Results 201-220 of 6,100 for speaker:Mairéad Farrell

Energy Costs: Motion [Private Members] (23 Sep 2025)

Mairéad Farrell: Sometimes we need to be really honest with ourselves. At this moment in time, we know one in five children is living in poverty, 300,000 households are in debt on their electricity bills and nearly 200,000 others are in debt on their gas bills. We need to look at that and make decisions that impact people's lives and help them. We are bringing forward this constructive motion to try to...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (Resumed) (23 Sep 2025)

Mairéad Farrell: I thank the witnesses for coming before the committee. Will they furnish the committee with the report on research and development they mentioned to Deputy O'Callaghan? It was mentioned that a report was released last week. A witness made reference to a report that examined how investment in research and development could work. I understand it related to the equity side. I would be very...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (Resumed) (23 Sep 2025)

Mairéad Farrell: Just that.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (Resumed) (23 Sep 2025)

Mairéad Farrell: We all know that we have a problem with people who are very clearly in serious poverty, whatever way we want to talk about it. People are really struggling to get by. In the opening statement, Dr. McDonell spoke about an economic boom, and a lot of commentators are using that language when we talk about boom-and-bust cycles, how to invest and all of those kind of things. At the same time,...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (Resumed) (23 Sep 2025)

Mairéad Farrell: Can Mr. Nugent explain that?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (Resumed) (23 Sep 2025)

Mairéad Farrell: However, that would not be part of the deprived indicator if it is two out of 11 basic goods, would it?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (Resumed) (23 Sep 2025)

Mairéad Farrell: With their parent-----

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (Resumed) (23 Sep 2025)

Mairéad Farrell: That is very interesting because Mr. Nugent mentioned how increasing real disposable income for households is basically contributing to the economy overheating, but this is obviously happening alongside a cost-of-living crisis whereby workers and families are literally struggling to make ends meet. Is it a bit of that as well? I mean-----

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (Resumed) (23 Sep 2025)

Mairéad Farrell: Of course, and then that will actually go into the real economy rather than just going into bank accounts. Mr. Nugent is talking about the increasing real disposable income for households. That is not actually based on the number of households. It is based on the amount of disposable income divided by the number of households, but not actually relative income.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (Resumed) (23 Sep 2025)

Mairéad Farrell: Yes, that is what I mean.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (Resumed) (23 Sep 2025)

Mairéad Farrell: The disposable income Mr. Nugent is talking about is not the disposable income of one person. Take, for example, my estate, Mervue; he is not saying every single person's disposable income, or the majority of them, are increasing. What he is saying is that if we take everybody and there are very high earners, say-----

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (Resumed) (23 Sep 2025)

Mairéad Farrell: The average.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (Resumed) (23 Sep 2025)

Mairéad Farrell: That was a major part of the institute's opening statement today. We are doing pre-budget analysis here. The economy is made up of the people who live in it. Why is it such a strong focus if it is not the reality for most people? Is Mr. Nugent solely talking about figures and not about people? Surely, the budget is about policy decisions that are made in order to impact on people's...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (Resumed) (23 Sep 2025)

Mairéad Farrell: Absolutely.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (Resumed) (23 Sep 2025)

Mairéad Farrell: Cost of living.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (Resumed) (23 Sep 2025)

Mairéad Farrell: I will ask one final question. The witnesses mentioned the childcare aspect, and that they would be looking at doing specific measures of affordable childcare for certain areas. What I got from that is that it was maybe more deprived areas. There is a policy outcome of that as well. We know single mothers are most at risk of poverty because of barriers in terms of accessing childcare and,...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (Resumed) (23 Sep 2025)

Mairéad Farrell: Due to what?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (Resumed) (23 Sep 2025)

Mairéad Farrell: My time is up, but I thank Dr. McDonnell. That was informative and really helpful.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Staff (23 Sep 2025)

Mairéad Farrell: 122. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will confirm that there are two principal officers assigned to the Inland Fisheries Division, as stated by his Departments website on 12 April 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50212/25]

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Fisheries Protection (23 Sep 2025)

Mairéad Farrell: 123. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his views on whether Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) should continue operating as a statutory body considering its reluctance to fully comply with the EU Habitats and Water Framework Directives by conserving invasive/non-native freshwater fish in Lough Corrib SAC; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50214/25]