Results 16,521-16,540 of 19,173 for speaker:Shane Ross

Leaders' Questions (19 Jul 2012)

Shane Ross: Can the Tánaiste tell me, generally, are the public interest directors doing anything in these banks? If they did not inform the Government about the pedigree and the detailed history of the person who was to be the governor of the Bank of Ireland then they were not doing their job. Did they report to the Minister and explain the situation? Did they report to the Minister and explain...

Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Jul 2012)

Shane Ross: One must consider where the weight of this Bill lies. I realise that the intention of all elements of the Government in respect of this Bill is to sort out a problem not of its making. Naturally, the instinct of every Member is to support a Bill of this sort because of the terrible situation in which many people find themselves, especially in respect of their mortgages. However, ultimately...

Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Jul 2012)

Shane Ross: The borrower could opt for insolvency. In other words the borrowers could opt to take a suicide bomb, a grenade and the pin. It is suggested that they have the options to go ahead if they do not like what the bank has decided. They could take the intermediaries out of the picture and blow themselves up.

Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Jul 2012)

Shane Ross: They could opt not to accept this. At this stage, the borrower will take the option which the Government has handed him or her, which is to destroy himself or herself in the process. That is the ultimate weapon the borrower has. The Bill is disappointing. I congratulate the Minister and the Government on the intent behind the Bill. They genuinely would like to sort out the problem. The...

Written Answers — Foreign Adoptions: Foreign Adoptions (17 Jul 2012)

Shane Ross: Question 699: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when she expects to be in a position to make a statement regarding the Russian bilateral agreement; the current stage of the negotiations; her plans for the negotiations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34516/12]

Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (13 Jul 2012)

Shane Ross: Like every other speaker, I welcome the motivation behind this Bill. There is no doubt that it is a recognition of an extraordinarily acute problem which is growing by the day and which probably should be tackled even more urgently than it is being tackled. It has not been properly recognised by the banks but politicians are now beginning to recognise it because of the awful difficulties...

Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (13 Jul 2012)

Shane Ross: That body could outline how matters could be resolved. There is no way banks can continue to be allowed to veto an arrangement of this sort. They have proven themselves to be completely unsuitable. An independent body should have been set up to tell both parties, if necessary, in as sympathetic a way as possible to the borrower, what the right solution would be. To allow the banks to tell...

Leaders' Questions (11 Jul 2012)

Shane Ross: Thank you. We all support the need for this inquiry. The point I was trying to make is this. The House probably does not know that the Committee of Public Accounts, having been frustrated in its wish to investigate the DDDA in public, decided to look at the possibility of doing it in private, but yesterday, as a result of some fairly lukewarm legal advice and another letter from the...

Leaders' Questions (11 Jul 2012)

Shane Ross: Before the recess, the House is looking forward to the Taoiseach or the relevant Minister announcing a bank inquiry, which presumably will include the issue of the guarantee in 2008. It is important that this inquiry has the right shape and protection. I say this because last night the Committee of Public Accounts was forced to park an inquiry into the Dublin Docklands Development...

Freedom of Information (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Second Stage (6 Jul 2012)

Shane Ross: I welcome this Bill, introduced on behalf of Fianna Fáil. It is long overdue. The main problem with the legislation is that it does not go far enough. It is easy to pick the usual suspects and say that the NTMA and NAMA and others listed in the Bill should be subject to freedom of information legislation. I do not understand why other bodies in receipt of State subsidies or State...

Freedom of Information (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Second Stage (6 Jul 2012)

Shane Ross: It might not be so easy nowadays but at that time things were easier. Following this, FÁS reduced the price by half because it was utterly unrealistic to ask for such a high fee. Anyway, it worked as an obstacle. I sent a cheque but nothing happened for a long time. I contacted the company after some time and was informed it had never received the cheque.

Freedom of Information (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Second Stage (6 Jul 2012)

Shane Ross: The cheque did not bounce but I thank Deputy Wallace for his help. At least, that particular cheque did not bounce. FÁS proceeded to make me go through the entire appeals procedure. Initially, the request was refused for extraordinary reasons that were difficult to understand. Eventually the information came out but we required a good deal of money, we had to be very persistent and we...

Freedom of Information (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Second Stage (6 Jul 2012)

Shane Ross: Have I completed five minutes?

Freedom of Information (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Second Stage (6 Jul 2012)

Shane Ross: That is fine.

Education (Amendment) (Protection of Schools) Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) [Private Members] (4 Jul 2012)

Shane Ross: I congratulate Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan for bringing forward this Bill. The Bill seems perfectly logical, sensible and un-hysterical. It should be accepted by the Government without much hesitation. I am astounded at the opposition of the Government to the Bill and especially the accusation that those promoting it are in some way hysterical. Those behind the Bill have reason to be...

Leaders' Questions (3 Jul 2012)

Shane Ross: I note what the Taoiseach said to Deputy Adams about the achievements in Europe last week and it would be appropriate if someone on this side of the House congratulated the Government on a seriously successful diplomatic mission.

Leaders' Questions (3 Jul 2012)

Shane Ross: It is right we should do that and we should acknowledge the fact that was put into the communiqué by the other parties.

Leaders' Questions (3 Jul 2012)

Shane Ross: What the Taoiseach called a "seismic shift" certainly happened in Europe last week, not necessarily on the banking question, but there appears to have been a change in the balance of power in Europe because of an ambush of Mrs. Merkel by France, Italy and Spain late in the night. I hope the Taoiseach was part of that ambush. I do not expect him to take the credit for it but he was part of...

Leaders' Questions (3 Jul 2012)

Shane Ross: Could I take it from what the Taoiseach said that although there will not be any effects in this budget, there will be tangible effects in the next budget and the following one? If that is the case, perhaps the Taoiseach could tell us where he will target those particular benefits and what area of the economy will take priority in the benefits which will come from this particular separation...

Leaders' Questions (28 Jun 2012)

Shane Ross: The Taoiseach is heading to Europe for a European summit but I suggest it might be more appropriate if he goes to Ballsbridge rather than Brussels.