Results 10,381-10,400 of 11,979 for speaker:Billy Kelleher

Electoral Divisions (29 Sep 2010)

Billy Kelleher: The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government asked me to convey his apologies on not being able to attend the Dáil tonight to the two Deputies who raised this very important matter from their point of view. The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government established the Limerick local government committee in February of this year under Part V of the Local...

Redundancy Payments (29 Sep 2010)

Billy Kelleher: I thank Deputy Creed for raising this matter on the Adjournment. Without starting a political debate on the issue, the Croke Park agreement is a critical component in the overall restructuring of public services and the delivery of services to the public. At the time, we were criticised quite a lot by some Members opposite for spending too much time engaged in discussions with the unions...

Redundancy Payments (29 Sep 2010)

Billy Kelleher: I accept that the backlog and waiting times remain at an unacceptably high level. However, improvements are evident and the waiting times are reducing. I should point out that my Department has, in the eight-month period up to the end of August 2010, processed 51,800 claims, a 96% increase compared to the corresponding period in 2009 when the level of claims processed was 26,405. The...

Order of Business (8 Jul 2010)

Billy Kelleher: There are only four in the Deputy's party.

Economic Issues: Motion (Resumed) (7 Jul 2010)

Billy Kelleher: In the few minutes I have to speak on this motion I welcome the opportunity to contribute. We have had many debates in the House on the issue of the economy, the banking crisis, job creation and unemployment and the challenges that face the broader economy. At the outset, while the Fine Gael motion highlights many of the challenges facing us, it is somewhat short on proposed actions....

Order of Business. (29 Jun 2010)

Billy Kelleher: It is more like a nightmare.

Seanad: Innovation and Job Creation: Statements (22 Jun 2010)

Billy Kelleher: I apologise on behalf of the Minister, Deputy O'Keeffe, who, because of changes to the Seanad schedule, is unable to make the opening address. However, I am delighted to be back in the Seanad to discuss the issues that will be raised in this debate and thank Senators for making time available to discuss innovation and job creation. As a Minister of State for Enterprise, Trade and...

Seanad: Innovation and Job Creation: Statements (22 Jun 2010)

Billy Kelleher: There have been many major achievements in that context and we would not want to throw out and whitewash all that we achieved for short-term political gain. We acknowledge the difficulties, but at the same time many opportunities exist because of our competitiveness. I accept that some of the competitiveness is painful because when we speak about labour unit costs we mean salary and wage...

Seanad: Innovation and Job Creation: Statements (22 Jun 2010)

Billy Kelleher: We would not have a deficit.

Seanad: Innovation and Job Creation: Statements (22 Jun 2010)

Billy Kelleher: There are start ups.

Banking Reports: Motion (16 Jun 2010)

Billy Kelleher: I welcome the opportunity to speak to the motion. As the Taoiseach stated in another debate, history is continually being rewritten and a great deal of revisionism is taking place. While it is unusual to have history written as the relevant events are unfolding, we should not be in the least surprised by anything that occurs in this House. If people wish to speak on this issue, they should...

Banking Reports: Motion (16 Jun 2010)

Billy Kelleher: The Deputy should read his party's manifesto which was more inflationary.

Banking Reports: Motion (16 Jun 2010)

Billy Kelleher: The actions Fine Gael was encouraging the Government to take in the abolition of stamp duty would have been further fuel to a fire that was beginning to run out of control.

Banking Reports: Motion (16 Jun 2010)

Billy Kelleher: Page 51 of the report states that the then Minister for Finance raised the issue of competitiveness. People were conscious of that and were trying to make decisions.

Banking Reports: Motion (16 Jun 2010)

Billy Kelleher: Nobody on that side of the House raised the issue. The Deputy can look at the record and will see that everything advocated on that side of the House was pro-cyclical and inflationary, and would have done further damage and added fuel to the fire. The two reports are timely and welcome. We should get on with the further investigations and inquiry into what went wrong. More importantly now...

Departmental Agencies (16 Jun 2010)

Billy Kelleher: The following agencies operate under the aegis of my Department: Enterprise Ireland, Forfás, IDA Ireland, the National Standards Authority of Ireland, Shannon Development Company, county and city enterprise boards, InterTrade Ireland, Science Foundation Ireland, the Competition Authority, the National Consumer Agency, the Irish Auditing and Accounting Supervisory Authority, the Health and...

Departmental Agencies (16 Jun 2010)

Billy Kelleher: The NewEra document was condemned by the Minister, Deputy O'Keeffe, and many others, including Members in Opposition parties. It counted jobs a number of times.

Departmental Agencies (16 Jun 2010)

Billy Kelleher: It seeks to sell off the family silverware. The purpose of the sale of VHI is to deal with risk equalisation and to ensure there is competition.

Departmental Agencies (16 Jun 2010)

Billy Kelleher: Yes it is and this has been confirmed. The Deputy should read the statements in this regard from the Department of Health and Children. The Government is committed to ensuring we reduce expenditure where possible. The State agencies under the remit of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation are not involved in profit making. They are non-commercial State agencies that give...

Departmental Agencies (16 Jun 2010)

Billy Kelleher: The best way for this issue to be addressed is by way of parliamentary question from the Deputy as spokesperson on enterprise, trade and innovation. We can then supply the necessary answers. We cannot be held responsible for the matters relating to the VHI and Department of Health and Children posed in the questions tabled today.