Results 1,241-1,260 of 2,834 for speaker:Paul Gogarty
- Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (23 Oct 2008)
Paul Gogarty: Question 117: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when a person (details supplied) in Dublin 22, who is an Irish citizen, can expect to receive a decision on their application for family reunification visas in respect of their brother and sister in view of the fact that the application process has been ongoing for thirty months; and if he will make a statement on the...
- Financial Resolution No. 15: (General) Resumed (22 Oct 2008)
Paul Gogarty: Deputy Barrett's party leader has already opposed a similar proposal for Westin Aerodrome, which is only some miles down the road.
- Financial Resolution No. 15: (General) Resumed (22 Oct 2008)
Paul Gogarty: I propose to share time with Deputy Conlon.
- Financial Resolution No. 15: (General) Resumed (22 Oct 2008)
Paul Gogarty: Deputy Barrett proposed that Baldonnel Airport should be used as an international airport.
- Financial Resolution No. 15: (General) Resumed (22 Oct 2008)
Paul Gogarty: He referred to it being used as a commercial airport of some description.
- Financial Resolution No. 15: (General) Resumed (22 Oct 2008)
Paul Gogarty: His colleague, Senator Fitzgerald, may have something to say about that. Deputy Barrett dismissively suggested that I should busy myself in twiddling with my laptop. That is precisely what I did during the conclusion of his speech. I used the time to respond to constituents and also to do some searching via Google, which yielded two interesting articles from the Sunday Independent of 14...
- Financial Resolution No. 15: (General) Resumed (22 Oct 2008)
Paul Gogarty: I referred to a statement made by Deputy Kenny in 2007.
- Financial Resolution No. 15: (General) Resumed (22 Oct 2008)
Paul Gogarty: I enjoy a debate. However, I will proceed to talk about the budget. I welcome the changes to the income levy and to the medical card scheme for the over 70s. I worked with my Green Party colleagues to secure changes to the original plan once the stress, hurt and anxiety being caused to elderly people became apparent. I take this opportunity to apologise personally to my constituents for...
- Financial Resolution No. 15: (General) Resumed (22 Oct 2008)
Paul Gogarty: I have been in touch with the Minister. Members heard my budget speech last year. I am not afraid to put my money where my mouth is. I will read the letter following which Deputies will have an opportunity to respond to it.
- Financial Resolution No. 15: (General) Resumed (22 Oct 2008)
Paul Gogarty: The letter reads: Dear Minister O' Keeffe, I have not until today been given the opportunity to comment publicly on the Education Budget and to put my feelings onto the Dail record. We are living in tough economic times and I do admire your ability to stand firm in the face of public criticism of the difficult but necessary budgetary constraints you have been placed under.
- Financial Resolution No. 15: (General) Resumed (22 Oct 2008)
Paul Gogarty: The letter continues: However I cannot in all credibility stand by some of the proposals made by your Department. I welcome many of the progressive elements of the Education budget, which I alluded to earlier in my contribution. But I must take issue with many of the cutbacks. Sometimes a decision is just plain wrong and in this context I am asking you and the Minister for Finance to revisit...
- Financial Resolution No. 15: (General) Resumed (22 Oct 2008)
Paul Gogarty: The letter continues: Having been consistent in my calls for much greater education funding, I must once again say that we have missed an investment opportunity. Additional borrowing or additional income tax could have provided the necessary leverage to take advantage of any change in economic circumstances. However I am not so optimistic as to hope beyond hope that this Government or indeed...
- Financial Resolution No. 15: (General) Resumed (22 Oct 2008)
Paul Gogarty: The letter continues: We responded to one vulnerable part of our society over the medical cards issue. We responded in relation to the income levy for those on the minimum wage. Now we must respond, proactively, on a number of areas, if not to increase funding, but at least to try and maintain the status quo. Class sizes is the single biggest issue. Various figures have been bandied about...
- Financial Resolution No. 15: (General) Resumed (22 Oct 2008)
Paul Gogarty: The letter further continues: There are other issues that I would like you to reconsider including Traveller Education funding, after a review of outcomes has been carried out. Not to mention a reassurance that the special protection afforded to the minority Protestant Education community is not being stripped away by the regulation of the situation vis a vis the majority Catholic fee paying...
- Financial Resolution No. 15: (General) Resumed (22 Oct 2008)
Paul Gogarty: The letter continues: And I could go on. One does not like the increase in registration fees, even in the current economic circumstance. However this is nothing compared to my views on the reintroduction of third level fees. But I suppose I will finish with the decision to amend substitution cover for absences arising from uncertified sick leave in all schools, as well as for school...
- Financial Resolution No. 15: (General) Resumed (22 Oct 2008)
Paul Gogarty: I hope he will be up for days.
- Financial Resolution No. 15: (General) Resumed (22 Oct 2008)
Paul Gogarty: The letter continues: I suggest, for example, adding a travel surcharge to private jets or increasing the second home tax by a measly â¬100 euro. What about increasing the levy on incomes over â¬200,000 or placing more on the cigarettes? I was amused to see one of the headlines refer to the pint as having been saved in the budget. Slap more excise duty on the pint of plain if it means...
- Financial Resolution No. 15: (General) Resumed (22 Oct 2008)
Paul Gogarty: It continues: Specific suggestions include: Halving the reductions in stamp duty on commercial properties, which would raise â¬90 million. Reverse the reduction in the charge on ATM cards from â¬5.00 to â¬2.50, which would raise â¬14 million. Redirect 10% of the home choice loan fund of â¬500 million, which would raise â¬50 million.
- Financial Resolution No. 15: (General) Resumed (22 Oct 2008)
Paul Gogarty: The letter continues: According to CSO figures on second properties, the levy of â¬200 should bring in â¬80 million rather than â¬40 million as estimated in the budget summary, which frees up an additional â¬40 million. The total of these suggestions equals â¬194 million, which exceeds the cost of the cutbacks. And if any specific suggestion is unpalatable to any specific Minister,...
- Financial Resolution No. 15: (General) Resumed (22 Oct 2008)
Paul Gogarty: I conclude: Make the right decision Minister. Reverse the most damaging cutbacks. Yours sincerely, Paul Gogarty TD, Green Party Education Spokesperson, Chair of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Science.