Results 4,741-4,760 of 7,975 for speaker:Joe Higgins

Order of Business (13 Mar 2012)

Joe Higgins: I am sorry, but this point is pertinent. For clarity, must the Treaty Establishing the European Stability Mechanism Bill be passed by Dáil Éireann before the referendum? Surely this is the case, given that the treaty contains the blackmail clause that will be central to some of the discussions in the referendum debate.

Order of Business (13 Mar 2012)

Joe Higgins: We can refuse to ratify.

Leaders' Questions (13 Mar 2012)

Joe Higgins: I refer to the Sunday Independent of last Sunday. In case the Taoiseach does not know, his Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Varadkar, will tell him it is not a left-leaning or socialist news-sheet. In a thorough survey the Sunday Independent found that the 300 super-richest people in this country increased their wealth between March last year and March this year, from an...

Leaders' Questions (13 Mar 2012)

Joe Higgins: -----which is an increase of €5 billion. That year coincides exactly with the lifetime of this Government. In this impressive survey, I have to say, Nick Webb, the business editor, points out that the rich list total nearly matches-----

Leaders' Questions (13 Mar 2012)

Joe Higgins: -----our bailout. He further mentions new yachts, magnificent palaces in the sun, stupendous art works, football clubs and concludes that it was a good year for the super-rich. However, it was not a good year for people with a disability because the Taoiseach maintained the cuts in the pensions for the blind, he cut the fuel allowance for elderly people and he attacked the precarious...

Leaders' Questions (13 Mar 2012)

Joe Higgins: How does the Taoiseach justify refusing to impose a progressive taxation on this super-wealth when the increase of €5 billion in one year dwarfs the €3.7 billion he is imposing in cuts this year to pay off bankers and bondholders, with devastating consequences for our society, tearing strips from the health service and compromising education? These cuts are causing significant suffering....

Leaders' Questions (13 Mar 2012)

Joe Higgins: Since he can inflict cuts with no compunction at a week's notice, will he now bring in an emergency budget to provide for an emergency tax on wealth to alleviate the cuts and the tax burdens on ordinary people and, for a change, to make the super wealthy pay?

Leaders' Questions (13 Mar 2012)

Joe Higgins: I asked the Taoiseach what is the argument, moral or economic, against the imposition of a levy on the super wealthy in our society in view of a very comprehensive survey which, incidentally, was not done by Deputy Ross but by a series of editors, sub-editors and researchers. To show how comprehensive it was, the business editor said some of the super-rich even got in touch to make sure...

Leaders' Questions (13 Mar 2012)

Joe Higgins: Warren Buffett-----

Leaders' Questions (13 Mar 2012)

Joe Higgins: As the Taoiseach knows, Warren Buffett has been one of the leading capitalists for decades. Put it in the Irish context, but some time ago he said: "While the poor and middle class fight for us in Afghanistan, and while most Americans struggle to make ends meet,-----

Leaders' Questions (13 Mar 2012)

Joe Higgins: -----we mega-rich continue to get our extraordinary tax breaks." He went on to say: My friends and I have been coddled long enough by billionaire-friendly Congress. It's time for our government to get serious about shared sacrifice. When will the Taoiseach get serious about requiring not sacrifice, in view of the massive wealth they have, but a lot more from these wealthiest sections of...

Leaders' Questions (13 Mar 2012)

Joe Higgins: -----and which would provide the basis for public investment-----

Leaders' Questions (13 Mar 2012)

Joe Higgins: -----which would create jobs? Why will the Taoiseach not bring in a wealth tax?

Leaders' Questions (13 Mar 2012)

Joe Higgins: It is a matter for the Taoiseach.

Cabinet Sub-committee Meetings (13 Mar 2012)

Joe Higgins: Question 2: To ask the Taoiseach the number of times the Cabinet sub Committee on Health has met since the beginning of this year. [12201/12]

Cabinet Sub-committee Meetings (13 Mar 2012)

Joe Higgins: Question 3: To ask the Taoiseach the number of times the Cabinet sub Committee on Health has met since the beginning of 2012. [12522/12]

Cabinet Sub-committee Meetings (13 Mar 2012)

Joe Higgins: Does the Taoiseach see a role for the Cabinet sub-committee on health in regard to the health service meeting the challenge of the approximately 4,000 employees of the health services who have retired, roughly half of whom are nurses? Does the Taoiseach recognise this cannot happen without front line services being heavily and detrimentally affected, with enormous consequences for the health...

Cabinet Sub-committee Meetings (13 Mar 2012)

Joe Higgins: There was too much pressure.

Written Answers — Building Regulations: Building Regulations (8 Mar 2012)

Joe Higgins: Question 36: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to help the thousands of home owners whose houses are damaged due to non-compliance with building regulations during 15 years of self regulation of the building industry. [13234/12]

Written Answers — Building Regulations: Building Regulations (8 Mar 2012)

Joe Higgins: Question 46: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will confirm that following a meeting with DNCC chief fire officer in April 2011, that the Dublin City Council fire prevention officer inspected an apartment in the Belmayne development, Dublin, and three other apartments, in which the construction was opened up because of concerns regarding failure to...