“We believe the country does need to have a lifejacket as we enter what could be potentially quite choppy waters over the next six or nine months,” Fianna Fáil’s finance spokesperson said today.
Finance spokesperson Michael McGrath said the Sinn Féin’s claim that it has new recordings from Anglo Irish Bank is an attempt to distract from Monday’s TV programme about The Disappeared.
The treatment of elderly people was highlighted by two Fianna Fáil spokespeople today, with Seán Fleming asking what the Government “has against elderly married couples?”.
The party has launched it’s pre-Budget submission today calling for an overall adjustment of €2.4 billion which is evenly split between tax rises and spending cuts.
Jim Brown is the latest bank boss to appear before the Oireachtas Finance Committee to be grilled on how lenders are addressing the mortgage arrears crisis.
Michael McGrath said he would like to see the former taoiseach to agree to a “proving interview by an established current affairs journalist” in the wake of his first public comments in over two years.
The bank has also cut its forecast for growth of the country’s economy or gross domestic product from 1.2 per cent this year to 0.07 per cent blaming the falls in the export of goods and services.
With a free vote, at least a dozen TDs and senators from the main opposition party are likely to oppose the Protection of Life during Pregnancy Bill, according to a survey carried out by TheJournal.ie.
The Dáil debated a Fianna Fáil-proposed private members’ motion on the mortgage arrears crisis tonight but it was easily defeated by the government’s majority.
The Fianna Fáil finance spokesperson has called on Michael Noonan to hold face-to-face negotiations with the European Central Bank president after he wrote to him last month.
Budget 2013 is less than a week old but already thoughts are turning to Budget 2014 and the possibility it could be held earlier than December next year.
The government claims neither of the two main opposition parties had their pre-budget submissions fully costed but this has been described as a “complete red herring” by Fianna Fáil.
A TV interview, planting a tree, “official business” and committee work in Mozambique are among the reasons for some TDs not voting on last night’s abortion bill.
Only two banks in Ireland passed on last month’s rate cut to their standard variable rate customers, Fianna Fáil finance spokesperson Michael McGrath has said.
FOLK-RAP GROUP Kalush Orchestra romped home as winners of the Eurovision Song Contest last night.
The group, who as men of fighting age had to be given special dispensation to leave the country, had long been considered favourites to claim the top prize.
Their song Stefania – a plaintive mix of hip-hop and traditional music – lagged behind the UK, Sweden and Spain after the jury votes were awarded. However, as the televotes from across Europe (and Australia) were read out it soon became apparent that the Ukrainians would emerge victorious.
It’s an event many people love to love, and others love to hate, but each year huge numbers watch the final.
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