Results 2,901-2,920 of 5,148 for speaker:Mairéad Farrell

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Updated Economic and Fiscal Position in Advance of Budget 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Sep 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: I know my time is up. I thank the Minister. If he gets the extra figures before budget day he could pass them on to the committee. That would be fantastic.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Banking Issues: Discussion (14 Sep 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: I do not know if my Whip would be too happy with me.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Banking Issues: Discussion (14 Sep 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: We have to go to vote.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Banking Issues: Discussion (14 Sep 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: I will not take too long. You know me - short and sweet.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Banking Issues: Discussion (14 Sep 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: At least three speakers will probably follow me in the 30-minute period so I want to get through these five questions, if that is okay. The tracker mortgage scandal did not just relate to historical cases but also to more recent cases. Will the representatives advise us of the final date for which the bank was fined?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Banking Issues: Discussion (14 Sep 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: Okay. Is Ms Dooley concerned by how recent that date was?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Banking Issues: Discussion (14 Sep 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: Okay, but 20 is still quite a significant number. Is Ms Dooley aware of any Garda investigations into any current or former members of staff regarding activities related to the scandal?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Banking Issues: Discussion (14 Sep 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: As regards the potential increase of interest rates, what stress test does the bank apply for new mortgage holders? Is that stress test being reviewed in light of the increase in interest rates? Has the bank done an analysis of current mortgage holders and the number of whom may fall into arrears in the event of an interest rate increase?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Banking Issues: Discussion (14 Sep 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: I would hope so. But I know that-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Banking Issues: Discussion (14 Sep 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: Thank you. I am aware of time pressures. I would like to hear the witnesses' thoughts on an issue. It is not scientific but given the higher interest rates, there is some concern that will dampen economic activity. That could lead to falling property prices, which would be the collateral underlying these loans. Do the witnesses have any concerns in that regard?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Banking Issues: Discussion (14 Sep 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: I am not asking Dr. Hunt to predict. I am just saying it is a concern and Dr. Hunt has said the bank is monitoring that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Banking Issues: Discussion (14 Sep 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: I have a final question on the Irish language. There does not seem to be the ability to do online banking through Irish. First, there are many people whose main language is Irish and who understand Irish best. Second, we want to promote the Irish language. Has the bank given any consideration to putting online Irish-language facilities? It would be a very good thing and it could lead the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Banking Issues: Discussion (14 Sep 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: That is great. I cannot wait to see it.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Updated Economic and Fiscal Position in Advance of Budget 2023: Discussion (7 Sep 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: I also only have five minutes. I thought I had ten and had prepared lots of questions.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Updated Economic and Fiscal Position in Advance of Budget 2023: Discussion (7 Sep 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: What I mean is that I just have actual questions. I would like the answers. I will be as brief as possible and we may even be under the five minutes. I have two questions for the ESRI. Its opening statement mentioned the expansion of the working families payment. I have heard that twice from different groups in different contexts. I think I also heard it from IBEC and from a Fine Gael...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Updated Economic and Fiscal Position in Advance of Budget 2023: Discussion (7 Sep 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: I thank Dr. Lynch. On the working families payment, I seek a brief response.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Updated Economic and Fiscal Position in Advance of Budget 2023: Discussion (7 Sep 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: I am sorry; I only have approximately 20 seconds left, unfortunately. That is very interesting but it is just that I had heard about expanding it. I thank Dr. Doorley. The fact that it is more beneficial for people and that it is more targeted is quite interesting. I have a few questions for IFAC. Deputy Lahart made this point as well. We hear about the over-reliance on corporation...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Updated Economic and Fiscal Position in Advance of Budget 2023: Discussion (7 Sep 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: I get that. I was wondering specifically what had been done. When I read Mr. Barnes's piece last week, the other thing that stood out was the whole idea of the 9% not being targeted. It did not get half the coverage that other points in the piece got and really should have been headline news. Dr. Doorley has mentioned how hard it is to target low and middle income earners who are really...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Updated Economic and Fiscal Position in Advance of Budget 2023: Discussion (7 Sep 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: That was another point I was about to make because we discussed it the last time Mr. Barnes was before the committee and Deputy Boyd Barrett raised it in relation to the wages. As Mr. Barnes mentioned, we are seeing big price rises in food and energy, which are imports. Mr. Casey noted that we have seen growth in the first and second quarter but we are hearing soundings about a recession or...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Updated Economic and Fiscal Position in Advance of Budget 2023: Discussion (7 Sep 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: I am sorry that because I was in meetings, unfortunately I did not get to hear all the contributions and the answers that have been given to the different questions. I attended the western IBEC meeting on Friday, which was very interesting. I noted, and was particularly interested in, a contribution that focused specifically on the expansion of research and development. The nature of the...