Results 681-700 of 2,722 for speaker:Paul Gogarty

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Paul Gogarty: The budget is relatively conservative and did not go far enough. The Green Party was pushing for more reform of the taxation sector. We understand that it will be forthcoming next year. I thought more reform should have come this year. We had some reform in April when the higher earners were taxed.-----

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Paul Gogarty: It is now the case that the top 4% of earners pay 48% of all tax. In this budget it is very welcome that Irish nationals who are not in the country will have to pay €200,000. It is a step in the right direction.

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Paul Gogarty: Taxation could have been reformed more but it was not. I am led to believe that next year's budget will focus on tax reform. As regards the carbon tax and its impact on the social welfare budget, the carbon tax is matched by a fuel allowance for those on lower incomes.

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Paul Gogarty: We have to take into account the impact of carbon emissions, not just on our planet but also in terms of the fines this country will face.

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Paul Gogarty: This was a progressive start. Fine Gael did not think so. Its party members said they believed in carbon taxes but they did not tell the truth. Their party leader said that he never rang the Minister of State, Deputy Sargent, asking him to talk to Deputy Ó Caoláin. That was not the truth either.

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Paul Gogarty: We could have had an alternative coalition.

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Paul Gogarty: When I listen to accusations of corruption and hypocrisy being thrown at me I think about the budget in the early 1980s when John Bruton put VAT on children's shoes.

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Paul Gogarty: The members of Fine Gael believed fundamentally that had to be done. The Deputies are throwing references to the blind and carers at me.

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Paul Gogarty: I do not remember in recent years when social welfare was going up that Deputies were singling out the blind or any other grouping to get more than someone else. The cost of living has fallen by 6% and it will continue to fall.

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Paul Gogarty: In relative terms those on social welfare are doing better than they did five years ago. That does not mean I am happy that money has been taken off them. I am not happy, but where does one make up a third of the budget?

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Paul Gogarty: Another point of order. Have your fun. Christmas is coming.

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Paul Gogarty: I will do my best. How many minutes remain?

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Paul Gogarty: Despite the talk about the vulnerable being hit disproportionately by this social welfare reduction, the reality is that the additional child support measures compensate for the cut in children's allowance. Those who can afford to take the hit on children's allowance will take it and those who cannot afford to will be compensated. This is not hitting the vulnerable. When the reduction in...

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Paul Gogarty: Although social welfare accounts for one third of overall expenditure, it is not even one eighth of the overall cuts.

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Paul Gogarty: The people for whom I feel most sorry are those who are working on low and medium incomes. They will bear the brunt of this. Social welfare had to be cut proportionately or else it would be more beneficial not to work. We have a national minium wage. If one introduced the public sector pay cut, which was absolutely necessary, and one did not do anything about social welfare-----

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Paul Gogarty: It must be balanced.

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Paul Gogarty: The Deputy is calling me a right winger. The only time I played on the right wing was during my GAA days.

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Paul Gogarty: Sorry.

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Paul Gogarty: Hypocrisy has that impact on me; I just veer towards it.

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Paul Gogarty: I will resume my contribution. I have never been called a Thatcherite before and it is refreshing. The proposals in the budget very much protect education. I am sure some of the Deputies opposite would have been ranting and raving if it had not been.