Results 10,841-10,860 of 36,188 for speaker:Pearse Doherty

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2020: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Nov 2020)

Pearse Doherty: I disagree with the Minister. He does not have this power because he decided to introduce the scheme in a manner that does not give him such a power. There is a way around that. The fact is he introduced the higher rates which, as I said, are welcome. He had set his face against doing that, however. Sinn Féin argued for months that the rate paid under the scheme was too low....

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2020: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Nov 2020)

Pearse Doherty: Just to respond briefly, the Minister is picking me up wrong on the point I have been making about this scheme. I am fully conscious that these measures are under the management control of the Revenue Commissioners. The legislation has probably been pushed to its outer limits in allowing for payments that are in excess of the upper limits of what has actually been legislated for. This is...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2020: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Nov 2020)

Pearse Doherty: I thank everybody who helped us facilitate Committee Stage. I really appreciate all of the help.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Legislative Programme (17 Nov 2020)

Pearse Doherty: Perhaps the Minister would answer why he broke precedent and shut down debate, because there was not a debate. There was an objection-----

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Legislative Programme (17 Nov 2020)

Pearse Doherty: With respect-----

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Legislative Programme (17 Nov 2020)

Pearse Doherty: Let me articulate the question. This is about the register.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Legislative Programme (17 Nov 2020)

Pearse Doherty: I am very familiar with this, and Deputy Mairéad Farrell and I have drafted legislation that is with the Bills Office for seven weeks.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Legislative Programme (17 Nov 2020)

Pearse Doherty: I respect your view in regard to that, a Cheann Comhairle. This relates to the Regulation of Lobbying Act, which is policed, if one likes, by the Standards in Public Office Commission. I do not think it was ever envisaged that somebody who was a registered lobbyist up until three weeks ago would be appointed by these Houses as one of only two of the appointees to the Standards in Public...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Sector Pay (17 Nov 2020)

Pearse Doherty: 107. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of the negotiations for a new public service stability agreement, PSSA; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36721/20]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Legislative Programme (17 Nov 2020)

Pearse Doherty: 98. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to amend the Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36720/20]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Legislative Programme (17 Nov 2020)

Pearse Doherty: I appreciate the Deputy giving way. Due to the Covid-19 restrictions, we have been monitoring proceedings from our offices, and a number of questions before No. 98 were not dealt with so I was not here in time. This question relates to the Minister's plans for a wider regulation amendment to the Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015. There has been discussion about section 22. Earlier today,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Legislative Programme (17 Nov 2020)

Pearse Doherty: This Act deals with the regulation of lobbying and the requirements for lobbyists. I am revisiting this issue again because the Minister forced through a vote that did not allow debate on the motion earlier. The Minister brought forward a name for the approval of the House - Ms Geraldine Feeney, with whom I served in the Seanad. Ms Feeney is also a lobbyist and she lobbied on behalf of the...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Nov 2020)

Pearse Doherty: Come on.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Nov 2020)

Pearse Doherty: That is rubbish.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Nov 2020)

Pearse Doherty: Come on.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Nov 2020)

Pearse Doherty: The question-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Nov 2020)

Pearse Doherty: What about the activity on 21 March?

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Nov 2020)

Pearse Doherty: Tuesday's business sees the Government trying to push through a motion to appoint Geraldine Feeney to the Standards in Public Office Commission, SIPO. Not only is it trying to force through that motion without any debate, last week I pointed out that the Government's appointee to the commission was a professional, paid lobbyist on behalf of the National Association of General Practitioners,...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Nov 2020)

Pearse Doherty: He would have been aware of the fact that she provided that role when they decided to appoint Ms Feeney to the commission. Can the Taoiseach satisfy the House, before we deal with this issue, that Ms Feeney has actually made all the returns that are necessary to the Commission? Will the Taoiseach enlighten the House on Ms Feeney's role in relation to the lobbying activity-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Nov 2020)

Pearse Doherty: -----that was carried out here on 21 March 2018? Was Ms Feeney required to submit a submission to the Standards in Public Office Commission in that regard? Why is the Taoiseach afraid of a debate on this in the House? One of the first issues the commission will have to deal with is the official complaint-----