Results 31,761-31,780 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Large Energy Users Rebalancing Subvention: Discussion (23 Jan 2024)

Richard Bruton: If the decision was to switch €50 million from one column to another, why was it ever conceived that that was a percentage share being switched? From what everyone has said, it sounds like €50 million was the amount. It seems strange that a decision would be made in sharing out how much of its costs fell on business consumers of one sort or another, or on householders - that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Large Energy Users Rebalancing Subvention: Discussion (23 Jan 2024)

Richard Bruton: I was not in government at that time 15 years ago, but I do recall unemployment had grown by nearly 200,000. Ireland had massively lost its export market share and these manufacturing companies were the key to a recovery. Borrowing levels were unsustainable at 14% of GDP. The Government could not find resources to do the sort of things it would like to do to promote employment. At the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Large Energy Users Rebalancing Subvention: Discussion (23 Jan 2024)

Richard Bruton: There have been unchallenged statements that this was an extraordinary decision to have made. In my view, it was not at all extraordinary at a time when we were trying to protect employment.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Large Energy Users Rebalancing Subvention: Discussion (23 Jan 2024)

Richard Bruton: I would like to just go back to the issue. Does any of this raise concerns in regard to state aid rules? I want to understand that.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: EU Enlargement (25 Jan 2024)

Richard Bruton: 7. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide an update on discussions to extend membership of the European Union and the changes in institutional arrangements that might follow. [2982/24]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: EU Enlargement (25 Jan 2024)

Richard Bruton: I apologise for being late. I thought the schedule would run on a bit longer. Will the Tánaiste update the House on the negotiations for new membership of the EU, which will include Ukraine, and the implications this will have for institutional arrangements such as membership of the Commission, qualified majority voting and so on?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: EU Enlargement (25 Jan 2024)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Tánaiste and I welcome the Government's position on this. On a matter of clarification, when the Tánaiste mentioned the conventional requirements of membership will apply is it expected that in a wartime society, which is the reality in Ukraine, the same standards will apply or will the system make some allowance for the challenges of that environment? Where is it...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: EU Enlargement (25 Jan 2024)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Tánaiste for that clarification. At this point, is it possible to say where Ukraine has reached in terms of milestones towards membership?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Energy Production (25 Jan 2024)

Richard Bruton: I congratulate Deputy Murphy on his good luck on getting three questions in a row. I calculate the probability of that is one in 1,300. Paul is extremely lucky, unlike me, whose questions are relegated to the bottom of the paper. However, I am very fortunate that Deputy Alan Farrell has allowed me to ask this question. Will the Minister outline his views on the expansion of wind energy...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Energy Production (25 Jan 2024)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Minister for his reply. Representatives of the climate council appeared before the committee recently. I have to say there was a note of exasperation about some of the obstacles to expanding our renewables. They included guidelines for onshore wind which seemed to be inordinately held up, spatial planning guidelines, planning delays, the regulatory treatment of battery storage...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Energy Production (25 Jan 2024)

Richard Bruton: To listen to the climate council, it points to other countries which have taken a more robust approach. I know we value the consultative process and the protections we have enshrined in planning law, albeit we are now trying to rationalise some of the excessive delays that occur in it. Has the Minister looked to other legal reforms which would make it easier to reach these decisions...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Regulatory and Legislative Changes Required for the Transposition of the Adequate Minimum Wages Directive: Discussion (24 Jan 2024)

Richard Bruton: On a point of order, does the same person get in twice before-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Regulatory and Legislative Changes Required for the Transposition of the Adequate Minimum Wages Directive: Discussion (24 Jan 2024)

Richard Bruton: I have been here since the start of the meeting so I just-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Regulatory and Legislative Changes Required for the Transposition of the Adequate Minimum Wages Directive: Discussion (24 Jan 2024)

Richard Bruton: You can see that there are very diverse opinions in the committee. In a full employment economy, the reality is that we do have huge pressure on finding a living wage for people who are trying to survive in an expensive world but there is also huge pressure on low-margin businesses with high employment content trying to survive in that equally difficult world. We are trying to grapple with...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Regulatory and Legislative Changes Required for the Transposition of the Adequate Minimum Wages Directive: Discussion (24 Jan 2024)

Richard Bruton: My question is more about what IBEC sees as the downside of ICTU's vision. It is a change in culture and a coaxing with some element of stick as well as carrot.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Regulatory and Legislative Changes Required for the Transposition of the Adequate Minimum Wages Directive: Discussion (24 Jan 2024)

Richard Bruton: Is that happening extensively?

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Reliefs (23 Jan 2024)

Richard Bruton: 214. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will indicate how many people have claimed tax relief on their rental payment, and how this number compares to the estimate which his Department made of the likely numbers that would become eligible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2689/24]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Rebates (23 Jan 2024)

Richard Bruton: 215. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will indicate the total value of claims for the refund of income tax on out-of-pocket medical expenses and if he has made any estimate of the likely underclaiming of such eligible expenses. [2690/24]