Results 1,101-1,120 of 2,919 for speaker:Séamus Healy

Finance Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) (5 Nov 2014)

Séamus Healy: The policies that follow from that and which are being implemented by this Government mean continued austerity for ordinary people. They mean continued austerity for low and middle-income families whom this Government are forcing to pay for a recession that they had no hand, act nor part in creating. The water charge is one of those austerity taxes, but ordinary people are now saying that...

Leaders' Questions (4 Nov 2014)

Séamus Healy: The Government gave an additional €200 million to Irish Water.

Irish Water: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (23 Oct 2014)

Séamus Healy: This water tax is the ultimate hypocrisy. During the course of the last general election, the Labour Party opposed water charges. In the final days of that election campaign, the Labour Party produced the infamous Tesco advertisement which I have in my hand and which reads, "Look what Fine Gael have in store for you. Fine Gael - every little hurts". The advertisement includes a statement...

Financial Resolutions 2015 - Financial Resolution No. 3: General (Resumed) (22 Oct 2014)

Séamus Healy: This is the fourth regressive budget in a row introduced by the Government, which is deeply disappointing. It is a slap in the face to families who simply have had enough and who cannot make ends meet. As previous speakers said, according to Social Justice Ireland, the gap between rich and poor has widened by €499 a year. This measures the gap between the disposable income of a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Preparedness for Ebola Virus in Ireland: Discussion (16 Oct 2014)

Séamus Healy: Is it appropriate for them to go to an accident and emergency department?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Preparedness for Ebola Virus in Ireland: Discussion (16 Oct 2014)

Séamus Healy: All the general hospitals of which I am aware take admissions only through their emergency departments. I do not know whether that is a good system.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Preparedness for Ebola Virus in Ireland: Discussion (16 Oct 2014)

Séamus Healy: I thank the Minister, Dr. Holohan and the officials for the briefing. Obviously, it is very important for us not to be alarmist on the issue. However, we need a high level of preparedness. For clarification, as we have already said, we need to say very clearly that suspect cases should not attend their general practitioners. I take it that also means they should not attend accident and...

Financial Resolutions 2015 - Budget Statement 2015 (14 Oct 2014)

Séamus Healy: The Irish Constitution commits Irish Governments to safeguard with special care the economic interests of the weaker sections of Irish society. That constitutional provision has been breached every year for the past three years by this Government and is again being breached today. Regressive austerity budgets have given to the rich and powerful in our society and taken from low- and...

Agriculture Industry: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (8 Oct 2014)

Séamus Healy: I wish to focus on the staffing crisis at Teagasc. The public sector embargo on recruitment and promotion has had a huge impact on the ability of Teagasc to deliver education and advisory services at a time when demand is growing on a daily basis. The number of people enrolling at agricultural colleges has rocketed and the need for innovation in the agri-sector is growing rapidly. Teagasc...

Registration of Lobbying Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) (1 Oct 2014)

Séamus Healy: I am sharing my time with Deputy Catherine Murphy. I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Registration of Lobbying Bill 2014. The word "lobbying" conjures up all sorts of images, including bribery, corruption, brown envelopes, secret decision-making, undue influence and cronyism. All these concepts are in the public mind when the word "lobbying" is used. That is not surprising at all,...

Registration of Lobbying Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) (1 Oct 2014)

Séamus Healy: There is evidence to suggest that even where the public appointments process has been used, the vast majority of appointees have been and are connected to political parties. This legislation is certainly welcome, but we need every i to be dotted and every t to be crossed. There are obviously areas that need to be examined, and significant amendment will be needed during Committee and...

Direct Provision for Asylum Seekers: Motion [Private Members] (30 Sep 2014)

Séamus Healy: I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to this debate, and I compliment Deputy Pringle, who tabled the motion. He has been interested in this issue for many a long year and he is supportive of a change in the direct provision system. That view is becoming more widely accepted. The system is detrimental to families and individuals and, in particular, children. I am particularly...

Order of Business (30 Sep 2014)

Séamus Healy: In June, some weeks after the local elections, the Taoiseach came to the House and agreed that his Government would restore medical cards to people who had lost them. These were people who had held them on discretionary medical grounds. The process was to take three weeks. It is now four months later and there are still thousands of people who have not had their cards restored. When will...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (30 Sep 2014)

Séamus Healy: 569. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 5 of 17 September 2014, in which he states that he expects some 6,000 social housing units to be delivered across the range of programmes in the calendar year 2014, if he will provide a breakdown of this delivery by number, in each category; if the 6,000 contains the number of...

Water Services (Exempt Charges) Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) [Private Members] (18 Sep 2014)

Séamus Healy: Water is a right and this water tax is an outrageous attack on families who will be unable to pay it. The MABS report issued today states that families have a disposable income of €9 per week after bills are paid. Even at this late stage the Government should reverse this charge which will be opposed tooth and nail right across the country. I support the Bill and it is outrageous...

Other Questions: Unfinished Housing Developments (17 Sep 2014)

Séamus Healy: 6. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government whether he is satisfied with the taking in charge process; if he intends to change the process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34317/14]

Other Questions: Unfinished Housing Developments (17 Sep 2014)

Séamus Healy: This question relates to the taking in charge process. Every Member will know of the difficulties that have arisen in respect of the process. There are situations involving families in estates that have not been taken in charge for long periods, periods of years, in fact. As a result they are not entitled to the services of the local authority. Is the Minister aware of these situations?...

Other Questions: Unfinished Housing Developments (17 Sep 2014)

Séamus Healy: I certainly welcome the fact that the Department and the Minister are reviewing the situation. Can the Minister give us any timeline in respect of the review? Has it started? When will it finish? What outcome does the Minister anticipate from it? There are situations whereby builders have become insolvent, where they are not on-site, cannot be contacted or perhaps are not in the country....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (17 Sep 2014)

Séamus Healy: The figures provided by the Minister are truly horrendous and confirm the views expressed by many advocacy groups such as the Irish Council for Social Housing, Focus Ireland, Threshold, Barnardos and Social Justice Ireland, as well as Uachtarán na hÉireann, Michael D. Higgins, to the effect that there is a social housing crisis. The President addressed this matter on two occasions...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (17 Sep 2014)

Séamus Healy: The most important action the Minister and the Government can take is to oversee the construction of social housing by local authorities and approved housing bodies. The President has stated there is a need for a "huge increase in public rental accommodation." The Irish Council for Social Housing is on record as stating, "The over-reliance on the private market to meet social housing demand...