Results 1,021-1,040 of 35,526 for speaker:Pearse Doherty

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Defective Building Materials (18 Sep 2024)

Pearse Doherty: I will finish now. Will there be a funding scheme that will provide 100% funding to rebuild the entire premises when they are condemned and have to be knocked to the ground?

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Defective Building Materials (18 Sep 2024)

Pearse Doherty: I thank the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, for staying for this Topical Issue matter. The next facet of the defective blocks crisis emerging in County Donegal is that within community childcare facilities. Raphoe Community Playgroup has already been forced out of the building it owns due to the fact that it was condemned, and it now has to fundraise to find a permanent home. This is despite...

Childcare: Motion [Private Members] (18 Sep 2024)

Pearse Doherty: I commend Deputy Kerrane not only on bringing the motion to the Dáil tonight and allowing us to debate this important issue but also on bringing this policy forward in the short time that she has been spokesperson on childcare for our party. The Deputy mentioned that this is a game-changer and that is exactly what it is. Talking to parents in my constituency over the weekend, that is...

CJEU Judgment in Apple State Aid Case: Statements (18 Sep 2024)

Pearse Doherty: I welcome young Reese Ward, a primary school pupil from Letterkenny who is here interested in this debate because this is about all of our futures. I am sure that if Reese was looking at a parliament anywhere else in the world, he would be waiting a long time for a finance minister to get to his feet and tell the parliament that he is disappointed that the state is to receive €14.1...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (18 Sep 2024)

Pearse Doherty: I welcome both Ministers. I am sure the Ministers are aware of the Central Bank's commentary on housing which confirms the growing gap between the Government's targets and what is needed to fix the housing crisis. The report estimates that between 52,000 and 67,000 new homes are needed to meet existing and emerging need over the next decade or more. This is broadly in line with the Housing...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (18 Sep 2024)

Pearse Doherty: The Minister, Deputy Chambers, talked about the proceeds of the sale of AIB. Are proceeds due in next year and if so, what are they? Is this a separate allocation that the Minister is planning to spend in the budget, on top of the capital ceilings that have been announced by the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, so far?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (18 Sep 2024)

Pearse Doherty: When is the €3 billion due into the accounts?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (18 Sep 2024)

Pearse Doherty: There is €3 billion there that we already got this year.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (18 Sep 2024)

Pearse Doherty: That is already part of our surplus and the Minister is planning to spend all of that next year. Is that correct?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (18 Sep 2024)

Pearse Doherty: Does he expect the €3 billion to be used next year, in 2025?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (18 Sep 2024)

Pearse Doherty: In relation to the tax package in last year's budget, half of the population of workers benefitted by €870 while the other half of workers got just above €300. The Minister was out this week saying that average workers will benefit by €1,000 but he knows that the young nurse earning €37,000 did not get the €800 benefit last year. Half of workers will not...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (18 Sep 2024)

Pearse Doherty: The Minister knows that over half of workers do not pay tax at the higher rate which means that the average worker does not benefit from the change that the Government is planning. The Minister told the media that average workers will benefit to the tune of €1,000. Can he tell this committee, to which he is accountable, albeit that the media has an important job to do as well,...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (18 Sep 2024)

Pearse Doherty: With respect, the Minister set it out to the media a couple of days ago. Why can he not give the same commitment to the budgetary oversight committee, to which he is accountable? Is it because those who earn €40,000 will not benefit to the tune of €1,000, in the same way that they did not benefit last year and the Minister does not want to puncture the spin of the Government...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (18 Sep 2024)

Pearse Doherty: That is not the question I asked. I did not ask whether it was progressive or not. I asked if the Minister can give a commitment to average workers on €40,000. Will they get €1,000? He was happy to spin that at his party's think-in but he is unable, under questioning, to say the same thing here because he did not do it last year and is unlikely to do it this year. Is that...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (18 Sep 2024)

Pearse Doherty: The Minister is unwilling to give the commitment that he gave to the media because he did not do it last year and is unlikely to do it this year. Let me ask the Minister another question-----

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (18 Sep 2024)

Pearse Doherty: No they did not. The average worker on €40,000 did not. That is a mistruth that the Minister is presenting to this committee and he knows it. The Minister put out a press release saying that he is going to increase the standard fund threshold to €2.8 million. We are talking here about gold-plated pensions. At this point, someone can retire on €72,000 or...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (18 Sep 2024)

Pearse Doherty: How much will it cost?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (18 Sep 2024)

Pearse Doherty: The Minister put out a press release saying that he is increasing the standard fund threshold to €2.8 million. I want to know how much that policy costs.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (18 Sep 2024)

Pearse Doherty: Does the Minister know how much the policy costs?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (18 Sep 2024)

Pearse Doherty: How much does that cost?