Results 13,601-13,620 of 21,498 for speaker:Mary Lou McDonald

Leaders' Questions (6 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: No, you are not.

Leaders' Questions (6 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: That is pathetic.

Leaders' Questions (6 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: On Tuesday, when the Tánaiste stated that a family of two adults and two children should pay less than €200 each year for water, Government sources immediately rubbished her figures.

Leaders' Questions (6 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: Despite the positive spin from the Tánaiste and Taoiseach after this morning's meeting of the economic management council, it is clear that they have not yet resolved their issues. The Tánaiste stated again that she is satisfied with progress and more work remains to be done. The only progress report people want to hear is that the Government is abolishing domestic water charges....

Leaders' Questions (6 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: The only thing the Tánaiste is very anxious to do is to make a pretty lame attempt to distract attention from the central issue.

Leaders' Questions (6 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: To give her some constructive feedback, if she believes her comedic effort at a world tour cuts ice with people watching these proceedings, she is very much mistaken. In the real world, people do not have €200 or €100 to pay for their water. The Tánaiste is correct that I am not in that position and I do not claim to be in that position.

Leaders' Questions (6 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: However, I represent countless people who are in that position. They are people on small or fixed incomes, pensioners and those struggling to pay their rent or to meet their mortgage payments. There are people for whom it is a trauma to get money to buy a pair of shoes for their children. That is who I represent. They have told me categorically that they do not have any money to pay for...

Other Questions: Public Procurement Contracts (6 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: I thank the Minister of State. I appreciate the challenge and I note the consultative phase and also the Meet the Buyer event which will be held shortly. I hope to attend that event. The Minister of State referred in his response to the practice of breaking contracts into lots and making them accessible. He referred to encouraging SMEs and micro-businesses to form consortia to give them...

Other Questions: Public Procurement Contracts (6 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: I hope the consultation period will be successful. A number of issues were raised within the stationery sector, including concerns to do with quality levels and the health and safety standards required in respect of stationery provided to schools, including primary schools. The sector has brought these issues to the attention of some of the Minister of State's colleagues. I ask that when...

Other Questions: Public Procurement Contracts (6 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: 7. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to ensure full compliance with all legal obligations under labour legislation by companies awarded public procurement contracts, with respect to their use of subcontracting, in view of impending requirements under the new EU rules agreed in January 2014. [42059/14]

Other Questions: Public Procurement Contracts (6 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: This question relates to public procurement. The Minister of State will be aware that I have taken a considerable interest in the matter. I am concerned, not least because of a number of very well publicised cases in which there has been evidence and allegations of flagrant breaches of labour law and exploitation of workers. I had cause to speak again yesterday with the workers who are in...

Other Questions: Public Procurement Contracts (6 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: I welcome that consultation, which is indeed prudent. I welcome that at call-for-tender stage a company may be required to specify what part of the contract it does not intend to perform itself but intends to assign to a third party, which is significant. The company will also be required to inform the public purchaser of the names and addresses of such subcontractors, thereby providing a...

Other Questions: Public Procurement Contracts (6 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: It is very important - I am sure this will be reflected by those with whom the Minister of State consults - that we make the correct policy choices, and in so far as adherence to labour law and the rights of workers are concerned, they need to be watertight and robust. JJ Rhatigan and Company has approximately 50% of school building contracts at construction stage awarded by the Department...

Other Questions: Public Procurement Contracts (6 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: 8. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to increase access by indigenous small and medium enterprises to public procurement contracts, in view of the impending requirements under the new EU rules agreed in January 2014. [42056/14]

Other Questions: Public Procurement Contracts (6 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: We touched this issue in the course of last week's debate. At that stage I raised with the Minister of State the importance of increasing the access of indigenous small and medium-sized enterprises, including micro-enterprises, to public procurement contracts, in view of the new EU rules agreed in January 2014.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Civil Service Reform (6 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: 5. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his decisions with respect to the recommendations for Civil Service reform by the independent panel on strengthening Civil Service accountability and performance and by the Civil Service renewal task force. [42276/14]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Civil Service Reform (6 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: My question relates to the publication, One Vision Civil Service: The Civil Service Renewal Plan, which is an interesting document. The process by which it has been produced has also been interesting. I am concerned that it does not pass us all by in the busyness of everything else. First, I wanted the Minister, Deputy Howlin, to set out his initial plans for the implementation of what is...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Civil Service Reform (6 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: I agree that this needs a considered discussion, if not by way of debate on the floor of the House, certainly at committee. We need to explore all of these matters. Why did the Minister decide to go for what he calls a "collective responsibility" model rather than, as has been proposed by Professor Rafter and others in the course of their work, a head of Civil Service? I understand Deputy...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Civil Service Reform (6 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: I ask that that matter be kept under review. It might well emerge that the Minister is, in fact, correct in that assessment, and if it works, it is fair enough and all is well. However, Deputy Howlin hears my concern. The beauty of having a head of Civil Service is that accountability does not get lost in the collective. I ask that we do not entirely jettison that idea as, perhaps, one...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (6 Nov 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: I welcome the deletion of the measure. At the time it was regarded correctly as a very negative development, not just in terms of the pay and conditions of public service workers but also a real intrusion on the voluntarist system of collective bargaining which had traditionally operated in this jurisdiction. It gave the Minister unilateral powers, which he said he did not use. Of course,...