Does the Taoiseach agree that, for many of us, it is deeply disappointing to hear today that whatever reflection he did over the Christmas break, he has not recognised in the Dáil’s first meeting of 2012 that the austerity policy is an absolute disaster economically and socially? Does he not see the significant contradiction in [...]
Video: Joe Higgins challenges Taoiseach on job losses and hardship to families over closure of Barracks
On November - 15 - 2011
Did the Cabinet decide today to close down army barracks in Clonmel, Mullingar, Castlebar and Cavan? What is the rationale for this proposal when there are no savings to the State? For the 600 soldiers and their families, most of whom are workers in uniform as ordinary rank and file members, this will be an [...]
Video: Joe Higgins TD questions the Tanaiste on the illegal detention of Flotilla activists
On November - 10 - 2011
Last Friday, a foreign state, Israel, jailed 14 Irish citizens who were snatched from international waters while bringing humanitarian aid to Gaza. The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade has not uttered a single word of protest in public in response to this outrage. This morning, by agreement with the Irish embassy in [...]
Video: Joe Higgins questions Taoiseach on Keane Report, which he describes as a banker’s charter written by bankers
On October - 20 - 2011
I blush to think Aviva workers might be looking to us with hope that we might rescue their jobs. On a different issue, is the Taoiseach ashamed to stand in the Dáil the morning after his Minister for Finance crushed the hopes of 300,000 mortgage holders? These mortgage holders, the majority of whom are ordinary [...]
Video: Joe Higgins asks Taoiseach why he will not write-down mortgages to their current value
On October - 12 - 2011
The extensive leaks from the report of the Keane group on distressed mortgages will be greeted with bitter disappointment by the 95,000 homeowners in mortgage difficulties, of whom 40,000 or more are in arrears of more than six months. While there may be a few speculators among these, the vast majority are victims of the [...]
Video: Joe Higgins questions Tanaiste on the announcement of further cuts at Blanchardstown Hospital
On October - 6 - 2011
Connolly Hospital in Blanchardstown is a vital acute facility for 333,000 people from Meath to west Dublin and Kildare to north-west Dublin. Recently the HSE demanded a costing on what it would save the hospital to go from a 24-hour accident and emergency service to a 12-hour service. The Minister for Health, Deputy Reilly, stated [...]
Video: Joe Higgins speaks on disastrous policies for ordinary people of the EFSF
On September - 23 - 2011
The European Financial Stability Facility was a measure designed, not in the public interest as is claimed in the Title to the Bill, but really fundamentally to salvage the European banks and major European speculators from the consequences of their reckless lending over the previous ten years. Members are aware they gambled wildly on property [...]
