Results 4,941-4,960 of 7,082 for speaker:John Paul Phelan
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Macroeconomic Outlook: IBEC (8 Feb 2017)
John Paul Phelan: It strikes me that because of our increased peripheral nature in the European Union, that we are unquestionably the most peripheral member state. We have no land border with another member state now. In terms of the Common Agricultural Policy and disadvantaged area, we should be making the case that one cannot compare the small businessman who is trying to do his best to succeed, the small...
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Competitiveness and Economic Growth: National Competitiveness Council (14 Feb 2017)
John Paul Phelan: I welcome members of the National Competitiveness Council, including the chairman, Professor Peter Clinch. They will be dealing with competitiveness issues, including economic growth. Before we begin, I ask members and witnesses to turn off their mobile phones as they interfere with the transmission and recording of meetings. I draw the attention of witnesses to the fact that by virtue of...
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Competitiveness and Economic Growth: National Competitiveness Council (14 Feb 2017)
John Paul Phelan: I thank Professor Clinch. He is a master of understatement with his reference to the 'uncertain times' that we certainly live in. I call on Deputy Calleary first to be followed by Deputy Cullinane.
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Competitiveness and Economic Growth: National Competitiveness Council (14 Feb 2017)
John Paul Phelan: I call on Deputy Cullinane.
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Competitiveness and Economic Growth: National Competitiveness Council (14 Feb 2017)
John Paul Phelan: Yes.
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Competitiveness and Economic Growth: National Competitiveness Council (14 Feb 2017)
John Paul Phelan: The Deputy has had twice the legal limit. I call Deputy Broughan.
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Competitiveness and Economic Growth: National Competitiveness Council (14 Feb 2017)
John Paul Phelan: Before Deputy Barrett comes in, I will ask a question related to that issue. The committee has had discussions with a number of witnesses on third level funding and education in general. There has been some agreement, albeit not unanimous agreement, among members about both attendance rates and the fact that so many Irish students go on to third level and the appropriateness of some of the...
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Competitiveness and Economic Growth: National Competitiveness Council (14 Feb 2017)
John Paul Phelan: I thank the Deputy. Deputy Boyd Barrett sends his apologies as he had to go into the Chamber to ask questions of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. I would like to raise a number of matters relating to Professor Clinch's address. On energy, Professor Clinch spoke of developing contingency plans to guarantee security of energy supply. What is the shape of that? Does he mean...
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Competitiveness and Economic Growth: National Competitiveness Council (14 Feb 2017)
John Paul Phelan: A very direct impact after Brexit takes place arguably is that we in Ireland will become the most peripheral state in the EU. The island states in the Mediterranean are much closer to other member states. Our road infrastructure is very much focused on transporting products through the UK, whether it is from Rosslare or Dublin Port. Should we look at more regional interconnectivity, to use...
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Competitiveness and Economic Growth: National Competitiveness Council (14 Feb 2017)
John Paul Phelan: The provision for structural reform of the economy exists under the existing fiscal rules but it has never really come into play. Perhaps this is an area where it can practically come into play. I have two brief questions. I read an IMF report recently in which it became clear that of the countries that had been studied, up to 90% of their capital funding was secured from private sources....
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Competitiveness and Economic Growth: National Competitiveness Council (14 Feb 2017)
John Paul Phelan: The East Link?
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Competitiveness and Economic Growth: National Competitiveness Council (14 Feb 2017)
John Paul Phelan: I was not even in primary school. The Deputy probably was the chairman of the county council.
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Competitiveness and Economic Growth: National Competitiveness Council (14 Feb 2017)
John Paul Phelan: Many of the members, Deputy Calleary mostly, have spoken about the glaring lack of interconnectivity within Ireland. In my region, the south east, there is a road between the south east and Cork, which is a very busy road but in some parts it is a glorified cow path to be perfectly honest. The same case could be made up the west coast of Ireland. If we were serious about creating a...
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Competitiveness and Economic Growth: National Competitiveness Council (14 Feb 2017)
John Paul Phelan: I am just pre-empting next month's crisis.
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Competitiveness and Economic Growth: National Competitiveness Council (14 Feb 2017)
John Paul Phelan: That is a very politically correct answer.
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Competitiveness and Economic Growth: National Competitiveness Council (14 Feb 2017)
John Paul Phelan: No, that is fair enough. I thank Professor Clinch and his colleagues, Ms Marie Bourke and Mr. John Maher and Mr. Eoin Cuddihy, good Kilkenny names. I thank them for their input today and we might be in touch if the water thing gets out of hand as we might need the witnesses back here again.
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Business of Select Committee (22 Feb 2017)
John Paul Phelan: Apologies have been received from Deputies Lisa Chambers, Pat Deering and Stephen Donnelly. We will now go into private session to discuss the agenda item.
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Outlook, Competitiveness and Labour Market Developments: Discussion (22 Feb 2017)
John Paul Phelan: I welcome the General Secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, Ms Patricia King, and Dr. Tom McDonnell, senior economist at the Nevin Economic and Research Institute. They will be dealing with fiscal outlook, competitiveness and labour market developments. Before we begin, I remind members and the witnesses to switch their mobile phones because they affect sound quality, recording...
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Outlook, Competitiveness and Labour Market Developments: Discussion (22 Feb 2017)
John Paul Phelan: I call on Deputy Cullinane.
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Outlook, Competitiveness and Labour Market Developments: Discussion (22 Feb 2017)
John Paul Phelan: Can I interrupt for a moment please? The meeting is up here, not down there.