks and mortar but also in human capital. As a consequence, Finland became a country at the leading edge of technology. This Government wants to see the bright young graduates that our education system has produced being enabled opportunities to stay and work in Ireland through the...

Order of Business (9 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: Modern growth and investment are strongly related to human capital resources-----

Order of Business (9 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: -----whether in IT, culture, music or entertainment. We want our share of those investments and I regret that the Deputy should be so negative. The early retirement scheme is bringing forward retirement. These people are going somewhat earlier than they otherwise would have gone, and the Minister for Health has provided very significant budget lines in respect of A Vision for Change and...

Order of Business (9 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: My own brother served in the Reserve Defence Force for a long period of time. The reserve does a great job around the country and the Minister is to be commended-----

Order of Business (9 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: -----for ensuring that facilities for the Reserve Defence Force are made on an appropriate basis, along with retaining a very significant number of Defence Forces personnel.

Order of Business (9 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: Local authority loans are part of the stock of mortgage loans which also includes other types of loans. The Government acknowledges that many families are in serious distress with their mortgages. This is the reason the Government is bringing forward a series of measures to deal with personal insolvency and debt. These measures have been widely welcomed by organisations that deal with...

Order of Business (9 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: This matter has been around for 20 years and ultimately will only be solved at a European-wide level when states can advise each other of the penalty points incurred by each other's nationals. This is a matter for discussion at European level. We are not in a position nor has it been possible for the past 20 years, to pursue those who have incurred penalty points and who are outside the...

Order of Business (9 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: I understand that Deputy Adams when in Westminster claimed about £1 million and that Sinn Féin claimed a total of about £5 million in respect of staffing and other supports-----

Order of Business (9 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: The first action of this Government was to reduce ministerial salaries. The Taoiseach and the Civil Service set the level of reduced payments for Ministers and this would have been reflected in the statutory instrument.

Leaders' Questions (9 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: I wish to be associated with the condolences offered by Deputy Michael McGrath to the deputy leader of Fianna Fáil, Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív, on the death of his mother, Emer Uí Chuív. This is a retirement scheme which, as I am sure the Deputy will recall, was arranged and introduced by the late Brian Lenihan, with a retirement date of February 2012. What it means in practice is the...

Leaders' Questions (9 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: In regard to my Department, and I speak for my other colleagues-----

Leaders' Questions (9 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: -----course we have been aware of this scheme, we inherited it from your good selves, and in every Department planning has gone ahead to deal with this transition and transformation, which is also a critical element of the changes which are taking place under the Croke Park agreement. The Taoiseach correctly has asked for this to be formalised by bringing it for discussion before the Cabinet...

Leaders' Questions (9 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: I think I speak for the other members of the Government when I say-----

Leaders' Questions (9 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: -----that probably the most notable example of surprise was the notification one day of an option, which was perfectly exercisable by the individual concerned, as he was entitled to do under the arrangements and commitments the Deputy's party in government made in the context of the broader Croke Park agreement and other arrangements with public servants, when we heard that the director of...

Leaders' Questions (9 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: -----and befuddled by arrangements his party put in place-----

Leaders' Questions (9 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: -----leaves me slightly puzzled.

Leaders' Questions (9 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: Can I say to Deputy McGrath that the thing that surprised me most is the state that Fianna Fáil left the country in-----

Leaders' Questions (9 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: -----and the lack of detailed arrangements they left behind them.

Leaders' Questions (9 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: Perhaps, the party can reflect back in sorrow.