Results 48,901-48,920 of 49,836 for speaker:Stephen Donnelly

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Annual Growth Survey 2013: Discussion with European Commission Representation in Ireland (10 Apr 2013)

Stephen Donnelly: I would like to see more of it here. I agree strongly with Deputy Mathews that the single most important factor in a return of demand in Ireland is the deleveraging of private, not public, debt. The only measure set out is foreclosures. While that is good to see, it will not deleverage debt in the way that is needed here. Mr. Nagarajan spends a lot of time here and is very aware of what...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Annual Growth Survey 2013: Discussion with European Commission Representation in Ireland (10 Apr 2013)

Stephen Donnelly: I thank the three representatives for coming in. It is good to see them again. On the growth forecasts, the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council, which was set up recently here, produced for the committee an extraordinary chart which showed the growth forecasts for all of the major players, such as the OECD, being revised downwards quarter by quarter. It was an extraordinary graph that showed a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Annual Growth Survey 2013: Discussion with European Commission Representation in Ireland (10 Apr 2013)

Stephen Donnelly: I thank the Chairman.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Annual Growth Survey 2013: Discussion with European Commission Representation in Ireland (10 Apr 2013)

Stephen Donnelly: A shorter version of the question is this: why should we believe these growth forecasts when every institution, including each of our own institutions, has got them wrong every quarter for the past four or five years?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Annual Growth Survey 2013: Discussion with European Commission Representation in Ireland (10 Apr 2013)

Stephen Donnelly: I was trying to ask a friendlier, less adversarial question.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Annual Growth Survey 2013: Discussion with European Commission Representation in Ireland (10 Apr 2013)

Stephen Donnelly: My point is slightly different. My question is not "Why are there inaccuracies?". I understand that. My question relates to the fact that the error is systemic. There is the same mistake in the same direction by every institution every quarter. Rather than getting into it now, it would be useful if Mr. Nagarajan could provide the committee over the next few weeks with a technical note....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Annual Growth Survey 2013: Discussion with European Commission Representation in Ireland (10 Apr 2013)

Stephen Donnelly: I think Mr. Nagarajan will find that they are constantly revised in one direction.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Annual Growth Survey 2013: Discussion with European Commission Representation in Ireland (10 Apr 2013)

Stephen Donnelly: My second question is about jobs. I have looked through the various recommendations. Consistently with the IMF reports in this area, they seem to be fairly exclusively on the supply side. As Mr. Nagarajan will be well aware, we do not have a supply-side issue in Ireland. We have a vast number looking to work. Perhaps in some sectors, such as high-tech, we are bringing workers in and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Annual Growth Survey 2013: Discussion with European Commission Representation in Ireland (10 Apr 2013)

Stephen Donnelly: I appreciate it is not simple at all. I will make two points. First, I agree that one cannot necessarily get many unemployed plumbers working in high-tech Internet jobs. The rate of unemployment among those under 25 in Ireland is approximately 25%. According to the Union of Students in Ireland, for graduates it is 40%. It has nothing to do with construction. The jobs are not out there....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Annual Growth Survey 2013: Discussion with European Commission Representation in Ireland (10 Apr 2013)

Stephen Donnelly: His explanation seems light. When I met the IMF's labour market team to discuss this, I asked about their demand-side activation measures and they said they had nothing. This feels like more of the same. I have no difficulty with what Mr. Nagarajan is saying on the supply side, but it is only half the picture. May I ask one more question?

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Redundancy Payments (27 Mar 2013)

Stephen Donnelly: To ask the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 99 of 20 February 2013, if, in view of confirmation from the IBOA that the Liquidator has told the union he can agree a solution to the severance terms issue provided the minister instructs him to do so under section 9 of the IBRC Act 2013, he will instruct the liquidator to restore the value of the severance terms for...

Disability Services: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (21 Mar 2013)

Stephen Donnelly: At a time like this, one must wonder what is the point of this Chamber. Deputy Finian McGrath has tabled an extremely important motion before the House with the support of many Members in the Technical Group. As I look across the Chamber, I see the Government's overwhelming majority is represented by a single highly capable Member, namely, the Minister of State, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan. No...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: IBRC Account Holders (21 Mar 2013)

Stephen Donnelly: To ask the Minister for Finance if a deposit lodged with Anglo Irish Bank (details supplied) will be covered by the Eligible Liabilities Guarantee; if so, the amount of the deposit that will be covered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14381/13]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Mortgage Arrears Rate (21 Mar 2013)

Stephen Donnelly: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will provide, in tabular form, a breakdown per bank of restructured mortgages by type, as outlined in the Central Bank of Ireland's residential mortgage arrears and repossessions statistics, Q4 2012, published 7 March 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14410/13]

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Services Provision (21 Mar 2013)

Stephen Donnelly: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans to upgrade the Eircom network in Kilcoole, County Wicklow, such that third parties, for example Sky Broadband can provide broadband service to residents in the area; the time frame of any such plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14579/13]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Coillte Teoranta Harvesting Rights Sale (20 Mar 2013)

Stephen Donnelly: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will produce a cost benefit analysis on the sale of Coillte's harvesting rights; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13715/13]

Finance Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) (13 Mar 2013)

Stephen Donnelly: I would like to make a quick suggestion. The Minister might consider bulking up the specific library and research team that deals with these issues. In the current environment it is probably not appropriate for us to set up a full budgetary office in this Parliament. The library and research team does a phenomenal job in trying to give us neutral and robust analysis. I ask the Minister of...

Finance Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) (13 Mar 2013)

Stephen Donnelly: I support Deputy Pearse Doherty's sensible amendment. He has increased the period of consideration from three months to one year. I would not have gone as far as him because it would be useful to have the information in advance of the next budget to allow the Dáil to decide whether the tax expenditures stack up. The Minister is a proponent of evidence-based policy-making. As a...

Finance Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) (13 Mar 2013)

Stephen Donnelly: I support Deputy Pearse Doherty's sensible amendment. He has increased the period of consideration from three months to one year. I would not have gone as far as him because it would be useful to have the information in advance of the next budget to allow the Dáil to decide whether the tax expenditures stack up. The Minister is a proponent of evidence-based policy-making. As a...

Finance Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) (13 Mar 2013)

Stephen Donnelly: I would like to make a quick suggestion. The Minister might consider bulking up the specific library and research team that deals with these issues. In the current environment it is probably not appropriate for us to set up a full budgetary office in this Parliament. The library and research team does a phenomenal job in trying to give us neutral and robust analysis. I ask the Minister of...