Results 5,941-5,960 of 27,247 for speaker:Richard Boyd Barrett

Security Situation in Europe: Statements (23 Feb 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Vladimir Putin is a thug, an autocrat, a despot and a warmonger. His military aggression in Ukraine is completely unacceptable and he should get his troops out. There is no doubt about that and he should be roundly condemned. This is not new for Putin or the Russian state. It has a long history of treating its neighbouring countries as a prison house. In fact, famously, tsarist Russia...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Good Friday Agreement (23 Feb 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 23. To ask the Taoiseach when the shared island unit will hold its next dialogue. [9701/22]

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (23 Feb 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: On Leaders' Questions earlier, I asked the Taoiseach to consider imposing rent controls as is being done in France. The problem of rising and unaffordable rents is worse in Ireland than pretty much anywhere else in Europe, but it is happening everywhere. The Taoiseach gave me what was, no doubt, his scriptwriter's pat answer to fob this off, that it did not really work in Berlin.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (23 Feb 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Okay.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (23 Feb 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Berlin imposed a totally pathetic form of rent control, which only controlled rents for apartments or houses built before 2014. Anything built after 2014 they can charge what they like. So what happened? Rents for apartments and houses built before 2014 were stabilised and everything else went through the roof. I asked the Taoiseach to look at what they have done in France, which is...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Programmes (23 Feb 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I want to add my voice to the appeal on behalf of the Stardust families for the Taoiseach to ensure that legal changes are made so we have transparent jury selection and that it is independent of the gardaí who are a party to the case. The jurors should be remunerated for the period during the inquest because it could go on for months. For the Taoiseach not to do so at this stage would...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (23 Feb 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 13. To ask the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on Europe will next meet. [9700/22]

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (23 Feb 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I just do not think the State should be facilitating its profiteering.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (23 Feb 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Zero council houses-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (23 Feb 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Since the cost of living crisis erupted and ordinary people face being crucified by energy and heating price hikes and rising accommodation and rental costs, we have sought to point out that this is not some natural phenomenon but that some people are benefiting from the misery and hardship that others are suffering. Last week we pointed out the enormous jump in profits for energy companies,...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (23 Feb 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Seriously, the Taoiseach's arguments are utterly threadbare. He mentioned HAP. I just told him rents in Dublin are over €2,000. The highest HAP payment anyone can get is €1,950. Someone looking for a HAP tenancy in a housing crisis might as well just walk up to the nearest homeless hostel. That is the reality of what is going on. The biggest fantasy the Taoiseach is...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (23 Feb 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Walk around the city. Check how many are public housing.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Sites (23 Feb 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 109. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of vacant sites identified in each local authority area across the country; the amounts levied in each area under the vacant sites levy; the amounts collected under the levy; the number of sites and the amounts outstanding in unpaid levies in each of the years 2016 to 2021, in tabular form; and if he will make a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Derelict Sites (23 Feb 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 110. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of derelict sites identified in each local authority area across the country; the amounts levied in each area under the derelict sites levy; and the amounts collected under the levy; the number of sites and amounts outstanding in unpaid levies in each of the years 2016 to 2021, in tabular form; and if he will make...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tax Code (22 Feb 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I am speaking about the higher level of VAT receipts specifically on energy and heating. Let us forget about the rest. It is up to €481 million and rising. The State has yielded a big tax bonus from the energy hikes that ordinary people are getting through their doors that they cannot afford. This gives the Minister scope not to impose further hardship on them. In fact, it gives...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tax Code (22 Feb 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 24. To ask the Minister for Finance his views on whether taxes on energy and heating fuel such as carbon tax and VAT are now directly contributing to fuel poverty and excessive fuel costs for many households; if he plans to take steps to address this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9671/22]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tax Code (22 Feb 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: People Before Profit has been against the carbon tax from the outset, despite what some Members appeared to be suggesting rather bizarrely earlier. We have been very clear in opposing carbon tax as an unfair, regressive tax. There is no evidence that it has any significant impact on the reduction CO2emissions. However, even if that was always true, it is simply blatantly self-evident that...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tax Code (22 Feb 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: To be clear, what is needed are caps on energy and heating prices. That is what we believe is the necessary action. While the Minister is clearly not going to do that, although he should, it is unacceptable to add additional hardship to people by further increasing carbon taxes. He is absolutely right that on its own it is not enough. He has control of VAT, the PSO and carbon tax. This...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tax Code (22 Feb 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: That sounds good but it is just not what is happening on the ground. We are going to have to blow this fantasy out of the water. As I have pointed out on several occasions, zero council houses were built last year in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown. We just got the figures. Next year, five will be built. There is a lot of construction going on in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown. The Minister...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tax Code (22 Feb 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: My constituency colleague being sent in to mark me is an interesting new phenomenon. This is a new tactic on the part of Fine Gael. It does not matter.