Results 12,741-12,760 of 21,203 for speaker:Mary Lou McDonald

Leaders' Questions (29 Jan 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: The Tánaiste talks about making savings for the taxpayers and of the benevolence of her Government, but the fact remains that there are tens of thousands of individuals and families who cannot pay this charge and this will be demonstrated on the streets across the State on Saturday when people come out again to say that to her and her colleagues. That is the reality. Will the...

Leaders' Questions (29 Jan 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: I very much doubt that going on the Government's past record.

Leaders' Questions (29 Jan 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: As there always is not.

Leaders' Questions (29 Jan 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: The difficulty arising from the questions put by Deputy Cowen is that everybody can see that the Government's handling of this unfair water tax has been shambolic. It also emphasised again the fact that the Government has been less than fully frank with people or with Members of the Dáil when dealing with these issues. Before Christmas, the Tánaiste's colleague, the Minister for...

Leaders' Questions (29 Jan 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: -----and all of that sophisticated paper pushing that she engages in-----

Leaders' Questions (29 Jan 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: It strikes me that the Department could have had those matters considered, analysed and costed when the debate was under way so that the Minister would not give misleading figures to the Dáil.

Leaders' Questions (29 Jan 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: Perhaps the Tánaiste might make an attempt at answering this time. Was she aware of that letter and had she a hand in its content? More to the point, what will be the full and final cost? We have an entitlement to know that.

Leaders' Questions (29 Jan 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: This relates to another loose end and legislation that the Minister, Deputy Alan Kelly, proposes to introduce in the near future. We all await the water services Bill 2015 with bated breath. In reply to a question from my colleague, Deputy Brian Stanley, the Minister has indicated that this Bill will, in the main, make provision for addressing any unpaid water bills relating to domestic...

Redress for Women Resident in Certain Institutions Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) (29 Jan 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: The Minister has helpfully reminded us that over 10,000 women spent time in Magdalen laundries since the founding of the State. Approximately half of them served more than three years, not always but often following referral by State agencies – from industrial and reform schools, health and social services, county homes and psychiatric hospitals to the criminal justice system,...

Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation: Motion (Resumed) (28 Jan 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: I acknowledge all of those women, children and men who are survivors, advocates and campaigners, some of whom are with us in the Visitors Gallery, most of whom are not. They have brought us to this point and at long last the Government has finally agreed to establish an independent commission of investigation into mother and baby homes. It is welcome that the commission will have the remit...

Redress for Women Resident in Certain Institutions Bill 2014: Second Stage (28 Jan 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: The Minister prefaced her description of the legislation by providing an account of how, in her eyes, the issue of the Magdalen laundries has been dealt with by the State and how it and the Government treated the victims and survivors. I take this opportunity to acknowledge that those survivors enjoyed a level of public recognition in respect of the experiences that they underwent, many of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Comprehensive Expenditure Report 2015-2017: Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (28 Jan 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: I can await a summary response.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Comprehensive Expenditure Report 2015-2017: Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (28 Jan 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: To refer to the Minister's last point, whether to debate the issue or not is for a different forum. To make a general point, the process of reforming the budgetary analysis, projections and so forth is very welcome. It is the way to do business. At the risk of shocking the Minister, I believe this is the right approach. However, ultimately its value is only reflected in its accuracy and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Comprehensive Expenditure Report 2015-2017: Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (28 Jan 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: This approach is obviously at the heart of producing ceilings and the analysis we have in front of us. Let us talk about health, at page 77, if we could. Deputy Sean Fleming and the Minister, Deputy Howlin, have already had the conversation about the Supplementary Estimate. The Minister himself has set out the €647 million over and above what had been envisaged was required. This...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Comprehensive Expenditure Report 2015-2017: Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (28 Jan 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: I do not wish to be rude to the Minister but I am conscious that we are very constrained in time. With all due respect, I asked a specific question around the health----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Comprehensive Expenditure Report 2015-2017: Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (28 Jan 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: While I appreciate that the Minister for Health, Deputy Varadkar, carries the can for health in the first instance, the Minister, Deputy Howlin, is presenting this document to us. I am accepting the figures from him and his officials in good faith. The document is not worth the paper it is written on unless it is based on the premise that these are the ceilings as calculated, and that they...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Comprehensive Expenditure Report 2015-2017: Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (28 Jan 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: Could the Minister remind us what the spend in health was last year? What was the ceiling for 2014?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Comprehensive Expenditure Report 2015-2017: Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (28 Jan 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: Is that the overall annual spend?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Comprehensive Expenditure Report 2015-2017: Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (28 Jan 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: The Minister talked about decreases in public expenditure. They are known in common parlance as cuts and, despite what he might say, they have happened in health, welfare and education. It is the Government's position, which the Minister echoed in his script earlier, that there are additional resources and moneys to be invested. It is fair enough if the Minister regards Deputy Sean Fleming...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Comprehensive Expenditure Report 2015-2017: Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (28 Jan 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: He said he can kind of tip along, but that is it.