Results 27,381-27,400 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Departmental Staff. (29 Apr 2009)

Richard Bruton: The Taoiseach elaborated in his reply that an exercise was undertaken to look at the cost-effectiveness of the service and that it was decided that a centralised service would be less cost-effective. I ask him to elaborate on what was priced and what were the savings shown up in that exercise. I wish to ask a general question about whether he takes responsibility for looking at the...

Official Engagements. (29 Apr 2009)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Taoiseach for his reply. Is it the Taoiseach's intention that he will go to the Council on 29-30 October having held a referendum on the Lisbon treaty? He has had discussions with colleagues on the timing of that referendum but no date has been set. I presume the October Council will be the outer limit for having a decision here, or am I mistaken in that? Does the Taoiseach...

Official Engagements. (29 Apr 2009)

Richard Bruton: Contrary to what Deputy Ó Caoláin asserted, in the lead up to the Lisbon treaty the EU was more involved in listening than it had ever been. The Minister of State, Deputy Carey, and Deputies from all parties were involved in exhaustive work, preparing the ground for the treaty. It is not that the elite is not listening. However, given the very good work of the sub-committee on Ireland's...

Order of Business (29 Apr 2009)

Richard Bruton: I wish to ask the Taoiseach once again about the establishment of the national asset management agency. Today we read in the newspapers that the Minister is proposing to set it up on a non-statutory basis. This is the most potentially high-cost institution ever created in this State. It is taking on €90 billion in loans, equivalent to 60% of our national income in impaired loans. The...

Order of Business (29 Apr 2009)

Richard Bruton: ——and we need to have a clear strategy from Government that has the support of the Oireachtas before we head off on this journey of discovery. I have little confidence in it and that is an issue we can debate here. However, we cannot have the Minister proceeding in the way he proposes. I ask the Taoiseach to pin this down, once and for all. What is the legislative intention? How are...

Order of Business (29 Apr 2009)

Richard Bruton: This is a journey of discovery. One cannot go down that road without some underpinning from the Oireachtas. That is crucial. The Taoiseach is asking the taxpayers to expose themselves to huge potential loses.

Order of Business (29 Apr 2009)

Richard Bruton: It is not being done.

Order of Business (29 Apr 2009)

Richard Bruton: The legitimate issues which need to be asked about this must be asked and answered in this House before we create some body roaming around making commitments and taking approaches to something——

Leaders' Questions (29 Apr 2009)

Richard Bruton: Today we have seen the publication of the ESRI report on the economy, which illustrates the appalling economic catastrophe the country is now suffering. Its figures show that 300,000 jobs will be lost between this year and next. The economic decline forecast for Ireland is twice as bad as in any of our competitor countries and the rise in unemployment is also twice as bad as any of our...

Leaders' Questions (29 Apr 2009)

Richard Bruton: These statistics, as the Taoiseach knows, reveal that the unemployment figure in the first four months of the year — up to 17 April — has risen by 94,000. That is on top of an increase of 120,000 in 2008. It is rising twice as fast for young workers as for older workers. Behind those statistics dwell some grim facts — business people seeing their lives' work destroyed as they have...

Leaders' Questions (29 Apr 2009)

Richard Bruton: What is the Government's jobs strategy?

Leaders' Questions (29 Apr 2009)

Richard Bruton: The Government has ducked reform in the public service and reform of the energy sector. It has ducked everything.

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (28 Apr 2009)

Richard Bruton: Question 135: To ask the Minister for Finance the employment terms under which persons (details supplied) were employed; and if these positions or contracts were open to public competition. [16164/09]

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (28 Apr 2009)

Richard Bruton: Question 139: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will clarify if the income exemption limits that apply to the new levy introduced in 2009 are to be calculated excluding social welfare income which is not subject to the levy. [16271/09]

Written Answers — Redundancy Payments: Redundancy Payments (28 Apr 2009)

Richard Bruton: Question 146: To ask the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the potential unfairness of applying the composite rate of levies which he proposes for 2009 which appears to apply to redundancy payments made before 1 May 2009. [16545/09]

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (28 Apr 2009)

Richard Bruton: Question 147: To ask the Minister for Finance if he has had inquiries from members of the public regarding changes in the tax treatment of retirement lump sums; and if he plans to make clear his policy in this area in order that people can make these important decisions for their lives on an informed basis. [16546/09]

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (28 Apr 2009)

Richard Bruton: Question 148: To ask the Minister for Finance his views on introducing a differential rate of tax on rental income instead of the restriction on the allowability of interest payments; and the arguments that led him to choose the restriction on interest as opposed to other measures that might have raised extra taxation from this sector. [16547/09]

Written Answers — Services for People with Disabilities: Services for People with Disabilities (28 Apr 2009)

Richard Bruton: Question 225: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the threat to the day care service for people with a disability at a centre (details supplied) in County Dublin; and if she will seek a report from the Health Service Executive to ascertain if the plan is consistent with stated objectives. [16561/09]

Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (28 Apr 2009)

Richard Bruton: Question 168: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the problems that have arisen since the processing of medical cards for persons aged 70 and over have been centralised away from local offices to the primary care reimbursement service; if she has requested detailed reports on delays, on unexplained withdrawal of cards, and confusion; and if she will...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (28 Apr 2009)

Richard Bruton: Question 169: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the preliminary costings on the proposed year of pre-school announced in the 7 April 2009 budget; the participation levels assumed in the costings; the capital grants which are envisaged to establish the service; the annual running costs; and her role in the development of the scheme and its implementation. [16166/09]