Results 27,041-27,060 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (16 Sep 2009)

Richard Bruton: The way in which alternatives have been treated by other Ministers and by the Government undermines confidence in this debate. It has not been focused on defending what has been put forward in the NAMA legislation, the overpaying that is proposed. Why is it proposed to pay this long-term economic value? All the debate has been about the Government trying to discredit alternatives....

National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (16 Sep 2009)

Richard Bruton: -----because they were questioning pillars of Government policy. We were told that scarcely a year ago. The critics today are being treated in the same way. We need to heed the critics because we have to make such significant decisions. Certain disinterested evaluations of what is proposed has been made and a number of international sources have commented. The ECB has said beware of...

National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (16 Sep 2009)

Richard Bruton: -----but the Minister is insistent on doing it.

National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (16 Sep 2009)

Richard Bruton: The Swedish Minister for Finance has said the Swedish model is entirely different from what the Minister proposes and it was based on tough hard-nosed approach to valuation, again something which the Minister rejects. The IMF warned of the pitfalls of seeking to avoid nationalisation as a guiding principle of policy and so forcing the State to engage in this charade of evaluations - again...

National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (16 Sep 2009)

Richard Bruton: What is France doing now? It has switched to a national recovery bank along the lines proposed by Fine Gael. It is pursuing the approach we have adopted of getting credit going to the companies that need it and using ECB liquidity.

National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (16 Sep 2009)

Richard Bruton: It is important for the Minister to remember that international best practice on the way to deal with a banking crisis has evolved since he first hatched the NAMA approach. At that stage, examples of recovery banks were not plentiful but now we have a very good example of a recovery bank that is even being reported on the national airwaves. Bank resolutions that separated good from bad and...

National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (16 Sep 2009)

Richard Bruton: -----subordinated bonds that were involved in that case. Our approach to the debate is that we are determined to try to stop this Bill. We believe that it is a mistake, but we are not going to be pigheaded. If we lose the debate on the principle, we will persist in trying to get the best deal to protect the taxpayer in anything that goes ahead. We want to see amendments. We want to see a...

Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) and Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Second Stage (9 Jul 2009)

Richard Bruton: That is fair enough. The other issue that is raised is the Minister's proposal to have a benchmarking process for higher paid people in the public service. I presume that Members of the Oireachtas are included in that process. The Minister has not really clarified in his presentation how that procedure is intended to operate. There was quite a degree of debate about the issue of how...

Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) and Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Committee Stage and Remaining Stages (9 Jul 2009)

Richard Bruton: I move amendment No. a1: In page 3, between lines 21 and 22, to insert the following: " "Act of 2001" means Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Act 2001.". This amendment is to deal with the issue which the Minister indicated he was sympathetic to examining, namely the status of the allowances paid to Independents. Under the present arrangements, while parties...

Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) and Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Committee Stage and Remaining Stages (9 Jul 2009)

Richard Bruton: That would be the safest deposit in the country.

Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) and Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Committee Stage and Remaining Stages (9 Jul 2009)

Richard Bruton: Is this new in the sense that the Minister is taking responsibility for something that has hitherto been a matter for the Oireachtas Commission? The Minister seems to be saying that the legal advice is that this would seem to be the simplest way. Undoubtedly it is simple but it certainly seems to be rowing back on the principle that the Oireachtas Commission is self-governing. Perhaps the...

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (9 Jul 2009)

Richard Bruton: Question 23: To ask the Minister for Transport if he will reallocate the reduced funding for local and regional road maintenance to local authorities to address long standing dangerous roads; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28495/09]

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (9 Jul 2009)

Richard Bruton: Question 66: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will provide details of the €250 million job protection programme; when she expects this scheme to commence; the financial mechanisms being used to fund the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29525/09]

Written Answers — Public Service Review: Public Service Review (9 Jul 2009)

Richard Bruton: Question 74: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if her Department made submissions to the McCarthy group on potential savings in her Department; the contents of the submissions made; if the McCarthy group made proposals to her Department; the contents of the proposals; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28895/09]

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (9 Jul 2009)

Richard Bruton: Question 84: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the funding allocated to the National Training Fund for 2008 and 2009; if she expects all funding will be spent in 2009; if the reminder will be carried over; the amount allocated to training schemes to date in 2009; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29526/09]

Written Answers — Faoiseamh Cánach: Faoiseamh Cánach (9 Jul 2009)

Richard Bruton: Question 118: To ask the Aire Airgeadais an leasóidh sé alt 476 den Acht Comhdhlúite Cánacha 1997 ionas go mbeidh faoiseamh cánach ar fáil i leith chaiteachas an fhoghlaimeora ar chúrsaí teagaisc Gaeilge; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [28776/09]

Written Answers — Stádas na Gaeilge: Stádas na Gaeilge (9 Jul 2009)

Richard Bruton: Question 119: To ask the Aire Airgeadais an gcuirfidh sé iallach ar na bainc eile a bhain leas as barántas €400 billiún agus athchaipitealú fial an Stáit rogha na Gaeilge a chur ar fáil do na custaiméirí a úsáideann na seirbhísí baincéireachta ar-líne agus na hinnill airgid acu, i bhfianaise an tiomantais don teanga atá léirithe ag banc (sonraí tugtha) cheana féin trí...

Written Answers — Public Service Review: Public Service Review (9 Jul 2009)

Richard Bruton: Question 121: To ask the Minister for Finance if his Department made submissions to the McCarthy group on potential savings in his Department; the contents of the submissions made; if the McCarthy group made proposals to his Department; the contents of the proposals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28897/09]

Written Answers — Flood Relief: Flood Relief (9 Jul 2009)

Richard Bruton: Question 122: To ask the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to a second incident within ten months on which houses (details supplied) in Dublin 5 have been flooded; his assessment of the causes and of he will commit to undertake remedial works. [28909/09]

Written Answers — Public Service Contracts: Public Service Contracts (9 Jul 2009)

Richard Bruton: Question 151: To ask the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the fact that in tendering for debt recovery work, the Revenue Commissioners disqualify any applicant who does not already have an income of €200,000 per year from debt recovery work; and if he will access if this represents an unfair barrier to entry and result in unduly favouring incumbent providers when a...