McGrath, Mattie

Budget Statement 2019 (Continued)

It is a black hole.

What happened to grannies?

What happened the grannies?

Hear, hear.

I acknowledge that many of the measures introduced today by the Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe, are extremely welcome. The across-the-board increases on all social welfare payments will be o...

I share the sentiments expressed by Social Justice Ireland, which has long advocated a guiding vision for Irish society based on the values of human dignity and pursuit of the common good. In it...

The VAT hike for the tourism sector is expected to cost the sector over €400 million. This is a retrograde step. During the week an increase to 11% was mooted. Why was there no such incrementa...

We also know from the most recent CSO data that visits to Ireland rose by 10.9% to 9.584 million trips. Spending by visitors to Ireland also increased in recent years, with total tourism and trave...

I refer to the provision of mental health funding. As we are aware, the programme for Government contains a commitment to improve the provision of mental health services. However, Tipperary, a ...

I welcome the increase in the limits for the GP visit card, but I want to know what measures will be taken to support general practitioners and our primary care settings. Our GPs need better acc...

The Minister for Finance announced a raft of funding measures for housing. Yet despite 15 months of broken promises and seemingly endless announcements about how this plan is going to solve the ...

We have to accept the simple facts. The budgetary process to date has not been adequate to deliver the level of housing we need. The moves towards further engaging or assisting the local author...

I will now address the labour market and regional development. As the Minister informs us, the labour market is perhaps the best barometer of economic developments at present, given the many dis...

The Minister also said that ensuring competitiveness is a key priority for the Government. This is why the Government says it is providing for a ten-year capital plan to address bottlenecks and ...

Even the European Commission has observed that the figures here are way out of kilter with the majority of EU capitals. These are figures from renowned institutions. In fact, the Commission has...

In regard to education, the increase in the capitation rate by 5%, while welcome, is simply not sufficient to help schools meet their costs. This means schools will continue to rely on hard-pres...

In regard to childcare, the increase in limits for the affordable childcare scheme is, of course, welcome. However, it continues to fail to give all parents full choice in their childcare option...

In regard to those on middle incomes, I said earlier I very much welcome the increase to €35,500 of the income above which earnings are taxable at the higher rate, together with the changes to th...

The increase in the disability budget is, of course, welcome but how far will it go to address the huge waiting lists. Young children with special needs are waiting 18 months or more for an assess...

Where is the reintroduction of the mobility allowance and motorised transport grant? The Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, railed about it for years when he was in opposition. Shame on ...

I appealed to the Government last week, and during previous budgets debates, regarding a land tax. Once again, the Government has ignored calls to introduce a land tax on holdings of more than 7...

The cost of a packet of cigarettes has once again increased, which is welcome as a way to meet the huge health costs associated with smoking but it is no good as a revenue raising measure if we d...

Insurance costs for businesses and young individuals continue to cripple our country and I have seen nothing to address this. There was not a single reference to this huge blight on our economy.

I notice the Minister made no mention of the national broadband plan in his speech. I know the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment is embarrassed by what is going on. Wh...

Our rural town centres are continuing to die on their feet. Just this week, yet another shop closed on the main street of Tipperary town, bringing the number of closed businesses on the street to ...

I welcome the increase in the NTPF to try to alleviate our huge waiting lists. Waiting lists for the treatment of the sick and elderly should be a huge source of shame to all of us, especially t...

The budget will allow for major changes to the fair deal scheme, which I welcome. We fought hard for it. The Rural Independent Group tabled a motion on this last year and I thank Maura Canning ...

The Government has missed a golden opportunity. Last year, I said the budget was like a shower of snow that scattered widely and melted away. It is certainly an election budget but it has fail...

Deputies Michael Healy Rae, Danny Healy Rae, Michael Collins and I have brought people to Belfast in buses at weekends to get simple basic treatments. We have volunteer doctors going out to Thir...

Shame.

Hear, hear.

Financial Resolution No. 1: Tobacco Products Tax (Continued)

I do not smoke and I do not like smoking, but we are tackling this the wrong way. We have continually put up the price budget after budget, but for people who are addicted or find it difficult to ...

As I said earlier as part of my budget contribution, we are not touching the whole illicit trade in cigarettes. The Minister mentioned the €7.54 excise duty on a pack of 20 cigarettes and the €6...

Financial Resolution No. 2: Capital Gains Tax (Continued)

I also want answers to the questions Deputy Howlin asked, so I will not labour the point. Why is there a panic to introduce this tonight if the implementation date is January 2020? We normally vo...

Financial Resolution No. 3: Value-Added Tax (Continued)

My first question is for the Minister of State, Deputy Brendan Griffin. Where is the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Shane Ross? This is of his making. He is supposed to be the...

I, too, am surprised by the Minister of State, Deputy Brendan Griffin. I do not want to be personal, but as a Minister of State who comes from the country, he will be aware of how difficult it i...

School Funding

Asked the Minister for Education and Skills: the grant schemes available from his Department or other Government bodies to a primary school in order to build a school hall; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

School Staff

Asked the Minister for Education and Skills: his plans to end the two-tier system under which some school secretaries are employed as public service staff with full entitlements by his Department while others are employed by school boards of ...

Tourism Project Funding

Asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport: if funding is available for major projects such as the development of chair lifts and cable cars; if the development of such tourism projects will be supported in order to develop and promote hill ...

Vacant Properties Data

Asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government: the number of vacant properties in the ownership of Tipperary County Council by district; the length of time the houses are vacant; and if he will make a statement on the matter.