Results 18,961-18,980 of 21,260 for speaker:Mary Lou McDonald

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

Mary Lou McDonald: Is Deputy McGrath moving again?

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

Mary Lou McDonald: It is nice to see peace and harmony blossoming between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. Having listened to Deputy Sean Fleming and aside from freedom of information concerns, I expect each Department to have orderly and coherent filing systems, full stop. The Deputy differentiated between Departments, but that is probably another day's discussion. I welcome this debate on the proposed amendment...

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

Mary Lou McDonald: To quote a very fine woman and the then Minister of State, Ms Eithne Fitzgerald, the introduction of freedom of information legislation by the rainbow coalition sought to "turn the culture of the Official Secrets Act on its head". The legislation gave people three new legal rights: to consult official records, to update and correct inaccurate personal information and to be given reasons for...

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

Mary Lou McDonald: This was pure opportunism on the part of a party caught up in self-interest and scandals yet to break.

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

Mary Lou McDonald: Writing in the Irish Examiner in 2003, Mr. Seamus Dooley of the National Union of Journalists perhaps described best the shameful way in which Fianna Fáil, aided by senior Government officials, had literally pulled a fast one on the citizens of the State. He wrote: Rumours that plans were afoot to bastardise the Bill emerged in early February 2003. The NUJ immediately sought and were...

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

Mary Lou McDonald: The two Government parties promised the people that they would legislate to restore the Freedom of Information Act to what it was before it was undermined by Fianna Fáil. In addition, they promised, rightly, to extend its remit to other public bodies, including the administrative functions of the Garda Síochána, with the exception of security issues. They promised to extend freedom of...

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

Mary Lou McDonald: I note Deputy Mattie McGrath's sensitivity to Fianna Fáil's legislation.

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

Mary Lou McDonald: I am sure the Deputy is.

Written Answers — Bank IT Systems: Bank IT Systems (5 Jul 2012)

Mary Lou McDonald: Question 38: To ask the Minister for Finance the action he and his Department officials took during the Ulster Bank IT system crash; if he is satisfied that the problems have been fully addressed and that such a crash is unlikely to occur again; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32750/12]

Written Answers — National Pensions Reserve Fund: National Pensions Reserve Fund (5 Jul 2012)

Mary Lou McDonald: Question 14: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will provide an update on funds held by the National Pension Reserve Fund; the full amount remaining in the discretionary portfolio of the fund; the way he is currently using this money and his plans for this fund into the future. [32749/12]

Order of Business (5 Jul 2012)

Mary Lou McDonald: I wish to ask the Minister about the Joint Committee on Investigations, Oversight and Petitions. As he is aware, there is a commitment in the programme for Government that this would be a powerful committee to receive petitions in respect of public bodies. Ironically, there has been much foot dragging on this very committee that was flagged by the Government as a landmark innovation. Why...

Order of Business (5 Jul 2012)

Mary Lou McDonald: My Whip cannot move the motion.

Leaders' Questions (5 Jul 2012)

Mary Lou McDonald: Yesterday Sinn Féin met the troika again.

Leaders' Questions (5 Jul 2012)

Mary Lou McDonald: Who is to say? We outlined to the troika our view that the Government's austerity policies are not working. Not only are they hurting citizens, they are damaging the domestic economy and keeping hundreds of thousands of people on the dole.

Leaders' Questions (5 Jul 2012)

Mary Lou McDonald: They are killing off any prospect of the economic growth the Government claims to want to see. It was clear from our engagement that on issues such as tax reform, public spending and social welfare payments, the Government has significant scope in the policies it can pursue. Will the Minister tell us today what issues are on the table and what choices he proposes to make? Will cuts to basic...

Leaders' Questions (5 Jul 2012)

Mary Lou McDonald: Our meeting with the troika was the third such meeting. The Minister's own brand of voodoo economics is catastrophic for families the length and breadth of the State. We are coming towards the end of this Dáil session and the Minister says the budget will not be ready until December. That is fair enough, but the deliberations and decisions surrounding the budget are well in train and much...

Leaders' Questions (5 Jul 2012)

Mary Lou McDonald: Will the Government finally honour that cap? Will the Minister tell the Dáil today that whatever choices are on the table, the Government will resolve to protect basic rates of social welfare?

Leaders' Questions (5 Jul 2012)

Mary Lou McDonald: Does the Minister know his colleagues?

Leaders' Questions (5 Jul 2012)

Mary Lou McDonald: Those were bills, not bonds.

Written Answers — Public Sector Pensions: Public Sector Pensions (4 Jul 2012)

Mary Lou McDonald: Question 24: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the way the public service pension reduction is treated if a former office holder or public servant is in receipt of more than one pension payment from the Exchequer. [32368/12]