Mansergh, Dr MartinThursday, 16 October 2008 |
Dáil Eireann Debate
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Order of Business.
Question put: “That the proposal for dealing with the late sitting be agreed to.”
Voted Yes 
Question put: “That Nos. 10 to 15, inclusive, be taken without debate.”
Voted Yes
Question put: “That the proposal for the sitting of the Dáil tomorrow be agreed to.”
Voted Yes
Farm Waste Management Scheme: Motion
Amendment put.
Voted Yes
Financial Resolution No. 15: (General) Resumed.
I wish to share time with the Minister of State, Deputy Seán Power.
The backdrop to the budget is the serious financial situation at home and the turmoil on the global markets. Even after the budget measures are implemented the projected general Government debt is €1...
Fine Gael wants a lower borrowing requirement, no tax increases and no reductions in capital expenditure.
It seems the entire burden is to fall on reform of the public sector, which is not capable of producing results as quickly as Fine Gael suggests.
I well remember in 1994 the Fine Gael Party opposed the then partnership agreement and when, unexpectedly, it came into office the following year it executed very smartly a complete U-turn on the subj...
——has no support from the Labour Party benches and would not be followed through if Fine Gael were to find itself in coalition government.
I wish to address the broad principle of the issue of the day, the withdrawal of automatic entitlement to medical cards——
——for people over 70 years. Even with this measure the cost of medical cards will rise by 14% next year. I favoured its introduction, mainly on grounds of the reassurance it would give to people who...
To be fair——
——it obtained it. That does not mean it was the right decision.
It was a bridge too far——
I am trying to argue this rationally——
——as, arguably, was free university fees even for higher income brackets. In hindsight, I believe it was a mistake.
It is not simply a question of the €100 million which will be saved this year, but the prospect of escalating costs in future years. It is important that those who left VHI schemes should be able to ...
People comfortably situated, owning their own home with no child dependants and an income well above the State pension, can continue as previously with insurance and the various schemes that limit, re...
Ultimately, it is a question of what level of social services we can provide with the sort of finances available. I regret that some people of a certain age group were given expectations which it is ...
——that when one is in Government, one should not introduce measures which may gain considerable kudos at the time, but which prove to be unsustainable.
Another controversial issue is the 1% levy. This was introduced albeit with a threshold both in 1983 by the Fine Gael and Labour coalition and in 1993 by the Fianna Fáil and Labour coalition.
I remember the 1% levy in the first budget of the Fianna Fáil and Labour coalition was the centrepiece——
——of the financing of that budget. The view behind it is that anyone with an income outside of State benefits should be in a position to contribute 1%——
This is because if one has a small income, the amount is only nominal. Let us say one works two or three hours per week outside of other entitlements and earns, for example, €60. The 1% levy amounts...
At higher levels it does, which is the whole point. It raises substantial amounts of income. If one earns €100,000 per year, the levy raises €1,000 and if one earns €200,000, it raises €3,000. It i...
It brings home the point that we all benefit from society and all must contribute in however small a way. I welcome the budget measures which mean that, apart from the levy, those on the minimum wage...
It is correct.
The affirmation of no change to the corporation tax rate is very important in retaining Ireland’s attractiveness for inward investment and, given the other tax changes, it is important to state this f...
In comparing the situation to the past, one needs to take into account that there has been much improvement and we now have special assistants, resource teachers and so on. They alleviate the burden ...
The increase of 8 cent on petrol will be avoided by those with diesel vehicles and it will encourage a movement in that direction. This is one of many environmental measures and incentives in the bud...
I welcome the maintenance of the commitment to development aid. I return to the subject of the public service. There is a notion propagated, more outside the House than inside, in certain newspapers ...
I have not repudiated anything. What Government policy is this?
No.
The public service in recent times has served the country remarkably well.
I had an opportunity to observe this at close quarters when attending the IMF World Bank meeting in Washington in recent days. Officials there worked in tandem with officials on this side of the Atla...
There are many projects in progress. They are of significant value to the towns in which they are located. Deputy Varadkar said he would prefer to scrap decentralisation and concentrate on broadband...
The Deputy has our sympathies.
It must be a legitimate debating point.
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