Results 5,261-5,280 of 27,073 for speaker:Richard Boyd Barrett

Ceisteanna - Questions: Programme for Government (1 Jun 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: What do I say to these people?

Ceisteanna - Questions: Programme for Government (1 Jun 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 14. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on the progress of the programme for Government. [24773/22]

Ceisteanna - Questions: Programme for Government (1 Jun 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: The issue that dominated the general election that brought this Government to office was the housing crisis. In the programme for Government, the Government promised action to address that crisis, particularly in the area of homelessness. It reads: Reducing and preventing homelessness is a major priority for the Government. We recognise the particular challenges of homelessness [facing]...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (1 Jun 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: The energy prices were going up before the war started.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (1 Jun 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: In my book, there is not a lot to recommend Mr. Boris Johnson but he has, under pressure, done one positive thing recently, which was to introduce a windfall tax on the super-profits being made by energy companies. Companies like BP, Shell and others have seen their profits triple while ordinary people are being crucified by the cost of heating and energy. Under pressure, Mr. Johnson was...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (1 Jun 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 6. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent conversation with the British Prime Minister. [26000/22]

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Assessment Report: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (1 Jun 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I thank the representatives of IFAC for their report and contributions. The impact of the inflation crisis has been uneven. Would our guests go even further and say there are winners and losers in this situation? It is not just that the impact is uneven. Would it be fair comment that some people are being hammered while others are doing very well? I would be interested to hear our...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Assessment Report: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (1 Jun 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I will pull up Mr. Barnes slightly in that regard. I do not want to have a row with him but that is not the case when some people have surplus wealth to invest in the shares of BP or Shell.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Assessment Report: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (1 Jun 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: These are legitimate considerations.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Assessment Report: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (1 Jun 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: We have expanded the amount of renewable energy being produced. We are still dependent on imports and, therefore, vulnerable to price shocks resulting from international factors, but we use a great deal more domestically produced wind energy than we used to. Why has it made not a blind bit of difference to the price of energy?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Assessment Report: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (1 Jun 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Regardless of how much we have expanded our domestic renewable energy production, there is no sign it has made any difference. One would have expected it to have had some impact, but it has had none at all.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Assessment Report: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (1 Jun 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: It is interesting that this is the case. The mantra is we will solve the current problem. Actually, the Taoiseach is saying we are entering an era of high energy prices and that the inflation we are seeing currently will be around for quite a while. Simultaneously, people are saying that, if we wean ourselves off fossil fuels and dramatically expand domestic renewable energy production, we...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Assessment Report: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (1 Jun 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I was shorter than Deputy Doherty.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Assessment Report: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (1 Jun 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Watch those taxes increase.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Assessment Report: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (1 Jun 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I wish to pick Mr. Barnes up on the point about the large corporate tax revenues that are coming in and whether the best place to put them is in the rainy day fund or to pay down debt. I question that. I would have thought the lesson in the current situation is we need to invest rapidly in areas which are making us more vulnerable to this inflationary crisis - to insulate ourselves against...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Assessment Report: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (1 Jun 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I thank Mr. Barnes.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Assessment Report: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (1 Jun 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: You will have to come down to join the party Bernard.

Rising Food Prices: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (31 May 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I thank Deputy Kerrane of Sinn Féin for bringing forward this motion, which we support. Any contribution to people who are being absolutely hammered with cost-of-living increases should be welcomed. We are happy to support the motion. I want to set out what I believe needs to be a really comprehensive and radical package to deal with the inflation and cost-of-living crisis that...

Rising Food Prices: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (31 May 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: That is what it is about. One can look at any sector, but that is what we have to address. My God, even Boris Johnson has, under pressure, been forced to acknowledge this point at some level and introduce a windfall tax on the profits of energy companies that are making a fortune. In the past week, Oxfam produced a report showing that if we put a 1.5% tax on everyone in this country who...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (31 May 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: The reason so many people have got involved in this new Cost of Living Coalition - pensioners groups, retired workers groups, student unions, single-parent advocacy groups, anti-poverty groups, trade unions and others - is because the measures the Government has been taking are a drop in the ocean; they are making little or no difference to the crucifying increases in the cost of living that...