Results 33,961-33,980 of 34,779 for speaker:Seán Fleming

Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jun 2011)

Seán Fleming: Can I speak to this new section?

Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jun 2011)

Seán Fleming: The amendment provides that the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform shall prepare a scale of maximum charges for returning officers in university constituencies, and it will be paid by the Minister for Finance with which I have no difficulty. Has the Minister information on the scale of fees that apply to returning officers? How many returning officers are there? There is one for...

Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jun 2011)

Seán Fleming: I think the Minister missed my point. I refer specifically only to expenditure paid for with taxpayers' money, not to expenditure by candidates. I refer specifically to expenditure under the Minister's remit.

Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jun 2011)

Seán Fleming: I refer specifically to expenditure of the Minister's Department and the Department of Finance. The Secretary General of the Department of Finance came before the Committee of Public Accounts on a special section in the Comptroller and Auditor General's report about returning officers' fees in previous elections, some of whom five years after the election had never filled their complete...

Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jun 2011)

Seán Fleming: I refer not to leaflets but to litir um thoghcháin where the postage is paid for by the taxpayer. I suggest that one litir um thoghcháin issue and that the booklet, paid for by the taxpayer, should include the name of all candidates, as is the case on the ballot paper. All I am saying is the biggest cost in an election to the taxpayer is everybody's postage. I accept the returning...

Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jun 2011)

Seán Fleming: I am curious as to why this provision is apparently being dealt with in a different way to the others. For example, there is reference to borrowing powers for working capital, which is not mentioned in other sections. There is also reference to payments for pension gratuities and other allowances in respect of members of staff of the former Department of Posts and Telegraphs. Will the...

Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jun 2011)

Seán Fleming: I am intrigued by the Minister's response. Some weeks ago the Government announced the imposition of a levy of 0.6% per annum on private pension funds, amounting to 2.4% over four years. That levy will impact on the ability of the Eircom pension fund to pay its pensioners and the Minister is saying that this shortfall will effectively be underwritten by his Department. This is completely...

Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jun 2011)

Seán Fleming: I do not know.

Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jun 2011)

Seán Fleming: Fully.

Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jun 2011)

Seán Fleming: I agree with the Minister and hope I did not give the impression that I was talking about recent employees or of pension liabilities that have accrued since the organisation was privatised. It relates to those who formerly were staff of the old Department of Posts and Telegraphs or of Telecom Éireann, some of whom benefited from ESOPs.

Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jun 2011)

Seán Fleming: While I do not recall the exact year, all Members will have encountered them in their constituencies and many of them are still alive and well.

Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jun 2011)

Seán Fleming: Yes, thank God. Consequently, there could be a pension levy attributable to them. There must be a clearly defined number of such people because the number of staff is known, as is the number of those who still are alive. The exact figure is worth getting and I hope there will be no liability. However, the door is open and it is desirable to know the precise extent of any contingent liability.

Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jun 2011)

Seán Fleming: In what group was it discussed?

Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jun 2011)

Seán Fleming: My grouping list refers to amendments Nos. 69, 71, 72, 75 and 75.

Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jun 2011)

Seán Fleming: Not on the grouping list I have to hand.

Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jun 2011)

Seán Fleming: The grouping list refers to amendments Nos. 75 and 75, which is a typographical error. However, I wish to comment on the amendment.

Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jun 2011)

Seán Fleming: While the Minister might suggest the point I am about to make is tangential, it is not.

Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jun 2011)

Seán Fleming: This is a great legislative item in that it covers a wide range of areas. As the Minister is taking on many responsibilities, Members have had an opportunity to raise matters that will be fully-----

Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jun 2011)

Seán Fleming: Yes. These matters will be in the Minister's brief and consequently, my question pertains to the powers the Minister proposes to take on under this amendment. The amendment provides that the Minister will be involved in the appointment of directors to hold office for such term and upon such conditions as the Minister will deem fit, which is fine. I make a point about the lottery that the...

Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jun 2011)

Seán Fleming: No.