Results 18,241-18,260 of 35,756 for speaker:Pearse Doherty

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion. (20 Jul 2017)

Pearse Doherty: Perhaps I should not speak for all my colleagues, but I do not think anybody in this room disagrees with the idea of refunding. Sinn Féin's argument is that these issues should have been budgeted for prudently so that we do not have to look for savings or underspends, which are natural within Departments, in order to facilitate a major refund. The level of spending in the Department of...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion. (20 Jul 2017)

Pearse Doherty: We are familiar with that.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion. (20 Jul 2017)

Pearse Doherty: I understand that the Minister is leaving to do a press announcement on issues relevant to this committee. I respect the Minister but that is the wrong approach. This is the Oireachtas Committee on Budgetary Oversight. The Minister has curtailed our proceedings to an hour and is going to leave here to make a press announcement on the expenditure review, which we, the members of the...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion. (20 Jul 2017)

Pearse Doherty: I am using that time because this is not good practice. If we are going to take the work of this committee seriously, we need to get into the depths of these issues. I know reference was made to water charges. This is not about water charges, it is about the expenditure profile which we were discussing earlier and the process. I would like to talk to the Minister about the commitments in...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion. (20 Jul 2017)

Pearse Doherty: This is a set piece event in the budgetary process. Following the publication of the summer economic statement, the Minister appears before this committee. I know we will not change this now, but I ask the Minister to review this for next year. This is an affront to this committee. It is wrong.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion. (20 Jul 2017)

Pearse Doherty: Can I ask my question?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion. (20 Jul 2017)

Pearse Doherty: Can I ask four brief questions and I will ask them together?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion. (20 Jul 2017)

Pearse Doherty: I appreciate the Minister taking them.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion. (20 Jul 2017)

Pearse Doherty: I will ask my questions together to speed up the process. In terms of the fiscal space for next year, there is no provision in the numbers with respect to the public pay deal. The Minister has explained the reason for that, which is that the decision has not been made. If there is vote to accept it, can the Minister indicate how much of the fiscal space for 2018 that would take up, as...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion. (20 Jul 2017)

Pearse Doherty: Therefore, there would be a difference in that respect. There is a commitment in the programme for Government to maintain the pension rates and a number of rates above the rate of inflation, which is projected to be 1.8% next year. What is the cost of that commitment and does the Minister intend to deliver on it? The final issue I wish to raise is that of demographics, which I have been...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion. (20 Jul 2017)

Pearse Doherty: That is a commitment in the programme for Government.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion. (20 Jul 2017)

Pearse Doherty: Education is just an example. I am asking that it be provided for all Departments, which number about six, where there are serious demographic concerns.

Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman Bill 2017: Report and Final Stages (14 Jul 2017)

Pearse Doherty: I thank the Government for co-operating with me during the passage of the legislation. My Private Member's Bill has provided an impetus and put a bit of energy behind the Government pursuing this legislation. At its core, the legislation is about the merger of two offices, the Ombudsman's office and the Pensions Ombudsman's office. Crucially for the consumer, the measures in the Sinn...

Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland (Amendment) Bill 2014: From the Seanad (14 Jul 2017)

Pearse Doherty: I am delighted this legislation has passed both Houses of the Oireachtas and now goes to the President for his signature. As has been mentioned, it is major step forward in consumer protection. We hear a lot about new politics. It is important to note it is the first Bill initiated by an Opposition Member to pass the Dáil. More important is the fact that thousands of people each year...

Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman Bill 2017: Report and Final Stages (14 Jul 2017)

Pearse Doherty: I thank the Minister of State. We had a discussion on this matter on Committee Stage. I took the view that the mediation section that the Government has put forward is welcome. I echo what the Minister of State has said in terms of welcoming the positive results that we are seeing from the Financial Services Ombudsman Bureau in terms of the use of mediation. It is a voluntary process. ...

Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman Bill 2017: Report and Final Stages (14 Jul 2017)

Pearse Doherty: I believe the slight confusion arises from the fact that this is the first Government amendment as amendment No. 1 is in my name. The Minister of State discussed amendment No. 2 and a consequential amendment, No. 16, which is a technical amendment. I welcome amendment No. 2, which replaces many of the provisions of various Acts and strengthens the level of co-operation between the...

Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman Bill 2017: Report and Final Stages (14 Jul 2017)

Pearse Doherty: I support the amendments. I submitted identical amendments to amendments Nos. 3, 4, 6 and 13 to 15, inclusive. I assume the reason the amendments are in the Minister's name is that the wording is identical. They are identical because they replicate the provisions of the Bill recently passed in the Seanad. With two Bills proceeding through the Houses at the same time, it is crucial that...

Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman Bill 2017: Report and Final Stages (14 Jul 2017)

Pearse Doherty: Amendment No. 1 not moved.

Summer Economic Statement 2017: Statements (13 Jul 2017)

Pearse Doherty: Up until now, we have not heard from those parties that they are turning their backs on these proposals. None of them, which would have taken between €3 billion and €4 billion out of the economy, was realistic. There were populist nonsense that could never have been delivered. Sinn Féin took a risk in the general election campaign when we told people we would not cut...

Summer Economic Statement 2017: Statements (13 Jul 2017)

Pearse Doherty: Sa deireadh thiar thall, tá ráiteas eacnamaíoch an tsamhraidh os ár gcomhair. Dá mbeadh sé curtha ar athló níos faide, ní bheadh muid ábalta "an tsamhraidh" a úsáid sa teideal. Tá sé againn, áfach, ar scor ar bith. After much delay, the latest set-piece in the ongoing Fine Gael plan to tell us how well everything...