Results 8,101-8,120 of 26,901 for speaker:Richard Boyd Barrett

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Staff (2 Dec 2014)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 526. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide in tabular form on a local authority basis, the number of staff transferred from each local authority to Irish Water; the job titles of those transferred; and the possible impact of these transfers on the ability of local authorities to maintain service levels following the loss of these staff; and if...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Wealth Audit (3 Dec 2014)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 3. To ask the Minister for Finance if he has read the Credit Suisse global wealth report 2014; if so, his views on the staggering inequalities in the distribution and concentration of wealth here that it suggests; if, on foot of the report, it is now a matter of urgent priority to establish a database on wealth distribution here and a wealth tax to ensure greater equality in the distribution...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Wealth Audit (3 Dec 2014)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Very often when some of us on this side of the House rail against unfair water charges, property taxes or what we believe is the Government's failure to adequately fund public services such as housing, health and education, the Minister regularly cites the phrase "there is no pot of gold" in terms of there being an alternative source of funds that could be taxed to avoid this unfairness and...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Wealth Audit (3 Dec 2014)

Richard Boyd Barrett: When the Government wants to impose a property tax or force people to pay unjust water charges or the Department of Social Protection wants to means-test them, it is possible to put in place an invasive process to find out the value of people's property and so on, yet when it comes to finding out about the personal wealth of the super rich, we are told the process of compiling accurate...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Wealth Audit (3 Dec 2014)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I will explain later.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Wealth Audit (3 Dec 2014)

Richard Boyd Barrett: In terms of a tax on the family home and a tax on wealth - in other words, people who have multiple homes or commercial investment property and large cash reserves and other financial assets - it would not be that difficult to work out the difference between the two. The Central Bank's view is that wealth is half financial and half asset related. For 90% of the population, a significant...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Wealth Audit (3 Dec 2014)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Separate them out.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Housing Data (3 Dec 2014)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 5. To ask the Minister for Finance his views regarding the continued upward spiral in house prices and rent, the increasing concentration of property ownership in the hands of a small number of very large corporate investors, in terms of macroeconomic stability and the capacity of ordinary families to access affordable accommodation; his proposed measures to deal with this situation; and if...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Housing Data (3 Dec 2014)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Rents in Dublin have risen in the past year by 17% and by 8% and 7% in Cork and Galway, respectively. They are spiralling out of control. This is related to the concentration of wealth that I mentioned and, specifically, the increasing concentration of commercial residential property in the hands of big corporate investors. It demonstrates the folly of the big sell-off of many NAMA...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Housing Data (3 Dec 2014)

Richard Boyd Barrett: There is a rapidly spiralling housing and homelessness crisis. A major proportion of the income of ordinary people is going towards keeping a roof over their head, which is adequate proof that the Government's policy in this regard has failed dramatically and that radical action is required. Construction 2020 and other pie in the sky projects will not cut it any more. People just cannot...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Housing Data (3 Dec 2014)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I accept that there is a supply problem. We should immediately use €4 billion of NAMA's cash reserves to start a massive public works programme involving the construction of affordable housing. It is not that NAMA is creating this problem but that it has no interest in solving it. More to the point, the people to whom NAMA sells these assets have no interest in the problem. I am...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Housing Data (3 Dec 2014)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Who can afford to buy them?

Other Questions: Budget 2015 (3 Dec 2014)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 8. To ask the Minister for Finance the reason his proposed income tax and universal social charge budget measures disproportionately favour those on higher incomes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45994/14]

Other Questions: Budget 2015 (3 Dec 2014)

Richard Boyd Barrett: The Minister’s budget and particularly its changes in income tax and universal social charge, USC, disproportionately favoured those on a higher income. People on €70,000 or more gained between four and six times more than people on the lowest incomes. I have probably made this point since the budget was announced. How can the Minister possibly justify and stand over this...

Other Questions: Budget 2015 (3 Dec 2014)

Richard Boyd Barrett: According to Social Justice Ireland, an unemployed couple got €1.51 a week or €78.52 a year back in the budget while a couple with two earners on €125,000 will receive an extra €23.57 a week or €1,255 a year. A couple on €125,000 each, very wealthy and comfortable, got 12 times more in the budget than somebody on the lowest income. How can the...

Other Questions: Budget 2015 (3 Dec 2014)

Richard Boyd Barrett: It is Social Justice Ireland.

Other Questions: Budget 2015 (3 Dec 2014)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I am saying the budget disproportionately favoured-----

Other Questions: Budget 2015 (3 Dec 2014)

Richard Boyd Barrett: The Minister should not be disingenuous. The question is very clear. Why did the Minister’s proposals for income tax and USC, as they stood when the question was tabled, disproportionately favour those on higher incomes? With what moneys the Minister had available to give back to people, why did he disproportionately favour those on higher incomes over those on the lowest incomes?...

Other Questions: Budget 2015 (3 Dec 2014)

Richard Boyd Barrett: The money can be allocated to social welfare.

Social Welfare Bill 2014: Instruction to Committee (3 Dec 2014)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I know that some of the things I wish to say are in order and I will find out if the other things are in order when I say them. The substantive issue here is the Minister's amendment. I understand that this amendment will give power to the Minister to authorise payments from the Central Fund to pension schemes that were insolvent but predate the passing of the 2013 legislation. If I am...