Results 11,201-11,220 of 15,491 for speaker:Eamon Gilmore

Order of Business (28 Jan 2009)

Eamon Gilmore: ——and we are going to have a series of statements. The series of statements will be a joke and a waste of energy and time. We are talking in a vacuum. We on this side of the House, who were elected to represent the people, cannot meaningfully——

Order of Business (28 Jan 2009)

Eamon Gilmore: ——engage in this kind of discussion in the absence of information that the Government has or in the absence of knowledge of what decisions the Government has made without telling us or is about to make. We will all need to reply to the Taoiseach's opening statement today. No doubt it will be wordy and we will all say what must be said generally about the economy.

Order of Business (28 Jan 2009)

Eamon Gilmore: Tomorrow, the Minister for Finance will also make a 20 minute speech, but he will not take questions and no opportunity will be given to finance spokespersons to reply. Presumably, when the decisions are announced after the debate and the discussion with the social partners, we will be told that everything has already been discussed.

Order of Business (28 Jan 2009)

Eamon Gilmore: This is a nonsensical proposal with which the Labour Party does not agree. While we want a meaningful debate on the serious state of the economy, it must start with the Government making available to the House information on what decisions it is considering and has made, what is being discussed with the social partners and what are the real details of the situation.

Leaders' Questions (28 Jan 2009)

Eamon Gilmore: On 18 December 2008, several hours after the Dáil went into recess for Christmas, Mr. Seán FitzPatrick announced his intention to resign as chairman of Anglo Irish Bank following the disclosure that he had taken out loans of €87 million which, by shifting them periodically to another institution, he was able to conceal from the bank's shareholders over a period of eight years. We have...

Leaders' Questions (28 Jan 2009)

Eamon Gilmore: All that reply tells me is that it seems this Government is soft on corporate crime. The matter of the Financial Regulator investigating this matter is a joke in the present circumstances. The Financial Regulator has 380 staff and it was getting quarterly reports apparently about these loans, which included, we were told, information about the loans that Mr. FitzPatrick had taken out, and...

Leaders' Questions (28 Jan 2009)

Eamon Gilmore: We are told in another newspaper today that information in relation to some of the activities in Anglo Irish Bank were made known to the Department of Finance at as the beginning of last year.

Leaders' Questions (28 Jan 2009)

Eamon Gilmore: The Taoiseach was the Minister for Finance at that time. What did he know about what was going on in Anglo Irish Bank when he was Minister for Finance? Did he know about these loans Mr. FitzPatrick had taken out? What did the Financial Regulator bring to his attention while he was Minister for Finance about what was happening in Anglo Irish Bank?

Leaders' Questions (28 Jan 2009)

Eamon Gilmore: I did not suggest otherwise.

Leaders' Questions (28 Jan 2009)

Eamon Gilmore: I said I had confidence in the Director of Corporate Enforcement.

Written Answers — Energy Security: Energy Security (27 Jan 2009)

Eamon Gilmore: Question 162: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will provide details of the recent meeting in Moscow between an EU delegation and Ukraine and Russia over gas supplies; and if he will make a statement on the matter with particular reference to the need for Ireland to wean itself off the kind of energy vulnerability such stand-offs underline. [1945/09]

Written Answers — Official Engagements: Official Engagements (27 Jan 2009)

Eamon Gilmore: Question 136: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has held discussions with the incoming Czech Presidency of the European Union with regard to the objectives held for this Presidency, particularly in view of recent statements from the Presidency. [1944/09]

Written Answers — Fair Trade Scheme: Fair Trade Scheme (27 Jan 2009)

Eamon Gilmore: Question 737: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his Department has received a proposal to initiate a fair trade flag for schools, along the lines of the green flag scheme; the consideration he is giving to the idea; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1199/09]

Written Answers — Air Corps Recruitment: Air Corps Recruitment (27 Jan 2009)

Eamon Gilmore: Question 1021: To ask the Minister for Defence the reason the competition in respect of Air Corps cadetships has been cancelled in 2009 for the second successive year in view of the fact that the Air Corps have been giving career talks to leaving certificate students on becoming a cadet; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1197/09]

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (27 Jan 2009)

Eamon Gilmore: Question 1049: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the potential implications for planning and for public money of a court decision overturning a planning permission (details supplied); if he has raised the implications of the decision with the Dublin Dockland Development Authority; if his Department has undertaken an...

Written Answers — Schools Building Programme: Schools Building Programme (27 Jan 2009)

Eamon Gilmore: Question 1496: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason for the delay to the proposed new buildings for a school (details supplied) in County Dublin; if this school will be on the list of school building projects for 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1198/09]

Order of Business (27 Jan 2009)

Eamon Gilmore: The Labour Party does not support the arrangements for this Bill, for two reasons. First, we are on the eve of a major debate on the economy and the Government has not yet informed the House as to what exactly it proposes. It will be somewhat absurd to have a major economic debate tomorrow without having heard what are the Government's proposals. Presumably by the time the Government...

Order of Business (27 Jan 2009)

Eamon Gilmore: It is another piece of legislation to plug a legislative hole that the Government created. We already had the experience last year whereby the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Gormley, appointed members of local authorities to the Private Residential Tenancies Board, for which he had no authority. We now have legislation which proposes that appointments...

Order of Business (27 Jan 2009)

Eamon Gilmore: It makes one wonder how many Green Ministers it takes to change a light bulb.

Order of Business (27 Jan 2009)

Eamon Gilmore: This has brought Government incompetence to a new level. I do not believe the House can be used week in, week out, month in, month out, as a means of correcting the incompetent mistakes of Ministers. The Labour Party does not agree to the arrangements proposed.