Results 4,081-4,100 of 15,491 for speaker:Eamon Gilmore

Order of Business (8 Nov 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: In anticipation of Deputy McDonald requesting time for a debate on the decision on the children's hospital, the Government took the initiative to put it on the programme for today. We also tabled a motion, which we circulated to the Whips last night. If there are amendments, we can consider them. Some 85 minutes are provided and when spokespersons are in the Chamber, there is a degree of...

Order of Business (8 Nov 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: With the indulgence of the Ceann Comhairle, before replying to Deputy Martin's question, this is the last opportunity in the House to encourage people to vote on Saturday in the children's referendum. I am sure other party leaders will do the same. It is an important referendum and it is the first time we have run something like this on a Saturday. Deputy Martin was particularly exercised...

Order of Business (8 Nov 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: The pension levy is a temporary levy and has generated 10,000 jobs in the tourism industry. A report has been received by the Minister for Social Protection on charges on pensions. A consultation process has been initiated and will run for three months. The specific issue raised by Deputy Martin is whether something similar to the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act can...

Order of Business (8 Nov 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: Deputy Martin is referring to the money transferred to the pension fund in AIB. That was put in to ensure the voluntary redundancy scheme at AIB, leading to a significant reduction in the number of staff in AIB, was supported and to ensure the pension entitlements were protected.

Order of Business (8 Nov 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: We must be careful because it is complex. We all feel the same way about large pensions paid to the big guys who have left but we do not want to undermine the pension scheme for bank officials, who are not at fault for happened in the banking system. Many of them have lost their jobs and we must ensure their pensions are protected. We do not want to undermine their pension schemes while...

Leaders' Questions (8 Nov 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: This Government did not have to wait for either Fianna Fáil, which is responsible for the bank bailout, or Sinn Féin, which supported the bailout, to raise this issue in the House.

Leaders' Questions (8 Nov 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: We are already dealing with this issue. It is not acceptable to the Government or the people of this country that these levels of either pensions or salaries should continue to be paid. That is why the Minister for Finance has already been in discussion with the IBRC about this. He has already undertaken the review. He wrote to both the Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil spokespersons to...

Leaders' Questions (8 Nov 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: -----he was taking on that last summer. He is continuing with that work. I assure the Deputy that this issue is being, and will be, dealt with. We inherited a problem here. The problem is that Fianna Fáil approved contracts for those people and we have to find a way of addressing that issue. It is not insignificant that although the parliamentary question was asked by the Fianna...

Leaders' Questions (8 Nov 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I agree with Deputy Boyd Barrett that people have suffered as a result of what has happened to this country, the way Fianna Fáil mismanaged our economy and the way the banking system was dealt with. People have suffered loss of employment, loss of businesses and the loss of services in education, health and elsewhere. They are justifiably angry when they see some of the people who were...

Leaders' Questions (8 Nov 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: This Government's political will is that the days of golden circles in this country are over. There will be no insulation of golden circles under this Government. We will see to that. The issues being considered for the budget will be announced on budget day. Given Deputy Boyd Barrett's past record, it does not matter what the Government will announce on budget day, Deputy Boyd Barrett...

Leaders' Questions (8 Nov 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: The Minister is dealing with this urgently. The problem of delays in the processing of student grants is not a 2012 problem.

Leaders' Questions (8 Nov 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: The problem of student grants not being processed and delays at local authority and VEC levels in the processing of student grants has gone on for years. Some local authorities were far worse than others. This is the first time the system of processing student grants has been rationalised into a single body. There have been delays in the processing of student grants. I do not think it is...

Leaders' Questions (8 Nov 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: Deputy Martin should listen to the answer.

Leaders' Questions (8 Nov 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: He keeps chattering and twittering instead of listening to the answer I am giving. If he is serious about the issue-----

Leaders' Questions (8 Nov 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: -----I am quite happy to give him the answer.

Leaders' Questions (8 Nov 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: Deputy Martin should at least afford me the courtesy of listening to the answer I am giving him. The Minister for Education and Skills has already made it clear through the Higher Education Authority, to the universities and the institutes of technology that no student whose grant has not yet come through should be disadvantaged in terms of participating in college, attending classes or...

Leaders' Questions (8 Nov 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: -----because the Minister for Education and Skills has already dealt with that. Additional staff have been provided to speed up the processing of grant applications. They are now being processed at a rate of 800 a day. There is, however, an outstanding problem, and there is no point ignoring it. Some of the application forms are incomplete and information is still required.

Leaders' Questions (8 Nov 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: If the application form has not been fully completed, it must be completed and the full information given to the City of Dublin VEC so it can complete the processing of the application.

Leaders' Questions (8 Nov 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I do not think it is acceptable that former executives of Anglo Irish Bank or any of the other banks which had to be bailed out with Irish taxpayers' money should be on pensions of more than €0.5 million per year nor do I, the Taoiseach and the Minister for Finance think it is acceptable that executives of the current IBRC should be on salaries of that scale. That is why the Minister...

Leaders' Questions (8 Nov 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: Fianna Fáil's hard neck never ceases to amaze.