Results 1,341-1,360 of 3,523 for speaker:Lucinda Creighton

European Council Meeting: Statements (1 Feb 2012)

Lucinda Creighton: There was no automatic sanctioning if member states did not comply. The biggest offenders were the larger member states. I do not need to repeat that in this Chamber. The very significant change in the text of this treaty is that those sanctions will now be automatic. It will not be necessary to achieve a majority of member states to vote in favour of imposing sanctions because it will...

European Council Meeting: Statements (1 Feb 2012)

Lucinda Creighton: I have been asked multiple questions. I can either answer them or not.

European Council Meeting: Statements (1 Feb 2012)

Lucinda Creighton: In that case, I will take more questions. I am sorry I could not respond to all of the previous questions.

European Council Meeting: Statements (1 Feb 2012)

Lucinda Creighton: It is not disingenuous.

European Council Meeting: Statements (1 Feb 2012)

Lucinda Creighton: The Deputy is trying to create something out of nothing.

European Council Meeting: Statements (1 Feb 2012)

Lucinda Creighton: Partisan is becoming your middle name as you try to outflank those sitting on your right.

European Council Meeting: Statements (1 Feb 2012)

Lucinda Creighton: I accept the point Deputy Mathews makes. I absolutely appreciate there is a concern that debt sustainability was not a featured item on the agenda at the summit on Monday. However, it has been featured at numerous summits in recent months. There was a decision by Heads of Government that on this occasion the focus would be on two issues, the first being finalising the text of the fiscal...

European Council Meeting: Statements (1 Feb 2012)

Lucinda Creighton: It is under discussion. The Deputy can take issue with whether it is understood. I assume the Minister for Finance would have a different view. We are in ongoing negotiations with the troika. As the Deputy knows, the Minister for Finance, Deputy Noonan, spoke last week with the President of the ECB. That work will take a little time but it is progressing. I am very optimistic about it....

European Council Meeting: Statements (1 Feb 2012)

Lucinda Creighton: Some of it is.

European Council Meeting: Statements (1 Feb 2012)

Lucinda Creighton: There are some good news stories about the way in which-----

European Council Meeting: Statements (1 Feb 2012)

Lucinda Creighton: -----Ireland has been moving much closer to recovery than either of the other two programme countries, or a number of other member states.

European Council Meeting: Statements (1 Feb 2012)

Lucinda Creighton: For example, we returned to positive growth in 2011, which is something about which this Chamber seems not particularly interested.

European Council Meeting: Statements (1 Feb 2012)

Lucinda Creighton: Although unemployment is a massive cause for concern for this Government, as I assume it is for all governments in Europe, there has been a small dent in it. It has fallen from 14.7% to 14.2%. The decline is very slow but it is positive and very important.

European Council Meeting: Statements (1 Feb 2012)

Lucinda Creighton: On putting the question to the people, Deputy Flanagan asked whether a referendum is required, constitutionally. I do not agree. We have never had a referendum in this State that was not intended to amend the Constitution. Deputy Martin knows this well.

European Council Meeting: Statements (1 Feb 2012)

Lucinda Creighton: I find it a little ironic that we are hearing very mixed messages from Fianna Fáil. Last Sunday Deputy Calleary stated on television he would not have a referendum unless it was required by the Constitution. Then Deputy Martin changed his tune. Interestingly, he stated on Monday in The Irish Times he was tired of leaders who cared more about domestic opinion polls than about solving the...

European Council Meeting: Statements (1 Feb 2012)

Lucinda Creighton: Then he turned around and changed his position the following day because of opinion polls. This was the well-known position of his party when in government, not merely for years but for decades. It is a little rich. It would be very interesting to hear the self-professed pro-European party come forward and lay its cards on the table.

European Council Meeting: Statements (1 Feb 2012)

Lucinda Creighton: There is so much conflicting information coming from it.

European Council Meeting: Statements (1 Feb 2012)

Lucinda Creighton: The reality is-----

European Council Meeting: Statements (1 Feb 2012)

Lucinda Creighton: This Government is absolutely committed to moving this State forward. We have had a very positive experience over the past ten or 11 months in making a small dent in unemployment rates and negotiating downwards the interest rate on our bailout programme. This has had a significant impact and will save the State approximately €10 billion.

European Council Meeting: Statements (1 Feb 2012)

Lucinda Creighton: We are working very hard to come to an arrangement in regard to promissory notes, as Members of the House were informed by the Taoiseach. We will continue our efforts to ensure we arrive at better terms and conditions for this State in terms of debt sustainability and prospects for growth and job creation. However, that is not to say we will not work with our European partners to ensure that...