Results 121-140 of 1,150 for speaker:Frank Fahey

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Frank Fahey: -----in the circumstances. This is a time of solidarity and a time in which people must pull together in order to see us out of the difficulties. I am convinced that when this is done and when we get back to economic growth and wealth creation, the first thing we should put back is the moneys we are taking away from social welfare. I have no doubt that this Government-----

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Frank Fahey: -----will be in a position to restore welfare payments which it is now necessary to take away. They are certainly the first payments that should come back when we see economic growth and we will see that economic growth quickly. Failure to take the hard decisions in this budget and failure to cut public expenditure to the extent we are doing, would result in a prolonged recession in this...

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Frank Fahey: -----and 1987, when we finally took hard decisions, all parties in government failed to take hard decisions in regard to public expenditure, Fianna Fáil on one side and Labour and Fine Gael on the other. We lost five years as a result of not confronting the issues of public expenditure-----

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Frank Fahey: That is not going to happen on this occasion. The hard decisions have now been taken. If we were to fall on this budget and Fine Gael and Labour found themselves in government after Christmas, they would be forced to make the exact same decisions.

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Frank Fahey: There is no other way out of it. We must be straight and fair about it and let us be honest with the Irish people. This budget is a good budget; this social welfare Bill is a good Bill, even though it is a difficult Bill and I stand behind it four square.

Departmental Agencies. (3 Dec 2009)

Frank Fahey: How many minutes do I have?

Departmental Agencies. (3 Dec 2009)

Frank Fahey: Two will be plenty. I welcome the Bill's introduction by the Minister of State, Deputy Killeen. Like Deputy Barrett, I had the pleasure of being the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources, when I had responsibility for foreshore licences. It must be one of the most bureaucratic and frustrating areas in which to work. It is not appropriate to the Department of Agriculture,...

Foreshore and Dumping at Sea (Amendment) Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Second Stage (3 Dec 2009)

Frank Fahey: How many minutes do I have?

Foreshore and Dumping at Sea (Amendment) Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Second Stage (3 Dec 2009)

Frank Fahey: Two will be plenty. I welcome the Bill's introduction by the Minister of State, Deputy Killeen. Like Deputy Barrett, I had the pleasure of being the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources, when I had responsibility for foreshore licences. It must be one of the most bureaucratic and frustrating areas in which to work. It is not appropriate to the Department of Agriculture,...

Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Nov 2009)

Frank Fahey: I wish to share time with Deputy Kennedy.

Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Nov 2009)

Frank Fahey: I welcome the publication of this Bill, which is a long time coming. It is a poor reflection on all of us that we are operating in 2009 under legislation introduced in 1932. Every Member in the House should bow their heads in shame that in this modern era, when we are trying to promote public transport, we are still operating under archaic legislation. There are many positives in this Bill...

Written Answers — State Property: State Property (10 Nov 2009)

Frank Fahey: Question 327: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the outcome of talks with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in connection with his Department's proposal to Údarás na Gaeltachta to sell lands at Ros an Mhíl Harbour, County Galway, which are of strategic importance to the development of a deepwater harbour, which is proposed for Ros an Mhíl; if...

Written Answers — Harbours and Piers: Harbours and Piers (10 Nov 2009)

Frank Fahey: Question 430: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will lodge a revised planning application for a deep water harbour of 12 metres at Ros an Mhíl Harbour, County Galway; and if he will inform this Deputy of the outcome of the talks with the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs in respect of that Department's proposal to Údarás na Gaeltachta to...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (10 Nov 2009)

Frank Fahey: Question 431: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the annual cost of the Sea Fisheries Protection Agency; the number of persons employed by the agency; the role and responsibility of the agency; the details of similar agencies in other EU countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40496/09]

National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (5 Nov 2009)

Frank Fahey: That is unusual.

National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (5 Nov 2009)

Frank Fahey: I reiterate the important points that have been made by previous speakers with regard to the guidelines. I welcome their introduction and fully understand the constraints on the Minister with regard to telling the banks what to do or how to run their businesses. The Minister cannot do that. We saw an example of this when Permanent TSB raised its interest rates. While this was a cause of...

National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (5 Nov 2009)

Frank Fahey: -----and €8 billion into Irish Nationwide.

National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (5 Nov 2009)

Frank Fahey: In one sense Anglo Irish Bank is a zombie bank, it is an institution we are all disappointed in for what it did, but from now on, Anglo Irish Bank could become critical to the successful recovery of the property sector. NAMA will be the bad bank for it which, when it loses its toxic debt, can become a good bank. I predict that many of the Anglo Irish Bank assets will be among the best that...

National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (5 Nov 2009)

Frank Fahey: The Irish assets have the same chance of being successful as assets of Bank of Ireland or AIB.

National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (5 Nov 2009)

Frank Fahey: For the simple reason that the bank would have gone under otherwise. I am not trying to score points here, I am making the point that the assets of Anglo Irish Bank could be worked through with NAMA to become profitable again, particularly the assets outside the State. We have dealt with the master SPV but I would like the Minister to indicate what the other SPVs will do. We have heard a...