Results 81-100 of 2,550 for speaker:Paul Gogarty

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (10 Dec 2010)

Paul Gogarty: More jobs could be lost if we did not reduce the minimum wage. Since social welfare rates have been reduced further - we will remember yesterday's debate on this - and since wages have decreased and the standard of living has decreased for everyone, the minimum wage must also be reduced.

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (10 Dec 2010)

Paul Gogarty: I agree with the Deputy on that. There are no bonuses now for bankers but a decision on the bonuses of 2008 was made by the courts. Any efforts-----

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (10 Dec 2010)

Paul Gogarty: I do not mind genuine debate and have already put on record that I support any effort by the Minister to try to claw the money back. However, this is-----

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (10 Dec 2010)

Paul Gogarty: On the substantive issue, Ireland will be a more competitive place once again in four or five years because of measures being introduced in this budget. The standard of living will be a little lower, at 2002 levels, and the cost of living will be a lot lower. This will mean our goods and services, as traded, will be more competitive.

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (10 Dec 2010)

Paul Gogarty: The employment rate will rise once more. The Deputy should look at the consumer price index; that is what I am talking about.

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (10 Dec 2010)

Paul Gogarty: I will sum up. Irrespective of the financial interests pervading much of this House in terms of influencing the way decisions are made - I reiterate that the Green Party does not engage in this practice and no one is paying it or having it compromise in any way to make decisions - we have announced we are leaving Government and will do so, but we must get the budget passed. It is our moral...

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (10 Dec 2010)

Paul Gogarty: Let me clarify the matter because the Deputy raised a valid issue. Our party leader, the Minister, Deputy John Gormley, said we would be leaving Government as soon as the Finance Bill is passed. That remains the case.

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (10 Dec 2010)

Paul Gogarty: I hope it will be as soon as possible because I would relish an election at this stage so the Opposition Members can argue among themselves and come up with a coherent electoral platform. I support this amendment wholeheartedly.

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (10 Dec 2010)

Paul Gogarty: I ask the Minister to respond to it and ensure that those who are currently working will not be exploited by the measures that I believe, on a very narrow balance, to be necessary to keep this country competitive and ensure jobs continue to be created.

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (10 Dec 2010)

Paul Gogarty: Like the Fine Gael spokesperson on employment----

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2010: Second Stage (9 Dec 2010)

Paul Gogarty: There are issues to be balanced in this Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill, which brings together into one a number of separate items. The minimum wage has just been referred to by Deputy O'Donnell. There is also the pay issues for the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and Ministers, and the issue of the public sector pensions. I want to address the issue of the...

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2010: Second Stage (9 Dec 2010)

Paul Gogarty: The midlands does not benefit enough from tourism. I am trying to help develop the area.

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2010: Second Stage (9 Dec 2010)

Paul Gogarty: I have been to Belvedere House. It is a great place and anyone internationally reading the Official Report-----

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2010: Second Stage (9 Dec 2010)

Paul Gogarty: Connemara and Wexford are places I visit as well but I happened to be in Clara and we heard the Minister for Finance state on a radio programme that he would not consider cutting the minimum wage and that it was not on the agenda at that time. He said if it affected employment prospects he might revisit the issue, but he thought it was something that would be more applicable to the Labour...

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2010: Second Stage (9 Dec 2010)

Paul Gogarty: I will yield to the Deputy.

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2010: Second Stage (9 Dec 2010)

Paul Gogarty: The Deputy's point is taken but for people who have a part-time contract they are working for the period of time that gives them the legal protection, and they cannot be taken out of that situation. The vast majority of workers in the country now cannot be told to take a pay cut. If it is above the minimum wage, people can and have been told to take pay cuts. I suppose the positive side to...

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2010: Second Stage (9 Dec 2010)

Paul Gogarty: Two thirds of the reason we are cutting back in this budget is because we are spending more than we are taking in. We have to reign ourselves in. Everything has a knock-on effect. We cannot have very high levels of social welfare that are a disincentive to work while at the same time cut amounts for people who are on the borderline. Everything must be proportionate and while I personally...

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2010: Second Stage (9 Dec 2010)

Paul Gogarty: All I am saying is that the Germans have always been a frugal people. We should be learning from them and cutting our costs, particularly in the catering and hotel sectors. Then we might be able to employ more people and encourage some of the Germans with disposable income to come here.

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2010: Second Stage (9 Dec 2010)

Paul Gogarty: Rather than us asking the Germans to give us an extra €1 billion to put on our credit cards we should be saying that Ireland is a cheap competitive place to visit, we welcome Germans, they love Ireland, they should come over here, we will give them a good time, and we will take their money and give good value for it. That is the way it should be. We should be trying to develop good ways...

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2010: Second Stage (9 Dec 2010)

Paul Gogarty: I welcome the pension reform measures. Some of the public service pensions will be reduced by approximately 4% on average. This, as the Minister for Finance stated, will generate a €100 million saving in 2011. It is a significant saving in the context of a €6 billion adjustment, and it had to be done. It does not please anyone to have to do it, but the money must be found. Earlier...