Results 11,561-11,580 of 17,012 for speaker:Paul Kehoe

Employment Levels (27 Mar 2012)

Paul Kehoe: I will revert to the Deputy on whether the figures were set out in the budget. The Government has taken several positive initiatives since coming to power, including Pathways to Work, JobsBridge and the action plan for jobs. Everyone recognises that the retail sector is struggling but the issue of rates did not fall from the sky in the last 12 months. The issue existed when the Deputy was...

Employment Levels (27 Mar 2012)

Paul Kehoe: What action did Fianna Fáil take to deal with rates when it was in Government?

Employment Levels (27 Mar 2012)

Paul Kehoe: Fianna Fáil controlled the local authorities when the country was flush with money.

Employment Levels (27 Mar 2012)

Paul Kehoe: If we get rid of rates, how do the Deputies opposite propose to replace the funding?

Employment Levels (27 Mar 2012)

Paul Kehoe: The Government's priority for its first months was to sustain existing jobs as well as put in place initiatives to create further employment. A number of these initiatives are already having an impact but the most important task is stabilising the economy and enticing overseas investment into Ireland.

Employment Levels (27 Mar 2012)

Paul Kehoe: Any unemployment figure is way too high. If it was under the previous Government, or five years or ten years ago, it would still be too high. I would like to see full employment in Ireland - unfortunately we do not have that. Hopefully in the future we can decrease the number of people who are unemployed. I do not accept there are more people unemployed now compared with 12 months ago. I...

Employment Levels (27 Mar 2012)

Paul Kehoe: I can assure the Deputy it is not the rate he mentioned. The Government has introduced a number of plans, including the action plan for jobs and the JobBridge scheme. These are all positive initiatives to reduce the rate of unemployment. Since Saturday the Taoiseach has been in China, where 1.3 billion people live, in order to encourage foreign direct investment. This is all part of...

Employment Levels (27 Mar 2012)

Paul Kehoe: The CSO have figures but not for employed people right up to the end of last year. When Deputy Mattie McGrath was part of the previous Government-----

Employment Levels (27 Mar 2012)

Paul Kehoe: ----- the very same set of figures would have been shown.

Parliamentary Reform (27 Mar 2012)

Paul Kehoe: The programme for Government sets out an ambitious agenda of Dáil reform, which will continue to be implemented over the lifetime of the Government. In July 2011, after just four months in office, the Government introduced a package of reforms which included: Topical Issue debates; special sittings on the first Friday of a month; time limits for the Order of Business; streamlining the...

Parliamentary Reform (27 Mar 2012)

Paul Kehoe: I will first answer the Deputy's last question about the Taoiseach spending less time in the Chamber. There is more substance out of this Taoiseach in the time he is here than from any of his Fianna Fáil predecessors who had that role.

Parliamentary Reform (27 Mar 2012)

Paul Kehoe: What reforms did the Government introduce when Deputy Martin was at the Cabinet table?

Parliamentary Reform (27 Mar 2012)

Paul Kehoe: We started taking Leaders' Questions on a Thursday. Deputy Martin sat at the Cabinet table for almost 15 years and Dáil reform never worried him.

Parliamentary Reform (27 Mar 2012)

Paul Kehoe: The Deputy never referred to the number of sitting days.

Parliamentary Reform (27 Mar 2012)

Paul Kehoe: We have increased the number of sitting days by 44%, which is positive. In addition, we have shortened the summer holidays. I was elected to the House first in 2002 and I got July, August and September off.

Parliamentary Reform (27 Mar 2012)

Paul Kehoe: Now we finish on the last week in July and we come back in during the second week in September.

Parliamentary Reform (27 Mar 2012)

Paul Kehoe: That is true.

Parliamentary Reform (27 Mar 2012)

Paul Kehoe: It is open to everyone to put in a Private Members' Bill for the Friday sittings. I am unsure whether the Deputy is aware of this. It is taken by lottery at that stage. Deputy Collins maintains no one from the Government side has had a Private Members' Bill.

Parliamentary Reform (27 Mar 2012)

Paul Kehoe: The Deputy said it.

Parliamentary Reform (27 Mar 2012)

Paul Kehoe: It is taken as a lottery.