Results 16,801-16,820 of 19,173 for speaker:Shane Ross

Leaders' Questions (15 Dec 2011)

Shane Ross: I wish to address a budget-related matter. In the past week we have seen indications that some of the Government's quangos are showing signs of going walkabout. I applaud the Minister for Health's attempts to keep the VHI in check and to attempt to bring down the proposed premium increase of 50%. However, a more dangerous development is arising of which we are unaware as yet because of the...

European Council Meeting: Statements (14 Dec 2011)

Shane Ross: The relative merits of the markets in this argument will probably belong in another place. A few minutes ago, the euro dropped in value to $1.29, a 12 month low. The value of shares is falling throughout Europe today, while Italian bond yields are rising. Whatever the merits for Ireland in the deal agreed at the European Council, the European and global markets are giving it the thumbs...

European Council Meeting: Statements (14 Dec 2011)

Shane Ross: I will move seats. The IFSC is obviously threatened by the fact that it will compete with the city of London on different terms if the British secure the exemption they seek from any deals on a Tobin tax or other threats in the financial area. If a Tobin tax or financial transaction tax is introduced, as appears to be the intention of the deal, the IFSC will be at a competitive disadvantage....

European Council Meeting: Statements (14 Dec 2011)

Shane Ross: I will take some injury time for the delay caused by interference to the microphone. The deal reached last week threatens the multinational sector and our 12.5% tax rate. A more serious question is where is Ireland's place in Europe. Do we have any friends in Europe? The removal of the United Kingdom leaves us isolated at the table. We may be on the inside but we are on our own. The...

European Summit: Motion (8 Dec 2011)

Shane Ross: I move: That Dáil Éireann demands that the Taoiseach, Deputy Enda Kenny T.D., resist all efforts to force Ireland into a fiscal union at the European Summit in Brussels, and that he refuse to sign up to any treaty changes that hand over our economic sovereignty to a European body. I wish to share time with Deputies Maureen O'Sullivan, Catherine Murphy, Pringle, Wallace and Mattie McGrath.

European Summit: Motion (8 Dec 2011)

Shane Ross: This is an extraordinarily important day for the euro, but it is also an extraordinarily important day for Ireland. We should not confuse the two issues which, although separate, are intertwined. My primary interest lies in the role the Taoiseach will play when he gets to Brussels from Marseilles tonight. I am concerned about what he will do in the interests of Ireland and with ensuring he...

European Summit: Motion (8 Dec 2011)

Shane Ross: Hear, hear.

Leaders' Questions (7 Dec 2011)

Shane Ross: I remind the House that President Van Rompuy is an unelected European bureaucrat who is devising a means of bypassing democratic assemblies. Perhaps the Taoiseach might answer for me two brief and specific questions. All 27 countries have had an input into this report. Will he tell me specifically what Ireland's input was? What is Ireland's position on the report? Second, the Taoiseach...

Leaders' Questions (7 Dec 2011)

Shane Ross: Tomorrow the Taoiseach is due to head to Brussels for a meeting. If he comes back with a successful result, it will undoubtedly leave the budget in the shade and enable him to reverse the cuts to disability payments that have been the topic of debate during Leaders' Questions in the House. I want to ask him about the alarming reports that have surfaced today, that the President of the...

Budget Statement 2012 (6 Dec 2011)

Shane Ross: Now, in a great flurry, we are talking about a reduction of only 50. Some of those are merely mergers, not to mention the ones created. The reduction in the number of quangos will be minuscule. However, there are opportunities here, which I could outline to the Taoiseach and about which I have talked in the House, to reduce the number of quangos to under 100 and the number of directors of...

Written Answers — Banks Recapitalisation: Banks Recapitalisation (6 Dec 2011)

Shane Ross: Question 42: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will confirm that all amendments to methodologies and changes to formulas applied by the Central Bank of Ireland during the stress testing process were fully disclosed to and approved by the peer review team appointed by the European Banking Authoroity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38796/11]

Written Answers — Banks Recapitalisation: Banks Recapitalisation (6 Dec 2011)

Shane Ross: Question 43: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will confirm that the only way in which the methodology applied by the Central Bank of Ireland to the Irish banks in the July 2011 stress tests differed to that prescribed to other European banks participating in the exercise was to take account of the losses forecast by BlackRock; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38797/11]

Written Answers — Banks Recapitalisation: Banks Recapitalisation (6 Dec 2011)

Shane Ross: Question 44: To ask the Minister for Finance if the BlackRock forecasts were the only criteria upon which amendments were made to methodologies applied in the stress tests of July 2011; if he will confirm in which other respects amendments were made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38798/11]

Written Answers — Inter-Country Adoptions: Inter-Country Adoptions (6 Dec 2011)

Shane Ross: Question 350: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will set up a bilateral agreement with Ethiopia, building on the long relationship Ireland has with that country while recognising the 300 adoptive families directly affected by this issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38492/11]

Budget Statement 2012 (6 Dec 2011)

Shane Ross: There are elements of the budget which everybody in the House will welcome such as the universal social charge tax relief, income tax stability, research and development relief and mortgage interest relief, which mark a genuine effort by the Government to give some solace to people who are afflicted or vulnerable. I sometimes, but rarely, sympathise with the plight of the Government because,...

Budget Statement 2012 (6 Dec 2011)

Shane Ross: That is true because there was no vision. There was no idea of where we would be after two or three austerity budgets. What we do know is this: we know the budget deficit will be 3% of GDP and that we will still be in the eurozone, if the Minister gets his way. We also know - I agree with my friends on these benches on this point - that unemployment will still be at an unacceptable level....

An Bille um an Aonú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (An tUachtarán) 2011: An Dara Céim / Thirty-First Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2011: Second Stage (2 Dec 2011)

Shane Ross: I wish to share time with Deputy Catherine Murphy.

An Bille um an Aonú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (An tUachtarán) 2011: An Dara Céim / Thirty-First Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2011: Second Stage (2 Dec 2011)

Shane Ross: I congratulate my colleagues who drafted this Bill, particularly Deputy Murphy, and for the constructive way it has been approached by the Technical Group. It is very important this is done now. Time and again, throughout presidential elections, there have been complaints about the procedure for selecting candidates. Everybody has paid lip service to it, as has happened with the Government...

An Bille um an Aonú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (An tUachtarán) 2011: An Dara Céim / Thirty-First Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2011: Second Stage (2 Dec 2011)

Shane Ross: I thought we had 15 minutes each. I apologise.

An Bille um an Aonú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (An tUachtarán) 2011: An Dara Céim / Thirty-First Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2011: Second Stage (2 Dec 2011)

Shane Ross: I did not realise and I apologise. I find the Minister's reply disappointing, it is milk and water. I do not share the Government's view that all constitutional questions should go to a constitutional committee of some sort or a constitutional convention. From my experience in this House I regard all references of these matters to other committees or to other bodies as a way used by...