Results 35,141-35,160 of 35,959 for speaker:Pearse Doherty

Seanad: National Housing Development Survey Report: Statements (27 Oct 2010)

Pearse Doherty: The Minister of State will have an opportunity to reply later.

Seanad: National Housing Development Survey Report: Statements (27 Oct 2010)

Pearse Doherty: When NAMA was introduced, the Government claimed it would make a profit. Why? NAMA and the Government believe property prices will return to their peak in ten years. The Minister of State is telling those who own 30,000 unsold properties that he will rent them while putting taxpayers' money into their pockets. Then after bailing them out, ten years later they can have their properties...

Seanad: National Housing Development Survey Report: Statements (27 Oct 2010)

Pearse Doherty: Instead of bailing out the developers, the Minister of State should be purchasing these properties.

Seanad: National Housing Development Survey Report: Statements (27 Oct 2010)

Pearse Doherty: The developers took a risk.

Seanad: National Housing Development Survey Report: Statements (27 Oct 2010)

Pearse Doherty: There are 47 apartments on Navenny Street in Ballybofey beside the town's Supervalu. The Minister of State could direct Donegal County Council to purchase all these apartments for €500,000.

Seanad: National Housing Development Survey Report: Statements (27 Oct 2010)

Pearse Doherty: Then again, the Government does not agree with buying these properties because its message to the developers is that it will rent them off them and pay their mortgages over the next ten years. Then, they can sell them off when times get good again for a higher price. The nonsense of knocking down houses is another attempt to restart the property boom which fed the Minister of State's party's...

Seanad: National Housing Development Survey Report: Statements (27 Oct 2010)

Pearse Doherty: The people in the unfinished housing estates do not have the luxury Ministers have of a chauffeur-driven car, a €200,000 pay cheque every year and a sizeable pension. Instead, they must put up with overflowing sewage, untarred roads, out-of-order street lights and estates falling apart. The Minister of State should not be condescending in claiming this report shows matters are not as bad...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (Panel Members)(Amendment) Bill 2008: Second Stage (20 Oct 2010)

Pearse Doherty: Gabhaim buíochas don Seanadóir Hannigan as a chuid ama a roinnt liom. I find myself in the unusual position of agreeing with some of what the Minister of State said. It is not often that I find common ground with the Government. However, introducing change to the Seanad on a piecemeal basis does not represent the way forward. I was on my own for a long period in arguing that the Seanad...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (Panel Members)(Amendment) Bill 2008: Second Stage (20 Oct 2010)

Pearse Doherty: I want us to move in completely the opposite direction in terms of Seanad reform. The House should be abolished, but there is no political will to take the bull by the horns and deal with the matter. Since the foundation of the State, numerous reports on Seanad reform have been forthcoming. However, they have never been acted upon. The result of the referendum held in 1979 has never been...

Seanad: Restructuring of Vocational Education Committees: Statements (19 Oct 2010)

Pearse Doherty: I enjoyed Senator McDonald's speech. Although I did not agree with some of it - some of her comments were scandalous - it generally reached the core of the issue. Her passion cannot be questioned. It was wrong of the Senator to refer to some of the public sector workers in our education system as dross. It should be made clear that those who deliver education services within the VEC...

Seanad: Public Service Agreement 2010-2014: Statements (13 Oct 2010)

Pearse Doherty: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Seanadóir Quinn as ucht a chuid ama a roinnt liom. Obviously the debate on the Croke Park agreement is also taking place outside this Chamber. I recently met some of the business leaders and large employers in my constituency. One of them told me that the minute the Croke Park agreement was signed, sales increased but as soon as there was speculation and...

Seanad: Common Agricultural Policy: Statements (12 Oct 2010)

Pearse Doherty: Cuirim fáilte roimh an plé seo. Is é seo an cine ábhair a bhí pléite go mór ag an comhdháil treas-Teorainn i gContae an Dún an deireadh seachtain seo chaite. CAP reform was one of the big items discussed at the all Ireland parliamentary conference. It is one of the areas where we can all agree, both North and South. We need to benefit in the best way possible from the discussions...

Seanad: National Economy: Statements (Resumed) (6 Oct 2010)

Pearse Doherty: Hear, hear.

Seanad: National Economy: Statements (Resumed) (6 Oct 2010)

Pearse Doherty: I thank Senator Norris for sharing time. I thoroughly enjoyed his contribution and agree wholeheartedly with what he said about a renegotiation in respect of our natural resources. I also agree with his comments on the 50 cent charge on medical prescriptions. We have discussed on many occasions the Government's failure in respect of the bank guarantee and the collapse of the banking sector....

Seanad: National Economy: Statements (Resumed) (6 Oct 2010)

Pearse Doherty: The tax intake doubled from the property boom.

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Sep 2010)

Pearse Doherty: All of us are taken aback by the statements early this morning. I want to focus on one point, namely, political accountability. Government Members in this Chamber have mentioned that the scale of the debts is manageable but the reality is that the people who will manage them are not the Minister for Finance or the Taoiseach but the people in our communities who will see more cuts inflicted...

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Sep 2010)

Pearse Doherty: ——or whether he got it completely wrong is irrelevant. The reality, as we know today, is that €34 billion is the price tag of that decision. The Minister for Finance got it absolutely and terribly wrong. There needs to be political accountability. We cannot allow somebody who is charged by and has the confidence of these Houses to make decisions, to brief Members of these Houses, to...

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Sep 2010)

Pearse Doherty: ——when the information was out there in the public arena——

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Sep 2010)

Pearse Doherty: ——and put us in a position where we guaranteed a bank which is costing us €34 billion. I formally propose an amendment to the Order of Business that Seanad Éireann debate a motion of no confidence in the Minister for Finance, Deputy Brian Lenihan, today.

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Sep 2010)

Pearse Doherty: On a point of order, is the Cathaoirleach accepting my amendment to the Order of Business, or is he just pushing it aside because it is a motion of no confidence in the Minister for Finance?