Results 33,521-33,540 of 34,779 for speaker:Seán Fleming

Statements on Expenditure (5 Dec 2011)

Seán Fleming: The Taoiseach, whom I watched intently on television last night, should go on television again tonight to explain the following.

Statements on Expenditure (5 Dec 2011)

Seán Fleming: When the Taoiseach's script writers met with him last week they scripted a speech with the message that we are all in this together and that the Government was going to be fair. However, they had hardly left the room when the Taoiseach approved an 18% increase in travel and subsistence for senior officials of his Department. Staff in the Taoiseach's Office have had their travel and...

Statements on Expenditure (5 Dec 2011)

Seán Fleming: We had spin last night and the substance is coming out today. Also, contract legal services for the Attorney General's Office, which comes under the remit of the Taoiseach, are to be increased to €668,925, a 38% increase. There are a few more increases I would like to mention.

Statements on Expenditure (5 Dec 2011)

Seán Fleming: At a time when the Minister for Finance is asking everyone else to take a cut, he has increased salaries in his Department from €17.8 billion to €20.5 billion, an increase of 15%.

Statements on Expenditure (5 Dec 2011)

Seán Fleming: Travel expenses for his staff are also to be increased by a whopping 34%. Tell that to people whose fuel allowance is being cut.

Statements on Expenditure (5 Dec 2011)

Seán Fleming: The Minister, Deputy Howlin, is increasing consultancy charges in his Department by 43%.

Statements on Expenditure (5 Dec 2011)

Seán Fleming: He is also increasing his Department's office expenses by 27% and there is an increase of 11% for retired civil servants. The Office of Public Works, which comes within the remit of the Minister, Deputy Howlin, is increasing its office expenditure by 8%. Yet, everyone else is to take a cut. How does the Government reconcile these increases with fairness for the public? The Minister for...

Statements on Expenditure (5 Dec 2011)

Seán Fleming: The equality, integration and disability service at that Department has been also cut by 15%, from €19.7 million to €16.8 million. Will the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Burton, who left the Chamber a few minutes ago, explain to those on whom she proposes to impose cuts the reason she has increased office expenditure in her Department by 23%, from €11.9 million to €14.7...

Statements on Expenditure (5 Dec 2011)

Seán Fleming: This is a cut in the rates. The child benefit rate of €140 in respect of the first and second child is not to be cut but the rate in respect of the third and fourth child in respect of whom €166 and €176, respectively, is paid is to be cut. This is a cut of more than €1,000 per annum or €100 per week for a family with five or six children.

Statements on Expenditure (5 Dec 2011)

Seán Fleming: The Government said this was a red line issue.

Statements on Expenditure (5 Dec 2011)

Seán Fleming: A Cheann Comhairle-----

Statements on Expenditure (5 Dec 2011)

Seán Fleming: A Cheann Comhairle, I am cutting-----

Statements on Expenditure (5 Dec 2011)

Seán Fleming: It is stated on page 29 of the document "...phase out entitlements to higher rates for the third and subsequent child over the next two years...", from which €70.7 million per annum will be saved.

Statements on Expenditure (5 Dec 2011)

Seán Fleming: That means the Government is cutting the rate of child benefit.

Statements on Expenditure (5 Dec 2011)

Seán Fleming: What aspect of that does the Minister, Deputy Howlin, not understand? Child benefit rates are being cut while expenditure in the Minister's office is being increased.

Statements on Expenditure (5 Dec 2011)

Seán Fleming: The fuel allowance is also being cut. What are people to do during cold weather in September or April? Are they to freeze for an extra two months? That is a nasty thing to do. Old people should be treated with kindness and respect. They are the people who brought all of us into this world.

Statements on Expenditure (5 Dec 2011)

Seán Fleming: This Government is being mean and nasty to elderly people. It is hitting the old by cutting their fuel allowances and it is hitting families with young children by way of cutting rates for third and fourth children at the same time as it is looking after its friends in terms of extra travel expenses and so on.

Statements on Expenditure (5 Dec 2011)

Seán Fleming: Another shocking measure is the change to the redundancy insolvency scheme to reduce the employer rebate from 60% to 15%. The Government is practically eliminating that measure. The Minister did not say when that will come into effect.

Statements on Expenditure (5 Dec 2011)

Seán Fleming: The Minister has introduced a scheme to incentivise employers to make people redundant before these new rates come into force.

Statements on Expenditure (5 Dec 2011)

Seán Fleming: When these new rates come into effect it will be more expensive for an employer to make a person redundant.