Results 121-140 of 3,895 for speaker:John Halligan
- Written Answers — General Practitioner Fees: General Practitioner Fees (18 Oct 2011)
John Halligan: Question 503: To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that many persons have continuously expressed concern that in the midst of the current economic crisis, many doctors are still charging excessively for consultation fees, which is having a huge financial impact on families without either medical cards or general practitioner visit cards; his plans to...
- Leaders' Questions (19 Oct 2011)
John Halligan: Yes.
- Leaders' Questions (19 Oct 2011)
John Halligan: Why did it not speak to MABS?
- Leaders' Questions (19 Oct 2011)
John Halligan: Exactly.
- Leaders' Questions (19 Oct 2011)
John Halligan: The Government should have met them before it issued this report.
- Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme) and Remuneration Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (19 Oct 2011)
John Halligan: I welcome particular aspects of the Bill. I accept that certain reforms to public service pensions are crucial if those pensions are to be made sustainable and affordable in the long term and if there is to be fairness for public servants and taxpayers. Such reforms must be framed in light of the fiscal challenges ahead. It must be acknowledged that public servants have already made a...
- Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme) and Remuneration Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (19 Oct 2011)
John Halligan: From my reading of it, the Bill does not make provision in respect of high earners such as politicians, the President, members of the Judiciary or the Attorney General.
- Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme) and Remuneration Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (19 Oct 2011)
John Halligan: Those to whom I refer enjoy an accelerated accrual of pension rights and if they are contemplated within the provisions of the Bill, I would be delighted. I am disappointed the Government opted not to meet representatives from the teachers' unions in order to hear their legitimate concerns.
- Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme) and Remuneration Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (19 Oct 2011)
John Halligan: The Minister did not meet them before he attempted to legitimise this Bill-----
- Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme) and Remuneration Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (19 Oct 2011)
John Halligan: -----or prior to the completion of the report.
- Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme) and Remuneration Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (19 Oct 2011)
John Halligan: Were they all happy with it?
- Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme) and Remuneration Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (19 Oct 2011)
John Halligan: Exactly. Despite a pre-election promise, I am aware that Fine Gael Members - of whom there are none present in the Chamber - did not meet representatives of the teachers' unions. Perhaps the Minister, Deputy Howlin, did meet them.
- Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme) and Remuneration Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (19 Oct 2011)
John Halligan: If he did, I apologise for doubting him. I met some of the union representatives and I am aware that their concerns relate to the measures which could give rise to teachers contributing more to their pension schemes than they will obtain in return.
- Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme) and Remuneration Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (19 Oct 2011)
John Halligan: The concerns of the teachers' unions are genuine and they should be examined. Another concern of the teachers' unions relates to young teachers who, on entering the profession, spend several years engaging in part-time and substitute work. When they finally obtain a permanent post, they are obliged to enter onto a long, incremental pay scale. This is despite the fact that they must pay the...
- Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme) and Remuneration Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (19 Oct 2011)
John Halligan: Consideration should be given to putting in place an opt-out clause because it is not as hare-brained a proposal as some might think. Some economists have stated that the possibility of introducing such a clause should be examined. The unions are standing over the findings of the independent Trident report, which states that a teacher entering the new scheme at the beginning of his or her...
- Leaders' Questions (20 Oct 2011)
John Halligan: Let the man speak.
- Departmental Bodies (20 Oct 2011)
John Halligan: Question 3: To ask the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government in relation to the five person committee recently appointed to assess the viability of merging Waterford City Council with Waterford County Council, known as the Waterford Local Government Committee, if he will clarify the reason there are no publically elected members from either the city or county councils...
- Departmental Bodies (20 Oct 2011)
John Halligan: As the Minister is well aware, the merging of Government bodies is always fraught with danger. Job losses are inevitable, whether they are councillors, who one must remember are also workers, or local authority staff. Many are concerned about the potential for job losses. It is still unclear whether the independent commission could have been brought on board in terms of the Waterford Local...
- Departmental Bodies (20 Oct 2011)
John Halligan: I ask the Minister to meet them.
- Departmental Bodies (20 Oct 2011)
John Halligan: I do not question that.