Paschal Donohoe (Fine Gael)

candidate Dáil election

Dear

Thanks for your query.

Fine Gael is committed to the development of a national paediatric children´s hospital. I think the most important thing is that the facility gets built- I am not hung up about where on the north side of Dublin it is built.

I´d be interested to hear your thoughts - drop me a line if you like.

Thanks
Paschal

---

Paschal Donohoe
Fine Gael Senator - Dublin Central
Phone - 01 6183689
Web - www.paschaldonohoe.ie
Twitter - www.twitter.com/paschald
Facebook - www.facebook.com/paschal.donohoe=20

There has been no answer submitted, so far. In order to be informed as soon as an answer is published, please enter your email address using the notify link underneeth.

Dear

Thanks for your questions. I will address each one individually.

1. Are you in support of cutting public spending? If you enter a collation with Labour how are you going to reconcile this your parties opinion with theirs?

• Yes, we need to cut the deficit to 3% by 2014. If we are privileged to form a Government, we will negotiate with other parties based on the scale of the mandate we receive from the people.
  

2. Possibly renegotiating the Croke Park agreement?

• As out manifesto says, pending a built-in review of its implementation, Fine Gael remains committed to honouring the pay elements of the Croke Park Agreement. Fine Gael has always indicated its commitment to go beyond the Croke Park Agreement in terms of the reform agenda needed to get Ireland working again.
  

3. Are you for increases in income tax?

• No. Taxes have soared in recent years and for them to go higher would see even less incentive for work and a diminished return to the State.
  

4. Are you for political reform? If so how? Do you really think we need 166 TDs and would you be for or against the abolition of the senate?

• Absolutely. My party supports the abolition of the Seanad and a reduction in the number of TDs by 20.
  

Hope this helps you make up your mind next Friday.

Thanks
Paschal

Dear

Thanks for your questions.

On the issue of child benefit, Fine Gael will implement a rebalanced and integrated Child Income Support with both universal and targeted components to make the system of child support better targeted at child poverty. At present child benefit is paid to the mother or primary care giver. If there is a better way of dividing this, I think it worthy of consideration, though it could be logistically very difficult. I think your query may be getting at allocating a portion of child benefit to a father who cares for the child on certain days of the week or some weekends per month- again this might be difficult to administer but I´d be interested to hear your views.

On the issue of parental equality, I fully support measures to ensure that fathers both meet their responsibilities and are given their rights regarding the rearing of their children. I have not considered the specific questions relating to automatic guardianship and would be interested in discussing them outside the heated and frantic election period. Regarding digital recording of family law hearings, the only guiding principle should be respect for, and consideration of, the safety of the child or children who are appearing or speaking at such hearings.

Kind regards,

Paschal

---

Paschal Donohoe
Fine Gael Senator - Dublin Central
Phone - 01 6183689
Web - www.paschaldonohoe.ie
Twitter - www.twitter.com/paschald
Facebook - www.facebook.com/paschal.donohoe

Hi

Thanks for your question.

My party favours giving citizens the Right to Vote at Irish Embassies in the Presidential Election. If this experiment is deemed a success Fine Gael will consider extending this practice to general elections.

I´d be interested in hearing your own views too- drop me a note on Facebook or email me if you like.

Thanks,

Paschal

---

Paschal Donohoe
Fine Gael Senator - Dublin Central
Phone - 01 6183689
Web - www.paschaldonohoe.ie
Twitter - www.twitter.com/paschald
Facebook - www.facebook.com/paschal.donohoe=20