Blog Archive | 2010
Gorey Mayor hailed a hero
Posted on December 23, 2010
Well done to our own Robbie Ireton, Mayor of Gorey, who foiled a robbery in a pharmacy in the town by chasing the man through the town who was then later brought to Gorey Garda Station. You can read the full story in the Gorey Echo.
Dáil debate on reducing the minimum wage
Posted on December 17, 2010
This week saw the Dáil debate a Labour Party motion on the reduction of the minimum wage (the wording of which you can read in our media centre). While the Labour contributions focused on different aspects of the impact the reduction in the minimum wage will have, Deputy Michael D Higgins delivered a passionate speech which you can view in the accompanying videos (you'll find links to the others speeches at the bottom of the post).
Closing the debate Deputy Higgins said: "Those on the minimum wage know where every cent goes and are forced to spend their incomes not on luxuries but to survive.
Permanent link | Comments | Categories: Finance • Michael D Higgins
Punitive interest rate raised in Dáil
Posted on December 15, 2010
"Will the Taoiseach tell us why Ireland is being charged a very high 3 per cent interest penalty on this money which is coming through the European Union? Why did the Government agree to it?, the Labour Leader Eamon Gilmore TD asked during Leaders' Questions this morning.
"When money was loaned to other countries under that provision of the EU treaties and I have referred to the situations in Latvia, Hungary and Romania, the additional margin was not applied. Thise countries were not charged an additional 3 per cent on the money lent. Ireland is the first country being charged a penalty rate of interest.
Permanent link | Categories: Finance • Eamon Gilmore • Leaders Questions
Minister 'shutting the door after the bonuses had bolted' - Gilmore tells Cowen
Posted on December 14, 2010
"Are we in a situation where the Minister is shutting the door after the bonuses have bolted?... Are we in fact in a situation where, as this works its way out, we will find that the bonuses will end up having to be paid? - Eamon Gilmore TD asked Cowen today during Leaders' Questions.
Gilmore was questioning the Taoiseach about the letter the Minister for Finance wrote to Allied Irish Bank after it emerged that senior executives in Allied Irish Bank were to paid €40m in bonuses.
Permanent link | Comments | Categories: Finance • Leaders Questions • Eamon Gilmore
Gilmore introduces four new Labour candidates
Posted on December 13, 2010
This afternoon Eamon Gilmore TD, Leader of the Labour Party, introduced four new candidates who have been selected over the last while to be Labour Party candidates in the forthcoming General Election.
They are Lorraine Higgins in Galway East, John Whelan in Laois/Offaly, Senator Ivana Bacik in Dun Laoghaire and Michael McNamara in Clare.
Speaking to journalists, the Labour Leader said: "We are now competing the first stage of our candidates selection process and we expect to have candidates in all 43 constituencies by the end of the week."
Eamon's full statement can be read in our media centre and you can see more images from the press conference on Flickr.
Permanent link | Comments | Categories: Elections
Catch-up on budget speeches
Posted on December 09, 2010
"Once again, the future is put on hold as children are made to pay for the mistakes of their Government.
"Labour passionately believes that, as a country, our best days are still ahead of us. We believe that, as a people, we can do a lot better.
"Labour believes we can restore confidence, build enterprise, expand trade, train our people, and create a stable and prosperous future," Deputy Eamon Gilmore told the House during his speech on Budget 2011. You can see his full speech in the video and read his contribution in our media centre.
We've uploaded a number of different speeches to You Tube made by various Labour representatives on the Budget. You can find links to them all below.
Permanent link | Comments | Categories: Finance • budget • Budget
There are two laws Taoiseach, one for tax exiles & one for those depending on social welfare
Posted on December 08, 2010
"The Taoiseach is presiding over two laws, one for tax exiles and another for people dependent on social welfare payments," the Labour Leader Eamon Gilmore TD told Cowen today during Leaders' Questions.
"Will the Taoiseach explain why the measure on tax exiles, which was introduced last year, will take two years to come into effect whereas people on some of the lowest incomes in the country, including carers, widows, people who have lost their jobs and blind people, have been hit twice in the same period? The pain being inflicted on them comes into effect immediately."
You can watch Eamon's full contribution in the accompanying video and you can read the full exchange on the Oireachtas website.
Permanent link | Comments | Categories: Budget
Government chooses to slash and burn and create even more problems
Posted on December 07, 2010
"This budget is every bit as bad as we feared," the Labour Leader Eamon Gilmore TD said this afternoon.
"The real tragedy is that having done all this damage, Fianna Fail risks compounding their earlier mistakes, such as the blanket bank guarantee and NAMA, with a Budget that takes an additional €6billion out of the economy.
"Labour fully accepts the need to reduce public expenditure and to close the budget deficit, but in this budget Fianna Fail has once again, chosen to take the route of the conservative consensus, asking those on middle and low incomes to bear the brunt of the adjustment, while priviledged elites such as the tax exiles did not even merit a mention in Minister Lenihan's speech.
Permanent link | Comments | Categories: Finance • Budget
If the Government had paid attention to what Labour has said - we wouldn't be in this mess, Gilmore tells the Dáil
Posted on December 07, 2010
Before this afternoon's Budget the Labour Leader Eamon Gilmore TD told the Taoiseach that the €6billion adjustment in the Budget would damage the prospects for "growth, recovery and jobs" in the Irish economy.
"I am concerned and the Labour Party is concerned that another bad decision by Government to take €6billion out of the economy, to adjust the budghet by €6billion, is a dangerous strategy for the country.
"Does the Taoiseach have any concerns at all that removing €6billion poses a danger to the prospects for this country's economy recovery and growth."
You can see Eamon's contribution in the accompanying video while the full transcript of the exchange will be available to read on the Oireachtas website.
O'Keeffe brings invites from people in Sligo to Minister Harney
Posted on December 06, 2010
This afternoon Susan O'Keeffe our candidate for Sligo/Leitrim in the forthcoming General Election came to the Department of Health in Dublin to personally deliver 1557 signed invitations for Minister Harney to discuss the future of the health services with people in Sligo.
"Obviously this Government is in its final days and I imagine that Ms Harney won't now make this trip to share her plans with people directly. Unfortunately we have no idea what sort of plans are in the system already for the way hospitals will be configured into the future. She won't tell us."
Susan added that 'accountability and dialogue' must be at the heart of the next Government.
Permanent link | Comments | Categories: Health • Susan O Keeffe
