Results 13,441-13,460 of 15,268 for speaker:Kathleen Lynch

Medical Cards: Motion (21 Oct 2008)

Kathleen Lynch: I congratulate Deputy Reilly and Fine Gael on tabling the motion. As he said, it is clear and simple, unlike the Government's proposal to abolish the medical card for the over 70s. I usually agree with much of what the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Deputy Barry Andrews, says and I strongly agree with his comment that there was a great deal of confusion among...

Medical Cards: Motion (21 Oct 2008)

Kathleen Lynch: If she had learned that, she should never have made this mistake. It defies logic that 15 Ministers sat around a table, made this decision and no one said, "Stop, this will not work. You should not do it." They also sat around the table and decided to increase the number of children in classrooms and no one said "Stop". They then decided to apply a levy to the wages of people earning less...

Medical Cards: Motion (21 Oct 2008)

Kathleen Lynch: I forgot that but their tyres will be paid for. If one spends 11 years eating out, one will not know the cost of a restaurant meal. If one spends 11 years out of contact with the average person, one will not realise what it is like to feel the sense of insecurity experienced by the over 70s last week. Deputy O'Sullivan stated this group of people, who usually vote conservatively, has lost...

Medical Cards: Motion (21 Oct 2008)

Kathleen Lynch: Waving the white flag.

Medical Cards: Motion (21 Oct 2008)

Kathleen Lynch: Messing up the world.

Financial Resolution No. 15: (General) Resumed (21 Oct 2008)

Kathleen Lynch: Is that agreed? Agreed.

Financial Resolution No. 15: (General) Resumed (21 Oct 2008)

Kathleen Lynch: Deputy Seán Barrett has 30 minutes.

Financial Resolution No. 15: (General) Resumed (21 Oct 2008)

Kathleen Lynch: Yes.

Financial Resolution No. 15: (General) Resumed (21 Oct 2008)

Kathleen Lynch: As Deputy Barrett has less time than Deputy Andrews, the latter should refrain from interrupting.

Order of Business (21 Oct 2008)

Kathleen Lynch: I refer to another budgetary issue. Will the Tánaiste tell us if it is proposed to provide sufficient moneys in order that the fair deal scheme can be introduced earlier rather than later? This is promised legislation that has been published. The difficulty for health board areas is that the funding is not available. The families of those entitled to medical cards and who have medical...

Financial Resolution No. 14: EXCISE — Mechanically Propelled Vehicles (14 Oct 2008)

Kathleen Lynch: The Minister is admitting it has nothing to do with the environment.

Financial Resolution No. 14: EXCISE — Mechanically Propelled Vehicles (14 Oct 2008)

Kathleen Lynch: I am glad the Minister has admitted this measure is nothing more than a grab for local government funding. He was clearly not successful in his budget negotiations. An Oireachtas committee, of which Deputy Hogan was a member, sat for two years investigating the high cost of car insurance. The tax on cars now costs more than insurance cost two years ago. It is outrageous and I do not...

Financial Resolution No. 14: EXCISE — Mechanically Propelled Vehicles (14 Oct 2008)

Kathleen Lynch: That sums up the Green Party's attitude to public transport.

Financial Resolution No. 13: Stamp Duties (14 Oct 2008)

Kathleen Lynch: Two different items in this group of resolutions trouble me. One is the increase in DIRT. No exemption is provided. Most people lodge their savings after tax. What they earn on those savings is not a gift from the Government — it is not a gift from anyone — it is interest made on the basis that a bank has the use of one's money while it is on deposit. One pays tax before the money is...

Financial Resolution No. 8: Excise Duty (Betting Tax) (14 Oct 2008)

Kathleen Lynch: The budget hits a particular group of people who can ill afford to be hit with the type of increases the Government proposes. The charge that will affect virtually everybody is the increase in VAT. That increase, as well as the increase in the tax on petrol, suggests that petrol is a luxury item and that VAT is only applied to luxury goods, but that is not the case. VAT is levied on...

Financial Resolution No. 8: Excise Duty (Betting Tax) (14 Oct 2008)

Kathleen Lynch: However, the 1% levy will be applied to everyone's income, even those on minimal incomes, which is outrageous. The increases in VAT and petrol tax will bring in significant income for the Government but we are not sure what will happen to that income. The implication of these increases is that they apply to luxury goods, which defies reason. An increase in VAT at a time when people's...

Financial Resolution No. 8: Excise Duty (Betting Tax) (14 Oct 2008)

Kathleen Lynch: We need another regulator.

Financial Resolution No. 8: Excise Duty (Betting Tax) (14 Oct 2008)

Kathleen Lynch: We do not have enough regulators in certain areas.

Financial Resolution No. 8: Excise Duty (Betting Tax) (14 Oct 2008)

Kathleen Lynch: The increase in VAT will impact on it.

Financial Resolution No. 8: Excise Duty (Betting Tax) (14 Oct 2008)

Kathleen Lynch: There is an alternative, namely, the horse.