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General and Quick-Fire Questions

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Comments

  • #52
    PaulGogartyTD
    Company Representative Posts: 115 Verified rep ✭PaulGogartyTD


    oppenheimer1 wrote: »
    Regarding Third Level Fees

    We secured an agreement on no third level fees during the lifetime of the Government in the PfG last year. We expect this commitment to be kept.

    There were no guarantees on registration fees. But at the same time there was no increase in the registration charge during the most recent budget.

    The Education Committee which I chair looked at the issue of Reg fees and found that a difference between what constituted student services in the eyes of the Department and what the money was actually covering. My understanding is that because of this registration fees will be abolished in favour of a new student services charge. This will undoubtedly be an excuse to raise more for the Department and to cover any discrepancies in terms of where the money is actually going. And no doubt there are plans in place to increase the actual newly defined charge. I don't know exactly because I have not seen any budgetary proposals as of yet.

    The USI are concerned about such an increase, as would I. But even if raises the expense for students and even if it is counterproductive, and no matter what the opposition parties say, an increased charge cannot be said to be a third level fee because the actual cost of courses varies between €7-14,000 normally and beyond in the case of some courses. I hope the Minister does not go down this route because it will cause additional hardship for students. But it cannot be ruled out, because even if education is protected in the budget, in line with the PfG commitments, and is the best performing department, it will still take a hit if we have to cut more overall than was originally envisaged. And with wages ruled out of the equation, what areas of education do you cut back on and what areas do you preserve? This is the question facing everyone.

    So aside from an increase in student charges, which may happen, fees are off the agenda for now. But what will happen beyond the PfG period? The Green Party is looking at long term funding issues for third level and the rest of the education sector, but that is for our manifesto for the next election. Meanwhile all the political parties will have to set out what their projections are for the next four years, hopefully as part of a consensus, but let's not hold our breath for too long.

    I would say, expect efforts to increase charges in the light of the economic pressures. But don't expect fees to be reintroduced.


  • #53
    PaulGogartyTD
    Company Representative Posts: 115 Verified rep ✭PaulGogartyTD


    bijapos wrote: »
    Post 72 by timbel

    Do you think that sitting TDs should be able to claim pensions?

    Should TDs be able to claim multiple pensions (ministerial, etc) at the same time?

    When is the government going to bring in real reform of the political system (not the half baked "reform" of expenses last budget)?

    By this I mean,
    - reducing the ratio of TDs to population
    - fully vouched expenses
    - 1 pension per TD which can only be claimed at retirement (this mean proper retirement, not finishing in the Dail and going back to work in the private sector, eg. as a non executive director of some board, etc)

    TDs claiming pensions and one pension per TD? I don't like claims while still a TD, but the AG's advice was that it couldn't be restricted fully until after the next election because of the reasonable expectation element. Doesn't stop voluntary withdrawals of pensions however....

    Ratio of TDs to population? The Green Party would like to reduce TDs by about 20-30 seats, but at the same time we want to reform local government by creating properly funded regional representation and a more effective local authority level with less councillors. This would be the subject of negotiation and there is no agreement with FF. The only agreement is to set up an electoral commission, which is behind a couple of our other priorities time-wise.

    Real reform? There was a 15% decrease in the amount going towards expenses last year. The old overnight system or daily allowance was changed for a swipe scheme based on a minimum attendance. It is no longer a turning up payment, but rather a reasonable Oireachtas attendance expense allowance incorporating constituency travel.

    As someone who called for a swipe card system in 2003 I am happy to see how this works out for a year or two. As someone who called for a fully vouched system of expenses in 2003 I have concerns about the vouched system as it currently operates. Not the actual amount, which is fair and now covers leaflet distribution and advertising, but more the fact that TDs and Senators can choose to get a lesser amount unvouched rather than provide documentation for a larger vouched amount. If we are spending money then it should be documented. There is an audit coming up at the end of this year and I for one am making sure that everything spent using my vouched allowance has receipts or invoices.

