Results 7,341-7,360 of 26,897 for speaker:Richard Boyd Barrett

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Management (19 Jun 2014)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 17. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he intends to develop agro-forestry as part of an expansion of sustainable afforestation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25916/14]

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Fuel Allowance Payments (19 Jun 2014)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 78. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if there is back pay owed to a person (details supplied) due to underpayment of fuel allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26398/14]

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (19 Jun 2014)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 79. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if an exception can be made with rent allowance in respect of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26399/14]

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (19 Jun 2014)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 80. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the circumstances for denial of social welfare in respect of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26401/14]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Fiscal Assessment Report 2014: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (19 Jun 2014)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I thank the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council, IFAC, for attending the committee. Its reports are helpful and packed full of information. The requirements to get to a 0.5% structural deficit rate and reduce our debt by half over 20 years under the fiscal treaty are terrifying challenges for the economy. The council members are very pleasant in the way they put across information.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Fiscal Assessment Report 2014: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (19 Jun 2014)

Richard Boyd Barrett: When I listen to what they are actually saying, however, I find it quite scary. They reiterate constantly that the risks are on the downside and the forecasts are very uncertain. I agree with that because, particularly, the growth forecasts vary quite widely. The Government depends on the more optimistic growth scenario to materialise which makes me worry even more. Even after the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Fiscal Assessment Report 2014: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (19 Jun 2014)

Richard Boyd Barrett: It sounds like a "lose-lose" scenario. Professor McHale's essential argument is that if we ease up on the austerity, the markets panic and increase the cost of lending to us so we cannot possibly do that. We must keep them happy so that we keep the cost of borrowing low. However, if we do that, we effectively strangle any hopes for growth. Professor McHale pointed out that one can have...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Fiscal Assessment Report 2014: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (19 Jun 2014)

Richard Boyd Barrett: The council has a very nice tone.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Fiscal Assessment Report 2014: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (19 Jun 2014)

Richard Boyd Barrett: In terms of the medium-term objectives that the Government has set itself.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Fiscal Assessment Report 2014: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (19 Jun 2014)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Is that a bit of an anomaly? On the one hand, the council is the bad cop when it comes to the forthcoming budget, saying that we must stick to the €2 billion while the Government is saying, possibly for political reasons, that it should be less. However, Mr. Barnes seems to be saying that over the long term, the Government is arguing for a more aggressive consolidation whereas the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Fiscal Assessment Report 2014: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (19 Jun 2014)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Sure.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Fiscal Assessment Report 2014: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (19 Jun 2014)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I accept that. There are some areas where I think we could change the goalposts and move the parameters of this discussion, which is not the council's job because they must work within existing parameters. I think we should tell Europe to take a hike for €8 billion in interest but the council cannot say that and cannot step outside those parameters.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Fiscal Assessment Report 2014: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (19 Jun 2014)

Richard Boyd Barrett: It can say we will give Europe €5 billion this year, not €8 billion, and that it recommends that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Fiscal Assessment Report 2014: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (19 Jun 2014)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I think that is more a political battle we have with the Government. I also think that the question of whether one makes this adjustment through taxing the financial services sector, the FTT, wealth tax or taxes on higher earners as against cuts in public expenditure is a political battle we must fight. It is the council's job to flag the dangers and down sides if they are coming up. I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Fiscal Assessment Report 2014: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (19 Jun 2014)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Would Professor McHale encourage preventive action at this stage?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Fiscal Assessment Report 2014: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (19 Jun 2014)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I am not asking for a comment on the 12.5% rate, rather I am asking about the weighting of foreign direct investment from the multinational sector in the economy. It accounts for a high proportion of our economic activity and we have a unique gap between GNP and GDP in European terms because of our heavy reliance on the sector. The visitors from the Bundestag finance committee advised us to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Fiscal Assessment Report 2014: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (19 Jun 2014)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I was referring to a recent example, not necessarily the general case.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Fiscal Assessment Report 2014: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (19 Jun 2014)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I wish to make several points. My first point relates to an issue raised by Deputy Spring and leads towards a suggestion on something the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council could examine, but I do not know whether it will take me up on it. We spoke about Keynes earlier, and a name rarely mentioned but which should be mentioned more in my opinion is Marx. Marx made the point that along with the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Fiscal Assessment Report 2014: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (19 Jun 2014)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I take Professor McHale's point that certain aspects of the book are not the business of the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council, but if it is a factor in producing instability in the economy, is this not something about which the council has to worry? This is something towards which he is pointing, and I agree that rapidly growing levels of inequality are a factor of instability in an economy.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Meetings (24 Jun 2014)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 4. To ask the Taoiseach the number of times the Cabinet sub-Committee on Social Policy has met since January 2014. [26752/14]