Results 19,701-19,720 of 20,768 for speaker:Mattie McGrath

Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2011)

Mattie McGrath: You wanted 50%.

Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (13 Dec 2011)

Mattie McGrath: He used to be.

Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (13 Dec 2011)

Mattie McGrath: He is losing touch.

Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (13 Dec 2011)

Mattie McGrath: Great.

Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (13 Dec 2011)

Mattie McGrath: I am delighted to be able to speak on this Bill and I thank my colleagues in the Fianna Fáil Party for allowing me some time.

Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (13 Dec 2011)

Mattie McGrath: Old friends are best, always.

Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (13 Dec 2011)

Mattie McGrath: The Minister and Deputy McGuinness were good friends for a while, but I hear they are going to fall out on this one. We could use many different words and moods to describe the Minister, but he said this would be a short and straightforward Bill. There is nothing short about it, although it is straightforward and direct. It is penalising ordinary householders - the people who went out and...

Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (13 Dec 2011)

Mattie McGrath: The Minister brought it back because he got frightened. The Minister is a big man - I described him before as Big Phil - but he was a coward when it came to that, because it was a cowardly act. This Bill is also a cowardly act. It is hitting people below the belt, and it is unfair, mean and lousy. We are going down in a minute to launch a book by the Minister's colleague, the Minister for...

Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (13 Dec 2011)

Mattie McGrath: I am talking through the Chair.

Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (13 Dec 2011)

Mattie McGrath: The seating arrangements are difficult where I am sitting, but I will address the Chair. Anyway, I wish the Minister well in politics. He has been in it a lot longer than I have. He is a practical man from a neighbouring constituency to mine. He used to be practical and he used to listen to the people, empathise with them and work for them, but that has all changed. When Fine Gael Party...

Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (13 Dec 2011)

Mattie McGrath: None the less, he was out there. Then he came back today and withdrew the Water Services (Amendment) Bill, and rightly so. He should also withdraw the Bill we are discussing, because it is a disgraceful attack on law-abiding citizens with threats of law. What is it all for? Is it to keep a bureaucratic system of local government in place? When I joined the county council in the 1990s,...

Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (13 Dec 2011)

Mattie McGrath: It is a huge system, top-heavy with officials - not the ordinary people who are doing the work on the ground. There are no men with shovels on the ground. We will pay these charges, but roads and sewer systems are being neglected - everything is being neglected. The briars are meeting you up the boreens. They have done away with the local improvement schemes and everything that was in any...

Order of Business (13 Dec 2011)

Mattie McGrath: Is there any promised legislation to deal with the Competition Authority?. It is 21 years of age this year and is a toothless and inept organisation, especially when it comes to dealing with cartels.

Order of Business (13 Dec 2011)

Mattie McGrath: I am asking the Taoiseach about promised legislation.

Order of Business (13 Dec 2011)

Mattie McGrath: Will there be a merger?

Order of Business (13 Dec 2011)

Mattie McGrath: A merger is promised. A cartel operates in the cement industry. The merger is in the programme for Government; I would not raise it otherwise. I wish our colleague, Deputy Healy-Rae, a speedy recovery and hope he will be back to keep me company as soon as possible.

Order of Business (13 Dec 2011)

Mattie McGrath: He is playing against a silage bale now.

Leaders' Questions (13 Dec 2011)

Mattie McGrath: We have the Taoiseach speaking on tape during the election campaign.

Leaders' Questions (13 Dec 2011)

Mattie McGrath: He must not be paying his adviser enough. He needs a more expensive one.

Leaders' Questions (13 Dec 2011)

Mattie McGrath: No, they have not.