Results 4,061-4,080 of 5,294 for speaker:Michael McCarthy

Seanad: Supplementary Budget Statement 2009: Statements (9 Apr 2009)

Michael McCarthy: It is a week's income for a pensioner.

Seanad: Supplementary Budget Statement 2009: Statements (9 Apr 2009)

Michael McCarthy: The structural deficit.

Seanad: Supplementary Budget Statement 2009: Statements (9 Apr 2009)

Michael McCarthy: Grinch. Why does Senator Callely not abolish Christmas while he is at it?

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Apr 2009)

Michael McCarthy: The House will have an opportunity to debate the budget today but I have a few questions for the Leader. I refer to the creation of the new agency, NAMA, and the ramifications for the taxpayer which will be absolutely huge. Does the Leader think it is fair that the Government has bailed out the banks and the developers? We as taxpayers will now own apartment blocks in Dubai, land in...

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Apr 2009)

Michael McCarthy: They have also sought to dismantle any normal household set up by a young couple with a young family. We must bear in mind that young people are now paying for the era of the Progressive Democrats and Charlie McCreevy. They have bailed out the bankers and the developers and the ordinary people are expected to deal with it. What will the liability be for the taxpayer once this body is...

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Apr 2009)

Michael McCarthy: The man in question called for a 3% social welfare cut.

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Apr 2009)

Michael McCarthy: I thank the Cathaoirleach for his indulgence. I want to make two brief points. First, the ECB rate is expected to fall again this week. In fact, it is expected to fall later this afternoon. The rate is as close to zero as it ever has been. Those on tracker mortgages will automatically be beneficiaries of that reduction, those of us who are on variable rates may, at the discretion of the...

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Apr 2009)

Michael McCarthy: IBEC should not be dictating social welfare policy. Let us not forget that the night of the budget last year a certain senior banker stated medical cards should be taken from those over 70. These people should not be allowed dictate our social welfare policy. Let us not forget that those in the banks and all these people brought us to this level, and also that IBEC represents its...

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Apr 2009)

Michael McCarthy: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Schools Building Projects (1 Apr 2009)

Michael McCarthy: I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach for his indulgence and his masterful craft of delivering guidance on procedure and adhering to it. In support of Senator O'Donovan's case, I point out that this is another example, as if one were needed, of a lack of joined-up thinking. The State, on the one hand, deserves to be commended on requesting the OPW to identify a site for the school, but the local...

Seanad: Schools Building Projects (1 Apr 2009)

Michael McCarthy: I thank Senator O'Donovan for generously sharing his time with me on the issue of Summercove national school and I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I support this call because I do not think it is economically viable to spend money renting prefabricated buildings which will never be permanent educational infrastructure. There are probably instances in the Minister of State's...

Seanad: Economic and Recovery Authority: Motion (1 Apr 2009)

Michael McCarthy: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Martin Mansergh, a former Member of this House, to this very important debate. More frightening figures were released this morning by the Central Statistics Office, CSO, with another 20,000 people having lost their jobs. In February it was 1,000 jobs a day. The Taoiseach has said that the trend appears to indicate that the rate of unemployment is...

Seanad: Telecommunications Services: Motion (25 Mar 2009)

Michael McCarthy: Exhibit A.

Seanad: Telecommunications Services: Motion (25 Mar 2009)

Michael McCarthy: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Seán Power. I look forward to debating this issue. It is important we debate broadband, especially in the current economic climate and given that there has been so much doom and gloom, threats and challenges to the Government and the country. We need to start focusing on what is positive. We need to start looking at the smart economy and to consider...

Seanad: Health Services (12 Mar 2009)

Michael McCarthy: It is a long point.

Seanad: Health Services (12 Mar 2009)

Michael McCarthy: It is.

Seanad: Schools Building Projects (12 Mar 2009)

Michael McCarthy: I thank the Cathaoirleach for allowing me to raise the important issue of the much-needed extension to Clonakilty community college. I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Kitt, to the House to discuss this matter with me. I have raised the issue on several occasions with my party's education spokesperson in the Dáil, on the Adjournment in this House and through various other...

Seanad: Schools Building Projects (12 Mar 2009)

Michael McCarthy: I thank the Minister of State for his response. I have raised this issue several times and the response from the Department rarely deviates from what the Minister of State has just read out. The terminology in terms of band ratings gives little support or optimism to those concerned. This is a critical issue. The broader issue of the schools building programme is one on which the...

Seanad: Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (12 Mar 2009)

Michael McCarthy: The Minister of State is a west Cork man.

Seanad: Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (12 Mar 2009)

Michael McCarthy: I concur with the sentiments expressed by Senator O'Donovan and thank the Minister of State, Deputy Noel Ahern, and his civil servants who attended the House for days. They discussed the merits and demerits of this legislation. I refer to the point made by the Minister of State in response to my point. The ministerial amendments do not remove the power to abolish Bantry Bay Harbour...