Results 29,781-29,800 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Companies (Corporate Enforcement Authority) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (19 Oct 2021)

Richard Bruton: Regarding this section, why has the proposed authority not been asked to advise the Minister or the Government on policy developments in this area? It would be a normal sort of thing to put into the functions, although there is a possibility for the Minister to ask for such advice. Returning to the comment made by Deputy O'Reilly earlier, there are different types of authority. The...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Companies (Corporate Enforcement Authority) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (19 Oct 2021)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Minister of State for that response. I am happy with it. Turning to the matter of a function to advise Ministers, that would seem to be a fairly normal thing. It could be useful because this is a technical area and we might miss an opportunity if Ministers are not getting up-to-date appraisals of how legislation is moving in other countries.

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Companies (Corporate Enforcement Authority) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (19 Oct 2021)

Richard Bruton: I think so. It is the case in respect of several bodies. I imagine it is there in the case of the CPCC, and it might also be useful in this context. The Minister can obviously ask for such advice of his or her own accord, but having a statutory basis for advising the Minister does seem to be sensible.

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Companies (Corporate Enforcement Authority) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (19 Oct 2021)

Richard Bruton: Okay. I thank the Minister of State.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and COP26: Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (19 Oct 2021)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Minister and wish him every success at the COP26 summit. He seemed to paint a reasonably optimistic view of the non-EU blocs and their approach to this session, particularly the US and China. I have heard from some European colleagues with whom I am still in contact that there is a slight lack of conviction at EU level about the commitment of some of those countries. Is that a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and COP26: Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (19 Oct 2021)

Richard Bruton: May I ask for clarification on one matter?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and COP26: Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (19 Oct 2021)

Richard Bruton: I am interested in the issue of biogenic methane versus carbon dioxide. It seems to me that there is a profound difference between a measure that actually cools the climate and a measure that slows down the pace of deterioration. That difference does not seem to be properly recognised in the way the EU measures things. If we can achieve a reduction in biogenic or, indeed, any other source...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and COP26: Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (19 Oct 2021)

Richard Bruton: I am sorry; is there not a profound difference between the two things? If the EU continues to measure it the way it is, we are locked into a system that does not recognise the very significant value, from an Ireland Inc. and global Inc. point of view, of managing to reduce methane, particularly in agriculture, which is the biggest generator of it. If we continue to undervalue that then it...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: General Scheme of the Circular Economy Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Oct 2021)

Richard Bruton: I thank Dr. Brennan for her presentation and welcome what she is doing. In particular, I welcome her emphasis on the fact that the circular economy is not an offshoot or sideshoot of the waste debate. That is an important point and I would be interested to hear just how central she believes that should be. The circular economy embraces issues such as climate change and biodiversity, as...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: General Scheme of the Circular Economy Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Oct 2021)

Richard Bruton: I am very happy with that reply. The one thing I would press Dr. Brennan on is that if we do not start to institute some requirement on sectors to look at design principles or packaging principles or whatever, even if it is only on the very loose basis of comply or explain, that it is not a stringent regulatory obligation. CIRCULÉIRE has 25 members out of God knows how many enterprises...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: General Scheme of the Circular Economy Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Oct 2021)

Richard Bruton: I have a quick follow-up on the question of measuring. I have seen people quoted as saying Ireland has the lowest level of circularity at something less than 2%. Is that a meaningful performance indicator or a robust statistic to track? Deputy Cronin touched on another question, which is who pays in this context and how does the concept of sharing the cost of change pan out? How should...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: General Scheme of the Circular Economy Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Oct 2021)

Richard Bruton: Yes, but, presumably, the rest of this Bill looks at new things that should be levied. There is, if you like, the grant approach, whereby the taxpayer foots the bill, or the identification of sources of damage and the placing of levies on them so they are internalised to the business. I am seeking an understanding of the balance between the two. Obviously, to the finance director of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Resourcing and Capacity of the Workplace Relations Commission: Discussion (20 Oct 2021)

Richard Bruton: I thank the witnesses for their presentations. My first question for Mr. Liam Kelly. Is there an EU standard in this area? Some of the procedures outlined by Mr. O'Brien were surprising. Is there an EU standard regarding a permit being tied to an individual vessel? I refer as well to redress being so difficult where a contract is illegal, the issue of yellow-carding people who have used...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Resourcing and Capacity of the Workplace Relations Commission: Discussion (20 Oct 2021)

Richard Bruton: I will return to the issue of what applies in other parts of Europe. Is the idea of tying a person to a vessel a Europe-wide approach? It seems to be a fundamentally flawed model. It undermines people's rights if they are going to be indentured, or whatever the word used to be. To what degree is there a European standard for the way in which this industry works and for enforcement? Is...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (21 Oct 2021)

Richard Bruton: 111. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if new initiatives to promote more recruitment and progression of women within An Garda Síochána are being undertaken. [51159/21]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Antisocial Behaviour (21 Oct 2021)

Richard Bruton: 117. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she will report on the assessment of the problem of persons not feeling safe in the city centre following her round of meetings; and if new initiatives are in development. [51158/21]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (21 Oct 2021)

Richard Bruton: 238. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if planning of the potential for a cost of disability payment has taken place which would support persons with specific additional costs which they encounter as a result of disability. [51816/21]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Resourcing and Capacity of the Workplace Relations Commission: Discussion (20 Oct 2021)

Richard Bruton: I thank Mr. Kelly.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Renewable Energy Generation (19 Oct 2021)

Richard Bruton: 276. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when a price for selling back solar energy to the grid will be put in place. [50680/21]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Pension Levy (19 Oct 2021)

Richard Bruton: 360. To ask the Minister for Finance the total revenue collected by the pension levy on pensions funds; the way in which the money was used; if private pension funds have recovered in value since the levy was collected; and if there are plans to restore any of the moneys collected. [50430/21]