Results 281-300 of 375 for speaker:Margaret Cox

Seanad: Estimates for 2004: Motion. (19 Nov 2003)

Margaret Cox: Was that in the Labour Party's general election manifesto?

Seanad: Estimates for 2004: Motion. (19 Nov 2003)

Margaret Cox: A Chathaoirligh, is the Punchestown Event Centre relevant to the debate?

Seanad: Estimates for 2004: Motion. (19 Nov 2003)

Margaret Cox: I welcome the Minister to the House. I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "Seanad Éireann," and substitute the following: "noting as a consequence of the Estimates for 2004, that spending on social welfare is projected to increase to €10.65 billion in 2004, notes that these Estimates do not as of yet include any budgetary provision for increases in social welfare payment rates...

Seanad: Estimates for 2004: Motion. (19 Nov 2003)

Margaret Cox: Anybody who believes that by spending of more than €40 billion in 2004 we are not looking after the people of this country is foolish. More than two thirds of the gross spending next year will be devoted to health, education and social welfare.

Seanad: Estimates for 2004: Motion. (19 Nov 2003)

Margaret Cox: Public expenditure has increased from €18 billion in 1997 to more than €40 billion next year. We have increased wealth by more than half in that time. By prudent management and by reducing the national debt since 1997, there is now an additional €1 billion available for investment in public services, which otherwise would have been required for debt servicing. I did not see that...

Seanad: Estimates for 2004: Motion. (19 Nov 2003)

Margaret Cox: I did not interrupt the Senators earlier.

Seanad: Estimates for 2004: Motion. (19 Nov 2003)

Margaret Cox: Do we now want to go back to borrowing all the money so that we can give it away? That is not the type of country we want and the people did not elect this party to Government to do that. Social welfare expenditure in 2003 is almost double the level it was when the Labour Party and Fine Gael were last in Government. This unprecedented level of payment is all the more outstanding when we...

Seanad: Estimates for 2004: Motion. (19 Nov 2003)

Margaret Cox: —pensions to €200 per week in the lifetime of the Government and we are well on the way to achieving it. Child benefit is the most significant and universally acknowledged tax free measure directed at relieving child poverty. When Fianna Fáil came into Government, child benefit was €38.09 per child and €49.52 for the third and subsequent children. This year, before the announcement...

Seanad: Estimates for 2004: Motion. (19 Nov 2003)

Margaret Cox: These increases mean that in the period Fianna Fáil has been in office rates of child benefit have more than trebled. This benefit is paid to every family in the country. It is the fairest and most direct means of ensuring that we alleviate child poverty. There is no cut in that area. Let us look at some of the things we propose to do and the criticisms levelled against us. We cannot...

Seanad: Estimates for 2004: Motion. (19 Nov 2003)

Margaret Cox: I know it to be a fact.

Seanad: Estimates for 2004: Motion. (19 Nov 2003)

Margaret Cox: I know it to be a fact because I have seen it happen. Any Senator who says it is not a fact is living in never-never land.

Seanad: Estimates for 2004: Motion. (19 Nov 2003)

Margaret Cox: It is a fact.

Seanad: Estimates for 2004: Motion. (19 Nov 2003)

Margaret Cox: My script was not supplied by anybody. I am stating a fact regarding this particular issue. If we see people going back to education after 15 months of unemployment through the back to education allowance, it will be a better focus of the scheme. It will allow other people to have money to which they are more entitled. It is being raised from six months to 15 months in respect of third level,...

Seanad: Estimates for 2004: Motion. (19 Nov 2003)

Margaret Cox: It is not about the Minister, Deputy McCreevy, either, yet Opposition Senators spoke about him for half an hour. We are only following the precedent set by the Opposition.

Seanad: Estimates for 2004: Motion. (19 Nov 2003)

Margaret Cox: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Estimates for 2004: Motion. (19 Nov 2003)

Margaret Cox: How many seats did Fine Gael lose?

Seanad: Estimates for 2004: Motion. (19 Nov 2003)

Margaret Cox: It is not abolished.

Seanad: Estimates for 2004: Motion. (19 Nov 2003)

Margaret Cox: The Senator should be accurate. It will continue for those who have it.

Seanad: Estimates for 2004: Motion. (19 Nov 2003)

Margaret Cox: The rate of corporation tax is 12.5%.

Seanad: Estimates for 2004: Motion. (19 Nov 2003)

Margaret Cox: There have been more houses starts in the last few years than at any other time in the history of the State.