Results 17,361-17,380 of 21,260 for speaker:Mary Lou McDonald

Leaders' Questions (28 Feb 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: On 10 November last the people voted to enshrine the rights of the child in the Constitution. At the time the Tánaiste said the referendum was an opportunity "to state clearly and unequivocally that we, the Irish people, value children and childhood." That was the rhetoric and we know the reality has been very different. The reality is that the Government, through the Department of...

Leaders' Questions (28 Feb 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: BRYR in Ballymun will lose nearly €150,000, while the Finglas Youth Resource Centre will also be hard hit. There are many others that I could list for the Tánaiste. Each of these projects that deals with children on the front line, some of them in crisis, others in trouble, represents real value for money and the State gets bang for its buck. Every cent invested in our youth...

Leaders' Questions (28 Feb 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: The establishment of Departments and changes to the Constitution are only of value if they are actioned, become a reality and inform public policy. For all of the Tánaiste's rhetoric, the truth is the youth affairs budget has been cut by 10%. This will directly translate into a 14% cut for the SWAN project in the North Wall. This project caters for 350 young people and does immensely...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Mortgage Resolution Processes (28 Feb 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: To ask the Minister for Finance his plans to tackle the one in four in mortgage distress here above and beyond what has already been announced. [10565/13]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Credit Review Office Appeal Numbers (28 Feb 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: To ask the Minister for Finance if he is satisfied with the take-up from small and medium sized enterprises in using the Credit Review Office; and if he will outline the way he implemented the recommendations in the review of the office. [10564/13]

State Forestry: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (27 Feb 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: I commend the Deputies of the Technical Group on introducing this comprehensive motion. The motion sets out not just the considerable value of Coillte to our economy, but the importance of Coillte and our woodlands to society and our communities. Coillte is an important rural employer. At a time when we have almost 15% of our population on the live register, Coillte's role as an employer...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Sector Pensions (27 Feb 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: I was interested to read the preamble to the legislation that was rushed through this House when IBRC was being wound up. It states that "in the achievement of the winding up of IBRC the common good may require permanent or temporary interference with the rights, including property rights, of persons". It is clear that property rights were interfered with when that institution was wound up....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Sector Pensions (27 Feb 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: I know it is not a matter of normal convention. In light of the level of public concern about this issue, I think that advice should be published. Frankly, I do not buy the suggestion that the Minister cannot go much further in respect of these pensions because of constitutional constraints. I do not believe he is politically willing to take on this matter. The suggestion that the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Sector Pensions (27 Feb 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: The Minister used that language in his initial response to me. These people have not been hit really hard at all. They should not be in receipt of these pensions at this level. The national interest and the common good require these pensions to be reined in.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Sector Pensions (27 Feb 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: The Minister should just publish the advice.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Sector Pensions (27 Feb 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: The Labour Party way is to take 5% off these pensions.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Sector Pensions (27 Feb 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: It must be a joke.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Croke Park Agreement (27 Feb 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: The answer to the question I put is a clear "No," the Minister is not prepared to prioritise low and middle income workers and he was certainly not prepared to prioritise front-line staff. This is an ongoing discussion in which we continually ask the Government to name and deal with the minority who are overpaid. The agreement reflects the fact that the Minister is not prepared to do this,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Croke Park Agreement (27 Feb 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: The statistics are startling. Some 9,500 carers are waiting for their applications to be processed. The average waiting time is now six months.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Croke Park Agreement (27 Feb 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: All of this is connected to a strategy that has been about shrinking the public service, hammering workers on very average incomes and protecting those at the top at all costs.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Croke Park Agreement (27 Feb 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: I would be equally critical of the trade unions which are protecting people they, the Minister and I know are overpaid. They earn more than the British Prime Minister or the French President. We cannot continue with that system-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Croke Park Agreement (27 Feb 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: -----or that level of overpayment while hammering workers further down the line.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Sector Pensions (27 Feb 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will consider reducing the annual pension payments to former senior public servants, office holders, Taoisigh and Government Ministers. [10489/13]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Sector Pensions (27 Feb 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: Let us look at a sample of the figures involved in these pensions. The figures I am about to provide are net of the PSPR or the pension levy. Mr. Charlie McCreevy has a pension of €119,000-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Sector Pensions (27 Feb 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: Mr. Michael Woods receives €122,000; Mr. Dick Spring receives €120,000; Mr. Bertie Ahern receives €150,000, while Mr. Brian Cowen the same amount. These are the pensions of which former office holders and others are still in receipt from the State. The Minister has bragged again today that he has introduced emergency legislation to deal with this issue. I believe and...