Results 2,061-2,080 of 5,157 for speaker:Mairéad Farrell

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Public Service Performance Report 2021: Discussion (25 May 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: I call Deputy Healy-Rae.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Public Service Performance Report 2021: Discussion (25 May 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: First, this is an amazing document. There is so much information in it. Many of the questions we would have arising from it relates to information to be given by the Departments but this is an extremely useful document to have. I commend the officials on their work on it. My first question relates to the way the work on the report is done. There is such an amount of information in it and...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Public Service Performance Report 2021: Discussion (25 May 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: Then the unit collated it. They asked the questions, which makes sense. Those three people had to ensure, on foot of all that information having been received, the report was published. As those of us who have done such work, we know it can be difficult to get back information that has been sought. It is significant to see all this work come together. It is useful to have this report and...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Public Service Performance Report 2021: Discussion (25 May 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: One can see that from this document. Many instinctive questions we would have would be for other Department but that it is a job for another day. Not to add to the officials' work, the queries we would naturally have on foot of the report relate to additional reporting that will be put into it. One of the questions I would raise with the Minister is on the large capital projects. There...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Public Service Performance Report 2021: Discussion (25 May 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: Brilliant. Thank you, Mr. Hearne. The other question I have relates to something I came across when I was a councillor. The spending on agency staff can be quite high. Could that be incorporated in some way? I will not name organisations, but sometimes in the past you would see huge spending on agency staff in a particular place and you would know there were people struggling to get...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Public Service Performance Report 2021: Discussion (25 May 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: I thank Mr Kinnane for that. My final question is on housing and new social builds versus acquisitions. Could that be documented separately? I am from Galway and I would know when there were acquisitions or new social builds. It is very important for us to have that information as well.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Public Service Performance Report 2021: Discussion (25 May 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: Brilliant. Those are my key questions. Something that stuck out as I opened a page was income supports for children. I am not asking the witnesses to comment but it states that the percentage of children from birth to 17 years of age at risk of poverty has increased from 15.3% in 2019 to 15.9% in 2020. I note the percentage of children from birth to 17 years of age in consistent poverty...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Public Service Performance Report 2021: Discussion (25 May 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: We should take that up with the Department of Finance next time it is here.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Public Service Performance Report 2021: Discussion (25 May 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: Are there any further questions? No. Go raibh míle maith agaibh as ucht teacht os comhair an choiste. Bhí sé an-suimiúil. We will meet the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council to discuss its fiscal assessment report at the next public committee meeting.

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

Mairéad Farrell: I, too, was trying to use the Internet but it was not working. I thank the witnesses for coming in. Although I have meetings with them online, as someone who was elected just before Covid, I think this is my first time seeing them in person. It is nice to meet them in person. I have a few questions prepared but I am also interested in some things that arose during the discussion. I am...

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

Mairéad Farrell: As soon as we mention anything about wages increasing, the immediate argument for shutting it down is that it will drive inflation. Is that shutting down such increases fully or partially?

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

Mairéad Farrell: We were talking about the report today about climate targets and there was mention of the projects in the national development plan, NDP, being delivered. We have seen the initiation of the inflation co-operation framework but these are huge amounts of money and we do not know how inflation is going to go over the next while, as we mentioned. Does the council have any concerns about the...

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

Mairéad Farrell: I hope we will see them delivered. The report references the topic of the day, which is the rise in energy prices we are all talking about. Is there a prediction now that the energy crisis will lead to permanently elevated costs compared with the pre-Covid price trajectory? I only have two minutes left in my slot so what is the assessment of the witnesses of such a view? Do they expect...

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

Mairéad Farrell: That cements a floor on the price of carbon.

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

Mairéad Farrell: It is so much fun.

Energy Security: Motion [Private Members] (15 Jun 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: Luann an rún seo an costas atá ar bhreosla. Tuigim go bhfuil an rún níos leithne ná sin ach mar atá ráite ag mo chuid comhghleacaithe, caithfimid a thuiscint gurb é an bealach is fearr le déileáil leis an gcostas seo agus leis an ardú sa chostas seo go fadtéarmach ná infheistíocht cuí a dhéanamh i bhfoinsí...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Sector Pay (16 Jun 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: 86. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will report on his negotiations for a new public service stability agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31505/22]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (16 Jun 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: 87. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will report on his Department’s guidance for public service employers during Covid-19 in relation to special leave with pay for Covid-19; if there are further plans in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31504/22]

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff (14 Jun 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: 424. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the estimated annual first year and full-year cost of regrading Seanad secretarial assistants to parliamentary assistant grades, for regrading Dáil secretarial assistants as administrative assistants and having Dáil parliamentary assistants pay brought in line with the Building Momentum Public Service Stability Agreement in...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (14 Jun 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: 425. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the estimated annual savings to the Exchequer from reducing the additional non-Oireachtas salaries (details supplied) of the Taoiseach, Tánaiste, Ministers and Ministers of State by 50% in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29692/22]