Results 21-40 of 5,134 for speaker:Mairéad Farrell

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Impact on the Fiscal Position (16 Jun 2020)

Mairéad Farrell: There will be on average €10 billion required from 2023 to 2025. Professor McMahon has said that this would be required through either increasing taxation or cutting areas of public spending. In the programme for Government, we see that there is a commitment to index tax credits and bands from 2022 in line with wage inflation of 2% to 3%. The cumulative cost of these tax cuts from...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Impact on the Fiscal Position (16 Jun 2020)

Mairéad Farrell: Given those two options, and from what Professor McMahon said, it is concerning. It is clear to me that if there is a lack of willingness to include progressive taxation, it will mean a freeze or cut in spending on health, housing and childcare. On another aspect of this, it has been forecasted that there will be a significant fall in income tax receipts, VAT, etc., in the short to medium...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Impact on the Fiscal Position (16 Jun 2020)

Mairéad Farrell: I thank Mr. Barnes. We are looking at increased unemployment. Longer-term unemployment could be higher than it was before Covid-19. There is the possibility of an accelerated shift towards automation in certain sectors and that is very worrying for people who rely on that employment. What is the council's take on what jobs and sectors are most susceptible to that shift towards automation?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Impact on the Fiscal Position (16 Jun 2020)

Mairéad Farrell: It would be very worrying for those working in those sectors if there was a shift towards automation and if it took several years for other jobs to be created. Corporation tax was mentioned earlier. Receipts were buoyant in the first quarter and once again outperformed forecasts, as has been the trend in recent years. There is concern about the potential threats to corporation tax in...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Impact on the Fiscal Position (16 Jun 2020)

Mairéad Farrell: The IFAC fiscal assessment forecasted real GDP growth of 8% in 2021. I am concerned this is optimistic, especially considering the possibility of a second wave of Covid-19 and renewed restrictions, as we see in China. Does the favourable forecast assume a UK-EU trade deal will be reached by the first deadline of 31 December?

Climate Action and Low Carbon Development: Statements (17 Jun 2020)

Mairéad Farrell: Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach agus ba mhaith liom an t-am a roinnt idir mé féin agus an tAire chun deis a thabhairt di freagra a thabhairt ar no chuid ceisteanna. Ar an gcéad dul síos ba mhaith liom a rá go bhfuil sé dochreidte agus go hiomlán do-ghlactha nár tugadh deis dúinn an Ghaeltacht a phlé go dtí seo agus nach...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: State's Response to Impact of Covid-19 on Gaeltacht Areas and the Islands (18 Jun 2020)

Mairéad Farrell: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit. Tréaslaím leis as an obair ar fad atá déanta aige le linn na paindéime seo. Bhí sé i gcónaí sásta ceisteanna a fhreagairt. Molaim go mór an pacáiste cúitimh do na mná agus fir tí. Mar atá a fhios ag an Aire Stáit agus mar atá luaite anseo cheana, tá...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: State's Response to Impact of Covid-19 on Gaeltacht Areas and the Islands (18 Jun 2020)

Mairéad Farrell: An rud is tábhachtaí ná go dtéann an Roinn i dteagmháil go díreach le muintir na n-oileán chomh luath agus atá cinneadh nó moladh de chineál éigin déanta i leith athoscailt na n-oileán. Tá cúpla ceist agam maidir leis an uisce, rud atá pléite againn inniu freisin. Tá srianta uisce i bhfeidhm ar...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: State's Response to Impact of Covid-19 on Gaeltacht Areas and the Islands (18 Jun 2020)

Mairéad Farrell: Tá a fhios agam agus tá brón orm faoi sin.

Taoiseach a Ainmniú (Atógáil) - Nomination of Taoiseach (Resumed) (27 Jun 2020)

Mairéad Farrell: Is minic ráite sa saol polaitiúil gur mór an onóir do dhuine í labhairt ar son ceannaire ach ar an ócáid seo ba mhaith liom a rá gur chúis bhród dom tacú le hainmniúchán an Teachta McDonald mar Thaoiseach. The results of this year's general election show clearly there is a movement for change that has called time on the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (7 Jul 2020)

Mairéad Farrell: 273. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if the Local Government (Financial Provisions) Act 1997 outlined a central funding model for water services and removed the power of local authorities to make charges for supply of water for domestic purposes; the funding per year estimated by his Department to be made available for the provision of water services through...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (7 Jul 2020)

Mairéad Farrell: 274. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if planning applications relating to proposed developments on State-owned land that are submitted to a local authority by State bodies, such as the National Parks and Wildlife Service under the auspices of the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, are required to be published publicly in regional newspapers and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards (7 Jul 2020)

Mairéad Farrell: 370. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to the ongoing statutory non-compliance across the ETB sector in respect of the issuing of annual pension statements to employees (details supplied); the steps that can be taken to ensure the matter is rectified; and if adequate additional resources will be provided to ETBs to remedy the situation and give...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: Overall Fiscal and Monetary Position (7 Jul 2020)

Mairéad Farrell: Given the time constraints, I am going to put all my questions at the same time and then give the witnesses some time to come back with their answers. These questions are for Mr. O'Connor. In his opening statement, he stated that the cost of servicing debt is much more favourable than in the recent past. He also, however, stated: "Notwithstanding the support that low interest rates...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: Overall Fiscal and Monetary Position (7 Jul 2020)

Mairéad Farrell: What about aircraft leasing?

Rent and Mortgage Arrears: Motion [Private Members] (8 Jul 2020)

Mairéad Farrell: Tá sé thar am dúinn déileáil leis seo. We absolutely support the call for a system to deal with rent arrears. The Government inaction on this will just leave more children in homeless accommodation. We in Sinn Féin have been calling for this issue to be tackled for some time. We know from data published by the ESRI that young people and those renting are more...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: Education – Return to School and School Transport (Resumed) (10 Jul 2020)

Mairéad Farrell: Yes. Gabhaim buíochas leis an Uasal Ó Foghlú as an gcur i láthair sin. Tá sé fíor-thábhachtach dúinn ar fad. The closure of schools has been difficult for all involved. I acknowledge the significant efforts of teachers, parents, children and staff, who have been extraordinary. Despite their best efforts, however, there is no question but...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: Education – Return to School and School Transport (Resumed) (10 Jul 2020)

Mairéad Farrell: Given that the Department has stated that social distancing is not a prerequisite for primary school children below third class, can we assume that social distancing is to apply in third class and above? If so, how does the Department see it happening that all of those children will be back safely?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: Education – Return to School and School Transport (Resumed) (10 Jul 2020)

Mairéad Farrell: My colleague, Deputy Ó Laoghaire, and Sinn Féin in general have been calling for a roadmap for a return to education for a number of months. We were promised one for 12 June, but what we got was a document that outlined a number of elements, including how children might only return for a few days per week if social distancing of 2 m applied. Subsequently, however, the then...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: Education – Return to School and School Transport (Resumed) (10 Jul 2020)

Mairéad Farrell: I also notice that in his opening statement, Mr. Ó Foghlú outlined that the aim is to prevent Covid-19 getting into any school. That obviously is the aim of the game but in the event of a child or a teacher becoming ill with Covid-19, which is a likely situation, will the State carry the liability for any cases that may follow or will the Department expect the board of management...