Results 421-440 of 939 for speaker:Noel Treacy

Lisbon Agenda. (31 May 2006)

Noel Treacy: As is traditional with my party, when one is asked to serve, one does so. That is the spirit with which we are imbued.

Lisbon Agenda. (31 May 2006)

Noel Treacy: In all fairness, I must say that Commissioner McCreevy inherited the services directive. He saw the need for changing it and he did so. He called it very quickly. Within three weeks of taking office, he said it would not work. He set about changing it. He brought forward the changes and following the outcome of the European Parliament vote, the European Commission came forward with a revised...

Lisbon Agenda. (31 May 2006)

Noel Treacy: As always, Deputy Higgins raises a number of interesting issues. Competitiveness and cohesion are linked in that if we do not have one element, we will not have the other. It is critically important that we maintain our competitive edge while being able to have a cohesive operation. The Lisbon Agenda is of critical importance to citizens throughout the European Union. It was reviewed last...

Lisbon Agenda. (31 May 2006)

Noel Treacy: This has resulted in each member state preparing a national reform programme. The Heads of Government are fully committed to delivering over a three-year period on the range of actions set out in the programmes, including competitiveness and cohesion. The Deputy referred to cheap labour. Nobody in Ireland could suggest that anybody at political level is committed to cheap labour.

Lisbon Agenda. (31 May 2006)

Noel Treacy: We introduced a minimum wage.

Lisbon Agenda. (31 May 2006)

Noel Treacy: We have a social partnership agreement. We are in negotiation to ensure there is a balance between the requirements of that which is good for the Government, citizens and nation, the requirements and rights of employees and the responsibilities of employers. We want to find a consensus that mirrors the situation in Europe. Most European countries, including the smaller countries who have...

Lisbon Agenda. (31 May 2006)

Noel Treacy: That is a relative statement. From my 24 years in public life, I believe there has been a huge elimination of poverty. The number of people in poverty who visit me in my office or in my weekly clinics is much lower now than ever before.

Lisbon Agenda. (31 May 2006)

Noel Treacy: When I first came into office, poverty was a serious problem. The two serious issues when I entered politics 24 years ago were young people without hope looking for jobs. We were giving them very low——

Lisbon Agenda. (31 May 2006)

Noel Treacy: I am referring to 24 years ago.

Lisbon Agenda. (31 May 2006)

Noel Treacy: Deputy Neville is as usual throwing in a red herring. There are a few people in his city who have a major responsibility in that field for the whole western area, including for Deputy Michael D. Higgins's area and my area. Deputy Neville might have a word with them to tell them they changed the goalposts and changed the games, and that we would like it to go back to the old game to make sure...

Lisbon Agenda. (31 May 2006)

Noel Treacy: To return to Deputy Higgins's point, it is critically important that we work in a way that takes into account the value, independence, rights and choice of each citizen, that we run a competitive economy and that we take into account not alone the contribution that all citizens can make to developing that economy but also the role they can play in developing social capital. This social...

Lisbon Agenda. (31 May 2006)

Noel Treacy: To respond to Deputy Stagg, I stated that for the first time ever in the delivery of child care services, they were delivered on an equitable basis in urban, rural and provincial Ireland.

Lisbon Agenda. (31 May 2006)

Noel Treacy: The Deputy did not refer to what I also said. I said that the generosity of Government in successive budgets in delivering to child care has led to inflationary prices in child care services.

Lisbon Agenda. (31 May 2006)

Noel Treacy: I cannot understand that and do not know the reasons for it. Moving on to Deputy Durkan's position, in all fairness we lodged our national reform programme with the European Commission on 28 October 2005. The first year of progress will be reviewed between now and next October which is a short time span. Within the whole European project the Lisbon Agenda is critically important to creating...

European Communities (Amendment) Bill 2006: Second Stage (Resumed). (25 May 2006)

Noel Treacy: Gabhaim buíochas leis na Teachtaí uilig a ghlac páirt sa díospóireacht an-tábhachtach seo. I reiterate that the purpose of this Bill is to allow for the completion of the fifth enlargement by providing for the accession of Bulgaria and Romania into the European Union. It was gratifying to encounter such strong support for the accession of both Bulgaria and Romania when the Second Stage...

European Communities (Amendment) Bill 2006: Referral to Select Committee. (25 May 2006)

Noel Treacy: I move: That the Bill be referred to the Select Committee on Foreign Affairs, in accordance with Standing Order 120(1) and paragraph 1(a)(i) of the Orders of Reference of that committee.

Business of Dáil. (25 May 2006)

Noel Treacy: I move: "That the sitting be suspended from 2.35 p.m. until 3.30 p.m."

European Communities (Amendment) Bill 2006: Second Stage (Resumed). (25 May 2006)

Noel Treacy: That is unfair. The Taoiseach made a factual statement and did not boast.

Northern Ireland Issues. (24 May 2006)

Noel Treacy: At every opportunity and at the various levels of the meetings and strands we attend the Taoiseach, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform and I raise these issues. The high levels of criminality and violence on the loyalist side continue to cause genuine concern. In its most recent report, the Independent Monitoring Commission noted that loyalists...

Northern Ireland Issues. (24 May 2006)

Noel Treacy: I propose to take Questions Nos. 60, 70, 147 and 150 together. The Government has been clear and consistent on the issue of policing in Northern Ireland. Through the progressive implementation of the Patten report, the PSNI has undergone a wide-ranging transformation in recent years, and is now one of the most accountable policing services worldwide. It merits the active support of all...