Results 8,401-8,420 of 11,952 for speaker:Paul Murphy

Children's Rights: Motion [Private Members] (6 Feb 2019)

Paul Murphy: Now, I will respond to Deputy Howlin's comments to Deputy Ellis that what he said was rubbish, because it was not rubbish. The record of the Labour Party in government was particularly about attacking and destroying the lives of children and creating some of the crises we have today.

Children's Rights: Motion [Private Members] (6 Feb 2019)

Paul Murphy: Let us listen to Social Justice Ireland on budget 2012 and the Department of Social Protection under the then Minister, Deputy Joan Burton. Social Justice Ireland said families with children were among the greatest casualties of that budget. It described as "draconian" cuts to child benefit for the third child and subsequent children as well as to the back-to-school clothing and footwear...

Children's Rights: Motion [Private Members] (6 Feb 2019)

Paul Murphy: Child benefit cuts were made in every budget from 2012 to 2014 and the total cuts for a family with four children came to €104 a month. There were cuts to the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance in every budget. The cumulative loss in payments to a lone parent with two children working part-time and earning €200 per week as a result of Deputy Burton's cuts from 2011...

Children's Rights: Motion [Private Members] (6 Feb 2019)

Paul Murphy: In July 2014, there were 749 children in emergency accommodation but by the end of April 2016, just before Labour left office, that number had almost tripled to more than 2,000. The trend has continued under the same policies because under the Labour Party, including its responsible Minister, Deputy Alan Kelly, the building of council houses collapsed to an all-time low of 75 in 2015.

Children's Rights: Motion [Private Members] (6 Feb 2019)

Paul Murphy: Exactly. Some people got a lot of money in that time. Child care costs are obviously astronomical but the answer is not to outsource the State's responsibility to provide it by subsidising private child care. The answer is to invest in a massive State-run and publicly-owned child-care system like the systems which already exist in several EU member states, including Spain and Italy, while...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Fur Farming (6 Feb 2019)

Paul Murphy: 4. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if fur farming will be prohibited in view of the concerns of an organisation (details supplied) about the farming of captive wild animals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5952/19]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Fur Farming (6 Feb 2019)

Paul Murphy: Has the Minister seen and read Veterinary Ireland's Policy Document on Fur Farming 2018? It is extremely significant because it recommends clearly that there be an immediate ban on the farming of mink and similar wild animals for the production of fur. Veterinary Ireland joins a chorus of opposition. I am sure the Minister hears this every Tuesday when there is a protest outside the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Fur Farming (6 Feb 2019)

Paul Murphy: I could have told the Minister that he would say that because, unfortunately, that is what he has said repeatedly, word for word, in response to every question on this issue for a long period. Will he take into account the policy of the expert, Veterinary Ireland? It states it is not possible to farm mink in a way that is not incredibly cruel. It has a very useful table outlining the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Fur Farming (6 Feb 2019)

Paul Murphy: Studies such as the ISPCA's Fur Free Ireland indicate that there is no substantial permanent employment associated with fur farming. If there was to be an impact of a ban on fur farming, I would be in favour of measures to ensure it was counterbalanced and offering opportunities to those affected. While it is not in the programme for Government and the Minister might not want to ban fur...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach (5 Feb 2019)

Paul Murphy: I would like to start with one question on the national children's hospital. If the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, was the Minister for Health and he was in discussions with the Minister for Finance as part of a pre-budget process, and he was aware of the overruns happening in the children's hospital, would he inform the Minister for Finance in those discussions?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach (5 Feb 2019)

Paul Murphy: It is.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach (5 Feb 2019)

Paul Murphy: The Minister, Deputy Donohoe, does not think that the Minister for Health should have informed him in the context of the pre-budgetary process.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach (5 Feb 2019)

Paul Murphy: Very well. I will move on to Brexit and quote something Mr. Michel Barnier said a couple of weeks ago in an interview with the Luxembourg Times when talking about the possibility of a no-deal Brexit: There will be checks in case of a no-deal-Brexit. We will do everything possible to enforce them unobtrusively. However, that will not be possible with everything. How should we control...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach (5 Feb 2019)

Paul Murphy: I agree with not participating in any hardening of borders because it would be disastrous economically and would potentially provoke a rise in sectarianism. In response to Deputy Pearse Doherty, the Minister indicated there would have to be engagement with the European Commission. Customs is obviously a European competence. If, in those engagements, the European Commission took the view...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach (5 Feb 2019)

Paul Murphy: Sure, this discussion is like the recent radio interview with the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Creed. What if there is no deal?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach (5 Feb 2019)

Paul Murphy: I presume the Minister is saying that does not contradict the Government's commitment that it will not impose any hardening of the North-South Border?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach (5 Feb 2019)

Paul Murphy: Will the Government refuse to be party to any hardening of the Border, as opposed to having a commitment or intention or whatever? In the event that there is no deal and no deal is reached subsequently, with the result that pressure comes from the European Commission to protect the Single Market, is it accurate to say the Government will still not agree to impose any hardening of the Border?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach (5 Feb 2019)

Paul Murphy: It is not hypothetical because that is the current situation. Brexit is less than a couple of months away.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach (5 Feb 2019)

Paul Murphy: I do not know if the Minister is a regular reader of Waterford Whispers News website, which a couple of days ago featured the headline, Government Confirm Intention To Use Brexit As Excuse For Everything. Can the Minister understand why nurses would feel that is a pretty accurate description of the Government's use of the Brexit card?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach (5 Feb 2019)

Paul Murphy: Would the Government not be better off to engage in meaningful negotiations with the nurses, including about pay, give a commitment to pay parity and fundamentally to pay the nurses now rather than to have another day of strike action on Thursday, a major protest in support of the nurses on Saturday, three days of strike action next week and two days of strike action the following week? Is...