Results 35,461-35,480 of 35,959 for speaker:Pearse Doherty

Seanad: The Economy: Statements (23 Sep 2009)

Pearse Doherty: We should stop saying that foreign direct investment would be wiped out if we vote "No". It did not happen in France when it rejected the EU constitution. Foreign direct investment increased to a level of 10%. The Minister for Finance has said that a "No" vote would be tantamount to a signal of withdrawal from the European Union. That is a lie. It is untrue and it is scaremongering. I am...

Seanad: The Economy: Statements (23 Sep 2009)

Pearse Doherty: That is an indication of what is being said in that influential newspaper. Let us be clear and have a proper debate on the issues. Senator O'Malley referred to NAMA as a necessary evil. I agree with her that NAMA is absolutely evil.

Seanad: The Economy: Statements (23 Sep 2009)

Pearse Doherty: It is a rare occasion that Senator O'Malley and I can agree, even on half a statement. I agree with her that NAMA is evil. The fact that ordinary people, including young children, are paying up to €54 billion to bail out the banks is unbelievable.

Seanad: The Economy: Statements (23 Sep 2009)

Pearse Doherty: Earlier on a Government party Senator referred to an experience in most banks in this country that was especially acute in Donegal. I have raised this issue before. Many people in Donegal held what were known as bogus non-resident accounts, in particular people in my own parish who cut turf for a living, sold the turf to the turf burning station and who, when the turf burning station...

Seanad: The Economy: Statements (23 Sep 2009)

Pearse Doherty: The Taoiseach should apologise because he screwed the economy and he is screwing the working people and future generations with this NAMA evil. There is no accountability in our system. We heard earlier Senator Ross spoke about the board of FÁS. The Minister held on to a report on FÁS for 90 days before publishing it, an issue on which I made a statement. The board of FÁS remains in...

Seanad: The Economy: Statements (23 Sep 2009)

Pearse Doherty: There has been much talk about a 12% unemployment rate. We had that years ago. During the boom time, the Celtic tiger era, unemployment in Donegal stood at 18%. When we called for the setting up of a forum like Farmleigh, nothing happened. There is no strategy. Perhaps the Minister of State will outline how many tax exiles were at the Farmleigh event. Some of the people who were there,...

Seanad: The Economy: Statements (23 Sep 2009)

Pearse Doherty: Many of them are registered offshore and pay their taxes to another government through foreign industries. The Irish Government allowed this to happen by way of tax loopholes in the property sector.

Seanad: The Economy: Statements (23 Sep 2009)

Pearse Doherty: The love affair between the banks, property developers and the Government is responsible for this problem. I will finish with a statement that is three words in Irish and three words in English, namely, "I am sorry", "Tá mé bronach." Whether said in English or Irish, they need to be said. The Government has wrecked our economy and if it gets away with implementing NAMA, it will be the...

Seanad: Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Jul 2009)

Pearse Doherty: I did not have the opportunity to express my opposition, and that of my party, to section 3 of the Bill, but these two sections are linked and we oppose them for the same reasons. I will outline for the Minister of State why I pushed the vote on the deletion of section 3. I speak as somebody who has been smoking for a long time. I am not that old, but I have been smoking for a long period...

Seanad: Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Jul 2009)

Pearse Doherty: It is important that we acknowledge the major damage caused by smoking in our society. We need to take into account the need for constant vigilance and concerted efforts to combat smoking in the most effective way possible. It is extremely disappointing to see the Government introducing provisions that water down the penalties for breaches in the law with regard to the advertising, sale and...

Seanad: Medical Cards (15 Jul 2009)

Pearse Doherty: I welcome the Minister. The issue I have tabled, and the last issue to be discussed in the Seanad before the summer recess, is important to communities throughout the island of Ireland. It affects about 300 HSE employees but it will affect hundreds of thousands of medical card holders across the State. I wish to focus on the office in Ballybofey, County Donegal, where ten employees of the...

Seanad: Medical Cards (15 Jul 2009)

Pearse Doherty: Regardless of my level of disappointment with it, I thank the Minister of State for the information provided. Everyone is aware that the HSE is both a monster out of control and a bureaucratic nightmare. The Government is intent on creating a second monster. Processing the applications of 1.4 million people at one call centre in Dublin does not make sense. I recently spoke to Cora Harvey,...

Seanad: Medical Cards (15 Jul 2009)

Pearse Doherty: The centre will soon be obliged to deal with calls from over 1.4 million people. How can the Minister of State stand over her claim that services to the public will not be diminished, particularly when she is aware that the hub cannot even deal with the number of calls being made to it by those who are over 70?

Seanad: Local Government (Charges) Bill 2009 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (15 Jul 2009)

Pearse Doherty: I support this Bill and welcome the Minister's stance on it, and his openness to suggestions from me and others. I called for this Bill before the Government was willing to introduce a charge. An Indecon report identified this many years ago but there was a refusal to introduce it. I am not alone in saying this because Donegal County Council has been to the forefront in lobbying Government...

Seanad: Local Government (Charges) Bill 2009 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (15 Jul 2009)

Pearse Doherty: Will the Minister of State clarify a matter?

Seanad: Local Government (Charges) Bill 2009 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (15 Jul 2009)

Pearse Doherty: I have a question, I do not want to make a speech or raise the incapacitation issue. I wish to ask about the advertising of the charge, as it is important for the functioning of the Bill. Will this charge be advertised on an all-Ireland basis, for example, in daily newspapers such as the Irish News and the Belfast Newsletter in the Six Counties where many people have properties?

Seanad: Local Government (Charges) Bill 2009 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (15 Jul 2009)

Pearse Doherty: This needs to be advertised in those newspapers as well, otherwise people will be caught out. If the charge is not advertised in the newspapers in the Six Counties, people living in Belfast or in Derry will not know that this charge is in force and must be paid within a number of weeks.

Seanad: Local Government (Charges) Bill 2009 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (15 Jul 2009)

Pearse Doherty: I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Áine Brady, the Minister, Deputy Gormley, who previously dealt with the Bill in the Seanad, and the officials who drafted the legislation for the approach they took in that regard and for the open-minded approach to suggestions from the Opposition. In contrast, last night no matter what was said by the Opposition, we were told that no amendments would...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Jul 2009)

Pearse Doherty: I wish to add my voice to the calls for an amendment to the Order of Business to address REPS, which is crucial to rural Ireland and the future of small farms across the State. I also add my voice to Senator Twomey's amendment concerning pharmacists. I refer to the problem that those who want to receive medication in the next few weeks will face if this dispute is not resolved. This is a...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Jul 2009)

Pearse Doherty: Yesterday, in the House of Commons, MPs gathered to open a debate on Irish unity. Yesterday we had 60 minutes to talk about Northern Ireland and no party mentioned Irish unity. These are questions we need to start debating. MPs can open a discussion in the House of Commons on Irish unity yet this Chamber will not discuss it.