    That said my once concern is that people get an idea of what you are up to on the ground from these receipts, something that is transparent in terms of the public, but politically sensitive in terms of giving your political rivals heads up.


  • #54
    johnnyskeleton
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Politics Moderators Posts: 14,535 Mod ✭✭✭✭johnnyskeleton


    PaulGogartyTD wrote: »
    Plus you can have an addiction but being a recovering addict. Once corporate donations legislation is in, it will be more difficult for FF to go dipso with developers, FG go bananas with business interests and for Labour to tango with trade unions.

    So even though FF are corruption addicts, you are happy to get into bed with them on the basis that they might some day change? A bit of battered wife sindrome, no?


  • #55
    PaulGogartyTD
    Company Representative Posts: 115 Verified rep ✭PaulGogartyTD


    johnnyskeleton wrote: »
    So even though FF are corruption addicts, you are happy to get into bed with them on the basis that they might some day change? A bit of battered wife sindrome, no?

    That was tongue in cheek. I grew up in an area where FF and FG operated in a rezoning alliance to put houses in with no thought of facilities. The Flood/Mahon Tribunal has reported extensively on issues pertaining to my constituency.

    We stated before the next election and this is on the record that we did not rule out any party, but preferred Fine Gael and Labour. As I mentioned elsewhere this combination was not possible and so we negotiated with FF on the basis of our respective mandates.

    Would you prefer if I said that we work well with FF and they are ideal partners? We have a good businesslike relationship and human interactions are constructive and positive, but on a personal level I do not like what FF have stood for or indeed what FG have stood for.

    If FF were taking loadsa legitimate political donations and then along comes Fine Gael and takes money from National Toll Roads, Treasury Holdings etc (all legal and above board of course) then in our view there is no difference between the larger parties in terms of their desire for monies from available business sources. Such monies are not normally given simply out of a desire to support the democratic process.

    If people were smart and trusting enough to vote Green Party to effect change, it would be unfair and morally reprehensive not to get in and do what you can, in an honourable manner, as part of a coalition government. If we had said, no, we are purer than FF and no, we are purer than FG, where does that leave you? Pure but ineffective.

    We have made progress and have been treated negatively because we got fleas from lying down with the FF dog. Better to lie down with the dog than let the dog crap all over the kitchen I say. This Government has been a better Government because of Green influence.

    To me an FG/Labour alternative would not be much different than FF in terms of attitudes to vested interests or Green issues. But as stated elsewhere, that would still have been our preference back then. Given the way they have behaved since, I cannot see any difference and could only hope that in government all parties strive to work well together.

    Their responsibility was in terms of assisting the speculation-driven property bubble at local level because they weren't in government at national level to stoke up the dependence on stamp duty revenue. FF bears the greater responsibility. They know that, we know that, but the focus now has to be on finding solutions and getting us out of the mess we are in rather and point scoring over past failures.

    If there was an election tomorrow FF would be out of the race. If we had seats that we could salvage we would be saying make sure that there is Green in any future rainbow. Because of the experience we have built up and because of the policies we have implemented. A lot of people might be attracted to an FG/Green or Lab/Green government. We would say doin't give FG/Lab an absolute majority, make sure it has a shade of Green in it.


  • #56
    Liam Byrne
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,163 ✭✭✭✭Liam Byrne


    PaulGogartyTD wrote: »
    If people were smart and trusting enough to vote Green Party to effect change, it would be unfair and morally reprehensive not to get in and do what you can, in an honourable manner, as part of a coalition government. If we had said, no, we are purer than FF and no, we are purer than FG, where does that leave you? Pure but ineffective.

    That's pretty condescending, to be honest...."smart enough and trusting enough" ?

    I trusted The Greens based on what Sargent had said. I also trusted them to investigate proper Green options and make them affordable and sustainable, while also trusting them not to attempt to make non-city living a potential nightmare due to uncertainty as to what they would choose to tax next.

    So "trusting" applies; "smart" does not.

    Never again.


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