Results 61-80 of 190 for speaker:Mark Dearey

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Oct 2010)

Mark Dearey: I welcome this morning's encouraging announcement by the Irish Exporters Association of an increase in exports. They highlight that fact that, aside from the currency issue which is an assist, competitiveness has been cited as one of the key reasons our exports are growing. We are regaining the competitiveness that we lost during the good times. We are also regaining our focus as a nation...

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Oct 2010)

Mark Dearey: The ESRI report is unhelpful. I heard on a radio programme this morning a great deal of backtracking from its contents. For instance, an acknowledgement was made that the political context is that we must reduce the public deficit to 3% by 2014. It is of dubious merit to produce a set of hypotheses that were immediately regarded as unrealisable. I wonder what effect the report would have...

Seanad: Small and Medium Enterprises: Motion (20 Oct 2010)

Mark Dearey: I support the amendment, though not necessarily because a loan guarantee, of itself, is a bad idea. Clearly that is not the case. There are many countries which have loan guarantee schemes in place. However, I am of the view that a loan guarantee scheme should be an action of last resort which should only be introduced when all other efforts to try to re-establish a vibrant and viable SME...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (Panel Members)(Amendment) Bill 2008: Second Stage (20 Oct 2010)

Mark Dearey: I welcome the Minister of State. The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Gormley, has been told many times that something will not happen or cannot be done, most recently in regard to the prospects for talks on achieving a political consensus. Unlike Guinness Light, he showed in that instance that it could be done. I do not know who is the longest serving...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (Panel Members)(Amendment) Bill 2008: Second Stage (20 Oct 2010)

Mark Dearey: Perhaps my optimism has not been chastened by experience.

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (Panel Members)(Amendment) Bill 2008: Second Stage (20 Oct 2010)

Mark Dearey: That is good to hear, as I am also an optimist. I accept the Minister's bona fides on the issue of Seanad reform and I am well aware of his frustration at how slowly it is happening. There are many wider issues to be considered, many of which were outlined by Senator O'Toole. The first steps to be taken should include providing for the inclusion of the institutes of technology. This...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Oct 2010)

Mark Dearey: I call for a debate on the national minimum wage. I do not refer to the amount per se but to the fact that it is acting as a barrier to employment creation for a cohort of those seeking jobs. The last increase in the minimum wage was on 1 July 2007 when it went from €8.30 to €8.65, a 35 cent increase. While that may not seem much, for every 100 hours of employment an employer provides,...

Seanad: National Spatial Strategy Report: Statements (14 Oct 2010)

Mark Dearey: Not the Green Party.

Seanad: National Spatial Strategy Report: Statements (14 Oct 2010)

Mark Dearey: The Minister is welcome. In 2002 I recall large towns throughout Ireland holding their breath wondering if theirs would be chosen as a gateway, the general welcome it received in my own town when it was chosen and the dismay in towns elsewhere that theirs was not. There was the compensation of being chosen as a hub and if a town was not so chosen, it could be something else. At the time I...

Seanad: Public Service Agreement 2010-2014: Statements (13 Oct 2010)

Mark Dearey: The division that has opened up between the public and private sectors is of concern, but understandable. The deal contains a provision to focus savings on public servants earning less than €35,000 per year, but many in the private sector would aspire to that figure. As an employer and without breaching confidentiality too much, my staff would be happy to get €35,000, but they do not....

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Oct 2010)

Mark Dearey: From what I have heard this morning, the Opposition parties are speaking out of both sides of their mouth, when they assess how we can deal with our deep financial crisis yet continue to be all things to all people.

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Oct 2010)

Mark Dearey: There is no sign that the Opposition understands just how critical is the current situation. There is a huge gulf on consensus on that issue. This is an absolutely critical situation. Our public deficit is running at €19 billion per annum and this has to be borrowed. This means the markets have to place some faith in this country so we fill that enormous gap. This requires us to...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Oct 2010)

Mark Dearey: The Taoiseach continues to work on the concept. There are many voices among our partners in Government who see merit in the idea, but I see no indication from the Opposition parties that they are willing to take the offer seriously or that they understand the serious situation in which the country finds itself right now. On behalf of the Green Party, I commend the Garda Síochána for its...

Seanad: Trading and Investing in a Smart Economy: Statements (7 Oct 2010)

Mark Dearey: Trading and Investing in the Smart Economy is a welcome document which ties in with other job creation and sectoral development strategies such as the report of the high level group on green enterprise. Senator Donohoe challenged how well the integration of the various strategies was proceeding. A more integrated approach is being taken in this regard. The first thing that the trading and...

Seanad: Electricity Prices: Motion (6 Oct 2010)

Mark Dearey: With regard to the public service obligation, peat is a relatively expensive way of generating electricity per kilowatt-hour. As long as oil prices are high, peat will be competitive as power can be produced at roughly the same cost as oil. When oil prices drop, as they have done, peat becomes an expensive way to produce electricity. Without the levy, the people working in those power...

Seanad: Electricity Prices: Motion (6 Oct 2010)

Mark Dearey: They would have to wait until oil prices crept back up to approximately $100 per barrel before being employed again. The Senator should explain that to her people before telling me the PSO levy-----

Seanad: Electricity Prices: Motion (6 Oct 2010)

Mark Dearey: -----is not a useful mechanism to sustain employment in the midlands.

Seanad: Electricity Prices: Motion (6 Oct 2010)

Mark Dearey: The bulk of the PSO levy, which is approximately €150 million, goes towards the sustenance of those midlands stations, as somebody else has said. I hope that explains the issue.

Seanad: Electricity Prices: Motion (6 Oct 2010)

Mark Dearey: It concerns the impact on the Senator's area of removing the PSO levy.

Seanad: Electricity Prices: Motion (6 Oct 2010)

Mark Dearey: A portion of the levy goes to wind power, which is also more expensive to produce per kilowatt-hour than oil at current prices. If the price goes to €100 a barrel again, wind-generated energy will become a competitive alternative. If it goes to €147 a barrel, a price at which it spiked in July 2008, wind will become much cheaper. Arguing whether wind is cheap or not all depends where...