Results 35,501-35,520 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (5 Feb 2009)

Joan Burton: Question 129: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the difficulties in respect of funding by current or proposed private hospitals; if she has given such hospitals, their management or investors letters of comfort or other form of assurance regarding State support, funding through the National Treatment Purchase Fund, confirmation of business through...

Stabilisation of the Public Finances: Motion (Resumed) (5 Feb 2009)

Joan Burton: What about the pensions?

Stabilisation of the Public Finances: Motion (Resumed) (5 Feb 2009)

Joan Burton: Good.

Stabilisation of the Public Finances: Motion (Resumed) (5 Feb 2009)

Joan Burton: If the Minister has not been apprised of it will he ask his advisers about it?

Stabilisation of the Public Finances: Motion (Resumed) (5 Feb 2009)

Joan Burton: That is the correct decision.

Stabilisation of the Public Finances: Motion (Resumed) (5 Feb 2009)

Joan Burton: I will first ask the Minister a couple of general questions before addressing the issue of the levy. The table provided by the Department on prospective savings states that total current and capital savings under the programme will be €2 billion this year. Under the heading on the 8% reduction in professional fees, an example is given of "Medical and Legal". What does this mean? To take...

Stabilisation of the Public Finances: Motion (Resumed) (5 Feb 2009)

Joan Burton: Let us return to what is described as a pension-related deduction. I asked the Minister for a private briefing from him or his officials on whether this would be subject to tax relief. The Taoiseach said in his statement that the gross amount was €1.4 billion. My view, which I put to the Minister privately, was that it would have to be deductible for tax purposes. The statement by the...

Stabilisation of the Public Finances: Motion (Resumed) (5 Feb 2009)

Joan Burton: Is the levy calculated on all of a public servant's income? In other words, is it calculated on one's basic, overtime, special allowances and weekend allowances? Is it calculated on bonuses, such as the 10% paid to assistant general secretaries and above? The issue of our troops serving in Chad was raised by my colleague, Deputy Brian O'Shea. When they are on UN service, as the Minister...

Stabilisation of the Public Finances: Motion (Resumed) (5 Feb 2009)

Joan Burton: How can they not compensate themselves? Will the Minister legislate for it?

Stabilisation of the Public Finances: Motion (Resumed) (5 Feb 2009)

Joan Burton: With respect, the Ministers of State and committees, as I understand it, are a matter for the Taoiseach and Government to consider. That is the question I was asking.

Stabilisation of the Public Finances: Motion (Resumed) (5 Feb 2009)

Joan Burton: What about the Ministers of State and the numbers of committees?

Written Answers — Defence Forces Ombudsman: Defence Forces Ombudsman (4 Feb 2009)

Joan Burton: Question 140: To ask the Minister for Defence his proposals to provide appropriate accommodation for the Office of the Ombudsman to the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3496/09]

Written Answers — Defence Forces Ombudsman: Defence Forces Ombudsman (4 Feb 2009)

Joan Burton: Question 156: To ask the Minister for Defence if he is satisfied that staffing levels in the Office of the Ombudsman to the Defence Forces are sufficient to carry out its mandate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3497/09]

Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (4 Feb 2009)

Joan Burton: Question 187: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the conditions of medical cards for over 70 year olds (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3760/09]

Stabilisation of the Public Finances: Motion (Resumed) (4 Feb 2009)

Joan Burton: It has been in place for the past six years.

Stabilisation of the Public Finances: Motion (Resumed) (4 Feb 2009)

Joan Burton: When I heard the Minister's offering earlier I was reminded of a song that was often sung when I was a child, God save Ireland said the Heroes. God needs to look kindly on Ireland because what the Minister for Finance offered today and what the Taoiseach offered yesterday is so incomplete and lacking in vision. It is so unsure and uncertain because we have been down this road of adjustment,...

Stabilisation of the Public Finances: Motion (Resumed) (4 Feb 2009)

Joan Burton: I warned against the Japanese model. In the early 1990s after the Cold War, Japan's economy was devastated by a burst property bubble with house and land prices tumbling and undermining the property-related assets and loan books of many Japanese banks. Rather than encouraging their banks to come clean on their balance sheets and write off their bad debts, the Japanese Government facilitated...

Stabilisation of the Public Finances: Motion (Resumed) (4 Feb 2009)

Joan Burton: I am sorry. The Minister was prepared to do it on an emergency basis with Anglo Irish Bank being the centre of the rescue, not the system. Not only that——-

Stabilisation of the Public Finances: Motion (Resumed) (4 Feb 2009)

Joan Burton: As Minister for Finance, Deputy Brian Lenihan knew from the minute he stepped into office that there had been extraordinary dealings in the shares of Anglo Irish Bank by one of the largest industrial companies in the States.

Stabilisation of the Public Finances: Motion (Resumed) (4 Feb 2009)

Joan Burton: The Minister also had a weak Financial Regulator. I do not believe he could have eyeballed the office cat in the banks. Yet, the Financial Regulator was asked to eyeball some of the most powerful and richest people in the country to tell them what they were doing did not seem quite right. Deputy Sherlock listened to one bank auditor yesterday at a committee declare that although he was...