Results 12,681-12,700 of 21,203 for speaker:Mary Lou McDonald

Other Questions: Economic Policy (11 Feb 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: Far from it.

Other Questions: Public Sector Staff Recruitment (11 Feb 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: 9. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will report on the status of the lifting of the public sector recruitment embargo as announced in budget 2015. [5782/15]

Other Questions: Public Sector Staff Recruitment (11 Feb 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: As Deputy Daly has said, there is a serious outstanding issue in terms of "deferreds", as they are called, and their pension entitlements which many have seen literally decimated. Even if it is not the Minister's direct responsibility, I urge him to familiarise himself with it because a grave injustice has been done to people who have given massive service to Aer Lingus. One could not...

Other Questions: Public Sector Staff Recruitment (11 Feb 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: This question is about the lifting of the public sector recruitment embargo, as the Minister has announced.

Other Questions: Public Sector Staff Recruitment (11 Feb 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: I very much welcome any move in respect of lifting or easing the recruitment embargo. We have all seen at first hand the negative effect of under-staffing, including the stress on staff themselves, and the consequences for service users. Can we tease things out a little bit? The Minister says that the function of recruitment will be delegated to Departments which will have to operate...

Other Questions: Economic Policy (11 Feb 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: I could not let this go by, as the Minister congratulated himself on his achievements, without asking him to react to the following. On his watch, a third of our children now live in poverty and we have the highest level of low pay in the OECD, second only to the United States of America. On his watch, families, particularly those headed by single parents, eke out an existence and live in...

Other Questions: Economic Policy (11 Feb 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: He portrays this as a level of progress in the economy and rattles off his statistical data.

Other Questions: Economic Policy (11 Feb 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: Added to that are the Government's additional charges, not least the water charges for which protesters are now being lifted, left, right and centre.

Other Questions: Economic Policy (11 Feb 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: To introduce a level of balance into the record of the Dáil, it is only fair to record those matters as our Government colleagues have their love in.

Other Questions: Economic Policy (11 Feb 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: I am sure he will.

Other Questions: Economic Policy (11 Feb 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: Those are the facts.

Other Questions: Economic Policy (11 Feb 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: I could give the Minister examples.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (11 Feb 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: I thank the Minister. In this spirit, when does he envisage the talks commencing? Can he confirm whether it will be March or April? He has set out his view that anything agreed will have to be sanctioned and accepted through the normal democratic channels of the trade unions and representative bodies. Can he be more specific on his idea of the wind down of FEMPI? We are on the same page...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (11 Feb 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: 5. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his views on the recent statements by the trade union leadership with respect to a proposed increase of 5% in public sector pay, in view of improving economic conditions; and if he will report on the nature and extent of his contact with the public sector unions, to date, with respect to the forthcoming pay talks. [5861/15]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (11 Feb 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: This question refers to public sector pay and the scope for increases in pay, and asks the Minister to report on the extent and nature of his contacts with public sector unions to date in respect of the forthcoming pay talks to which he alluded earlier. I reference in my question a proposed increase of 5% in public sector pay. The Minister will be aware that this was posited by the general...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (11 Feb 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: I am sure that, in calling for prudent thinking and vowing not to allow the State go down the tubes and be imperilled in the way it was before, the Minister recognises that it was not working people who created that fiasco and calamity in the public sector and, for that matter, in the private sector. The Minister says he envisages talks with the unions after the first quarter returns have...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Expenditure Reviews (11 Feb 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: 2. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the process by which the most recent comprehensive review of expenditure was conducted and by which agreement was achieved on the multi-annual expenditure ceilings for 2015-17, including the number and nature of his contacts with ministerial colleagues, in particular with the Ministers for Health and Social Protection. [5860/15]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Expenditure Reviews (11 Feb 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: My question pertains to the comprehensive review of expenditure. We addressed some of the issues arising from the review in committee. The review document sets out a three-year expenditure path. The Minister has described it as a robust and evidence-based framework which will enhance the transparency and structure of the overall budgetary process. While such a framework is welcome, my...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Expenditure Reviews (11 Feb 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: For the purpose of clarity, the line Minister is ultimately responsible for his or her Department but the Minister, Deputy Howlin, has responsibility for public expenditure and reform, and the review document was published by him. In respect of the health budget, does he stand over the figures set out in page 77 of the review in respect of 2015, 2016 and 2017? We are told that the purpose...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Expenditure Reviews (11 Feb 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: That is to be welcomed. We could we have a long debate on the level of health expenditure. I acknowledge that we spend a lot on a per capita basis. Our method of funding and the system itself is irrational and needs to be completely transformed, but that is a debate for another day. I also agree with the Minister on the question of efficiencies and that it is not simply a matter of...