Results 4,781-4,800 of 15,491 for speaker:Eamon Gilmore

Leaders' Questions (7 Jun 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: That meeting will happen in the next couple of weeks. It is a meeting the Economic Management Council had planned to have with the banks. Unlike the practice of the previous Administration, the Government meets on a regular basis with the management of the banks-----

Leaders' Questions (7 Jun 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: -----to discuss lending to business, which is of great importance, and how the mortgage issue is being addressed. It is not correct to say the Government has not acted on the mortgage crisis.

Leaders' Questions (7 Jun 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: Deputy Michael McGrath is wrong about that. First, we are producing personal insolvency legislation which is expected to be published this month. We have increased mortgage interest relief for those who bought their first home at the height of the boom and are, therefore, the most vulnerable to mortgage debt distress. We have increased the budget for mortgage interest supplement to assist...

Leaders' Questions (7 Jun 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: In addition, the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government and the Housing Agency have been working with the banks on the roll-out of the mortgage-to-rent initiative. It is not the case, therefore, that action has not been taken on the mortgage issue. We are acting on this problem which was neglected by the Deputy's party when it was in government.

Leaders' Questions (7 Jun 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: What the Taoiseach and I said last Thursday, after the decision of the people in the referendum was known, was that the outcome would strengthen the Government's hand in the efforts under way to renegotiate the terms of the bank debt, which is an enormous burden on the people. It is useful to reflect on what we are attempting to do. The House made a decision in September 2008, proposed by...

Leaders' Questions (7 Jun 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: That decision tied bank debt to the State and the taxpayer. This is a serious issue for the people, more serious than people playing parliamentary or party political games with it.

Leaders' Questions (7 Jun 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: The taxpayer is burdened with a huge level of bank debt. The Government is seeking to alleviate that burden - to get a deal on bank debt which is in the best interests of the taxpayer - and we have made some progress in that regard. We have secured a reduction in the interest rate and an agreement on the promissory note for 2012 which is replaced by a long-term bond.

Leaders' Questions (7 Jun 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: We are proceeding at a number of levels with discussions on the bank debt. These discussions have taken place, first, between the Ministers for Public Expenditure and Reform and Finance, Deputies Brendan Howlin and Michael Noonan, and the troika and, second, at an official level where officials from the Irish side have been working with the European Commission and the European Central Bank...

Leaders' Questions (7 Jun 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: It seems to me that it does not matter what I or the Taoiseach say or what outcome we achieve. No matter what it is, Sinn Féin will come into the House and play it for cheap party political advantage and cheap party political point scoring. This issue is far too serious for that. The Irish people and the Irish taxpayers have been saddled with a huge bank debt. It was a mistake to tie the...

Leaders' Questions (7 Jun 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: -----will strengthen the hand of the Government in pursuing that. What really matters is the outcome. Sinn Féin will keep on saying we are not going to succeed. It said that in respect of the interest rate. We succeeded on the interest rate far better than it expected we would. It said-----

Leaders' Questions (7 Jun 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: Frankly, Sinn Féin's sneering-----

Leaders' Questions (7 Jun 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: Deputy Doherty is the man who thought the bank guarantee was a great idea but he knows otherwise now. Sinn Féin's sneering about what is a very real problem for the Irish people will not help the situation. We must resolve it and the Government is determined to do that. The Taoiseach, every Minister and I will do that every day until we get a result which is satisfactory for the Irish...

Leaders' Questions (7 Jun 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: This Government has committed itself to the introduction of legislation to provide for the registration of lobbyists. We saw from the reports of the Mahon and the Moriarty tribunals what happens when we have an unregulated lobbying regime, as we have had. The public is entitled to know who is lobbying on behalf of vested interests of whatever kind and who is talking to Government and...

Leaders' Questions (7 Jun 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: There is no delay whatever in bringing forward the legislation on the regulation of lobbyists. The legislation is being prepared in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and it is expected that the heads of the Bill will be ready by the end of the summer. When the heads are ready, they will go to Government and arrangements will then be made for the formal drafting of the...

Order of Business (7 Jun 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: It is proposed to take No. 7, European Stability Mechanism Bill 2012 - Order for Second Stage and Second Stage. It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that the Dáil shall sit later than 5.45 p.m. today and shall adjourn on the conclusion of oral questions; Second Stage of No. 7 shall be taken today and the proceedings thereon shall, if not previously concluded, be...

Written Answers — Passport Applications: Passport Applications (6 Jun 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: Passports were posted to persons in question on 30 May, 2012.

Written Answers — Imprisonment Abroad: Imprisonment Abroad (6 Jun 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: I am aware of the situation concerning the two men referred to by the Deputy. As neither of them is an Irish citizen it is not possible for my Department to offer them consular assistance. The Greek authorities are under no legal obligation to assist our Embassy with any requests made in connection with this investigation, as we have no locus standi in the matter. However, on hearing of Mr....

Written Answers — Dialogue on Iran: Dialogue on Iran (6 Jun 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: Relationships with Iran continue to be dominated by grave concerns over its nuclear programme, reflected in successive UN Security Council and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) resolutions adopted since 2006 and notably in the IAEA's report of 24 February 2012 which highlighted possible military dimensions to Iran's nuclear programme. The international community has consistently urged...

Written Answers — Trade Relations: Trade Relations (6 Jun 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: Longstanding and close bilateral ties have characterised relations between Ireland and Argentina since diplomatic relations were formally established between the two countries in 1948, the same year that Ireland opened a resident mission in Buenos Aires. Argentina opened its resident mission in Dublin in 1964. Consultations between senior officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs and...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (6 Jun 2012)

Eamon Gilmore: My Department is responsible for two Votes: Vote 27, International Cooperation and Vote 28, Foreign Affairs and Trade. For 2012, the Vote 28 capital allocation is €4.1million and the allocation for Vote 27 is €0.265m. The total expenditure to date is €287,000. This funding is used to support the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) services in my Department, the maintenance...