Results 1-20 of 49,184 for speaker:Stephen Donnelly

Corporation Tax: Motion (Resumed) (23 Mar 2011)

Stephen Donnelly: As this is my first speech in the Chamber, I take this opportunity to thank the people of County Wicklow and east County Carlow for sending me here. I am delighted my first contribution in the House is to represent them on this critical topic. The majority of Irish people are in favour of maintaining a low corporate tax base. It has been the cornerstone of Irish economic policy for decades...

Technology Research Centres (29 Mar 2011)

Stephen Donnelly: I welcome the Government's investment in the research centres. I will pick up on Deputy Tóibín's point. I understand the Minister of State is new in the brief, but I imagine he did not pick up on the three areas of biotechnology, nanotechnology and high value manufacturing. Evidence from around the world shows that governments, even with the best interests, are incredibly bad at choosing...

Universal Service Charge: Motion (Resumed) (30 Mar 2011)

Stephen Donnelly: The introduction of the universal social charge was a bizarre measure. I am encouraged that Sinn Féin has tabled this motion and that the Government has agreed to review the charge. Having listened to the debate, there seems to be broad consensus in the House that such a review needs to happen. I accept that we need to broaden the tax base, not because we want lower income workers and...

Banks Recapitalisation and Restructuring: Statements (31 Mar 2011)

Stephen Donnelly: Yes.

Banks Recapitalisation and Restructuring: Statements (31 Mar 2011)

Stephen Donnelly: That is fine.

Banks Recapitalisation and Restructuring: Statements (31 Mar 2011)

Stephen Donnelly: I would like to share my time with Deputies Higgins, Boyd Barrett, Catherine Murphy, Wallace and Pringle. This is a very sad day for Ireland. The €46 billion that has already been put into the banks, coupled with this €24 billion, gives us a figure of €70 billion, which, conservatively, would eradicate poverty in Ireland forever but, unfortunately, we are putting this money into banks...

Banks Recapitalisation and Restructuring: Statements (31 Mar 2011)

Stephen Donnelly: In the United States between 2008 and 2010 322 banks failed. I will finish on citing something Mervyn King, Governor of the Bank of England, said only four weeks ago.

Banks Recapitalisation and Restructuring: Statements (31 Mar 2011)

Stephen Donnelly: I will finish on this point. Mervyn King said: The objective of supervision is to recognise that banks will fail. Our role is not to stop them failing. Our job is to make sure that if they fail because of management, then they do not contaminate the rest of the financial or economic sector, but they are allowed to fail. I would urge the Taoiseach to consider those two approaches as...

Bank Bailout and EU-IMF Arrangement: Motion (5 Apr 2011)

Stephen Donnelly: The motion before the House is that the Irish people should decide whether they are willing to pay back the private losses of wealthy investors and European banks. The motion is not that the Irish people should not pay these losses, it is whether they should be given the choice to pay them. The Government claims the people were given this choice in the recent election. In the Chamber...

Bank Bailout and EU-IMF Arrangement: Motion (5 Apr 2011)

Stephen Donnelly: Not a single word expressed by the Minister of State addressed whether the people should have a choice.

Bank Bailout and EU-IMF Arrangement: Motion (5 Apr 2011)

Stephen Donnelly: The word "default" does not appear once in the motion. The Deputy should read the motion.

Bank Reorganisation: Statements (Resumed) (6 Apr 2011)

Stephen Donnelly: I wish to share time with Deputies Thomas Pringle, Richard Boyd Barrett and Seamus Healy.

Bank Reorganisation: Statements (Resumed) (6 Apr 2011)

Stephen Donnelly: I would pick up Deputy Nolan on his last point as the issue of paying back the senior bondholders is so serious and emotional, and causing so much damage. This is how business and banking work. Debtors and lenders to businesses take write-downs all the time and businesses continue to function. Senior bondholders take write-downs all the time and they continue to lend to countries and...

Bank Reorganisation: Statements (Resumed) (6 Apr 2011)

Stephen Donnelly: I beg your pardon, a Cheann Comhairle. I am new to this.

Bank Reorganisation: Statements (Resumed) (6 Apr 2011)

Stephen Donnelly: The Minister for Finance earlier laid out three stated objectives of the banking sector reform, namely, "to restore confidence in the banking system and in the economy of the country ... to recapitalise and restructure the banks and ... to restore credit to the economy in order that growth will rebound and jobs can be recreated". I put it to the House that there is really only one objective,...

Palliative Care Services (12 Apr 2011)

Stephen Donnelly: Question 32: To ask the Minister for Health and Children his plans, including investment, targets and timelines, for the reform of palliative and end of life care, in order that persons are afforded the dignity and respect they deserve and receive appropriate, high quality care in an environment of their choosing. [7783/11]

Palliative Care Services (12 Apr 2011)

Stephen Donnelly: I thank the Minister of State for that response. We have some examples of good practice, for example in Limerick and in the mid-west where we have the 30 hospice beds and the multidisciplinary teams. The target is one hospice bed for every 10,000 of population. Three regions have that, two are at 40%, two are at 30% and three regions have none, not a single bed. Wicklow, the area I know...

Palliative Care Services (12 Apr 2011)

Stephen Donnelly: I have the 2009 plan here and agree it is a good plan. I suggest the HSE is the problem and that it is a managerial problem. For example, in Wicklow there is co-funding of €3 million for a €6 million hospice and an ongoing operational expenditure is proposed of €2.5 million. We know this is provided at a cost saving and that in terms of the economics, it saves us significant money....

Commission of Inquiry into Banking Sector: Statements (20 Apr 2011)

Stephen Donnelly: I would like to share time with Deputies Mattie McGrath and Joan Collins.

Commission of Inquiry into Banking Sector: Statements (20 Apr 2011)

Stephen Donnelly: As has been said, the Nyberg report confirms what some knew and everyone suspected - that the institutions of the State failed to protect the people; that political decision-making, particularly with regard to the blanket guarantee, was ill-informed; and that a culture of greed and incompetence prevailed in the banking sector. Now that we have seen the Nyberg report, we need to reflect on...