Results 11,541-11,560 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin
- Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (29 Jan 2014)
Brendan Howlin: I listened with respect to every Member so Deputy Mathews should afford me the same courtesy.
- Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (29 Jan 2014)
Brendan Howlin: The party decides what to do with the funding, not one individual or one small group. As Deputy Ó Cuív put it, the money is our money collectively, not individually. We have been consistent in our interpretation in this regard. This is the reason the Ceann Comhairle is included in the calculations as the money is for the party, not for the use of the Ceann Comhairle. He was...
- Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (29 Jan 2014)
Brendan Howlin: As I have already stated, this allowance is designed to support a party political system.
- Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (29 Jan 2014)
Brendan Howlin: The Chair should protect me. The Deputy is incapable of listening to anybody but his own voice.
- Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (29 Jan 2014)
Brendan Howlin: It is unfair of the Deputy to suggest that I am not telling the truth. I have never been accused of that in 30 years in this House and will not stand idly by as the Deputy does it now.
- Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (29 Jan 2014)
Brendan Howlin: I have explained ad nauseam but the Deputy understands it better than me that this is a party funding system. He does not agree with it but shouting me down does not help convince me of his argument. As I have already stated, the average per Member is €39,681. If one looks at the individual allocation, it proportionately gives an advantage to the smaller parties and a greater...
- Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Referral to Select Committee (29 Jan 2014)
Brendan Howlin: I move:That the Bill be referred to Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform pursuant to Standing Orders 82A(3)(a) and (6)(a) and 126(1) of the Standing Orders relative to Public Business.
- Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (29 Jan 2014)
Brendan Howlin: I thank all Deputies for contributing. I stayed for as long as I possibly could, as I try to do on legislation I am sponsoring myself. I also heard most of the contributions I was not physically present for, in so far as that was possible. Some thoughtful contributions were made, by and large supportive of the legislation, but obviously wanting to touch on extraneous matters that are not...
- Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (29 Jan 2014)
Brendan Howlin: No, of course not. I am saying it has always been incrementally increased and this is the first time a Minister has ever come in and said, "I want to actually reduce the total amount payable". The second point is that we will require full and transparent accountability for the money received. There was a great deal of disquiet about some categories of recipients having what I think one...
- Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (29 Jan 2014)
Brendan Howlin: I know that. It is true.
- Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (29 Jan 2014)
Brendan Howlin: I will deal with all of these questions. One of the first things I did was to see how we could mitigate the pensions that were based on those high salary levels. I took very strong advice and that is why, in the FEMPI legislation, I introduced an additional take, so the marginal rate of deduction is very high indeed. I will give the Deputies the exact figures, although I do not have them...
- Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (29 Jan 2014)
Brendan Howlin: It is a very significant reduction, in so far as I could do so without putting the entire FEMPI legislation at risk, which I could not do because it is so important in regard to economic affairs. On the Bill before us, there is an issue that has been raised again and again, particularly by the Deputies present, so I am glad to have the opportunity to respond to it. This is the fact parties...
- Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (29 Jan 2014)
Brendan Howlin: Some people have chosen to leave in the past. The principle I have outlined remains. This allowance, the parliamentary activities allowance, is intended to support our party political system - that was why it was introduced in 1938. It is the raison d'être for its introduction and was argued for.
- Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (29 Jan 2014)
Brendan Howlin: Please, Deputy. I did not interrupt anybody and I listened to all of the debate.
- Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (29 Jan 2014)
Brendan Howlin: It was not introduced to support individual Members of Dáil Éireann. There are measures such as staff allocations for each Member and a substantial parliamentary standard allowance in place to provide assistance to individual Deputies. As I have said, the parliamentary activities allowance provides funding to political parties using the metric of the number of Deputies and...
- Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (29 Jan 2014)
Brendan Howlin: It is outside the door.
- Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (29 Jan 2014)
Brendan Howlin: No.
- Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (29 Jan 2014)
Brendan Howlin: Yes.
- Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (29 Jan 2014)
Brendan Howlin: The First Communion photograph.
- Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (29 Jan 2014)
Brendan Howlin: A few more.