Results 11,281-11,300 of 28,162 for speaker:Catherine Murphy

Address by Mr. Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission (21 Jun 2018)

Catherine Murphy: I also extend a warm welcome to the President who opened his address by speaking very positively about the nature of our membership of the European Union. It was understood it was about the pooling of sovereignty. While there continues to be a very strong commitment to membership of the European Union, that confidence was badly shattered during the economic crash when there was a feeling...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: House Purchase Schemes (21 Jun 2018)

Catherine Murphy: 77. To ask the Minister for Finance if an analysis or a survey has been undertaken to measure the uptake and success of the help to buy scheme; if the scheme will be extended and or modified in budget 2019 to take into account market increases in the valuations of dwellings for sale; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27278/18]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (21 Jun 2018)

Catherine Murphy: 93. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to correspondence (details supplied) regarding a school building project in Maynooth, County Kildare; the action he is taking to ensure that the project is completed within the original timeline; the progress made to date in appointing a new contractor; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27265/18]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Eligibility (21 Jun 2018)

Catherine Murphy: 251. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his plans to increase the maximum income limits for housing assistance payment, HAP, and the mortgage to rent scheme; if so, when; if there is discretion on the limits for the mortgage to rent scheme such as in the case of persons (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27160/18]

Seanad: Address by Mr. Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission (21 Jun 2018)

Catherine Murphy: I also extend a warm welcome to the President who opened his address by speaking very positively about the nature of our membership of the European Union. It was understood it was about the pooling of sovereignty. While there continues to be a very strong commitment to membership of the European Union, that confidence was badly shattered during the economic crash when there was a feeling...

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 14 - Control of Ireland's Bilateral Assistance Programme
Vote 27 - International Co-operation
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (21 Jun 2018)

Catherine Murphy: I will start with passports. Our constituency offices are a barometer of what works and what does not. People come into us when something does not work. Elements of something might work very well while other aspects do not. We all have the personal experience of people coming to us. The Department indicated earlier that no one had failed to travel where they had a requirement, but I have...

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 14 - Control of Ireland's Bilateral Assistance Programme
Vote 27 - International Co-operation
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (21 Jun 2018)

Catherine Murphy: In that case, is it a staffing issue?

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 14 - Control of Ireland's Bilateral Assistance Programme
Vote 27 - International Co-operation
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (21 Jun 2018)

Catherine Murphy: Given that the processing of passports through the Passport Express service is taking up to eight weeks for a large number of people, should those who plan to travel within an eight-week timeframe not include their travel documents with their application in order that the Passport Office knows which applicants will run into difficulty? I know the Passport Office wants to take applications in...

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 14 - Control of Ireland's Bilateral Assistance Programme
Vote 27 - International Co-operation
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (21 Jun 2018)

Catherine Murphy: Yes, they cannot access other options.

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 14 - Control of Ireland's Bilateral Assistance Programme
Vote 27 - International Co-operation
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (21 Jun 2018)

Catherine Murphy: That is exactly the point. People are in the system and they cannot change the route they will go through.

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 14 - Control of Ireland's Bilateral Assistance Programme
Vote 27 - International Co-operation
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (21 Jun 2018)

Catherine Murphy: The Chairman is going to give me a bit of extra time.

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 14 - Control of Ireland's Bilateral Assistance Programme
Vote 27 - International Co-operation
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (21 Jun 2018)

Catherine Murphy: Okay.

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 14 - Control of Ireland's Bilateral Assistance Programme
Vote 27 - International Co-operation
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (21 Jun 2018)

Catherine Murphy: I ask the Chairman to put me down to come back in then. I wish to deal with another topic involving a small amount of money relative to the Department's budget. Two centres are funded - the cultural centre in Paris and the arts centre in New York. Based on replies to parliamentary questions a sizeable amount of funding is given to the arts centre in New York from the US side - way more...

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 14 - Control of Ireland's Bilateral Assistance Programme
Vote 27 - International Co-operation
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (21 Jun 2018)

Catherine Murphy: I can see that.

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 14 - Control of Ireland's Bilateral Assistance Programme
Vote 27 - International Co-operation
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (21 Jun 2018)

Catherine Murphy: I can see that there is a real value in that. What about the one in Paris?

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 14 - Control of Ireland's Bilateral Assistance Programme
Vote 27 - International Co-operation
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (21 Jun 2018)

Catherine Murphy: I do not have a difficulty with the spending, which is very modest. I am trying to understand the process by which the locations are selected. It strikes me that the cultural centre in the UK should feature given the relationship there is.

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 14 - Control of Ireland's Bilateral Assistance Programme
Vote 27 - International Co-operation
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (21 Jun 2018)

Catherine Murphy: Okay.

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 14 - Control of Ireland's Bilateral Assistance Programme
Vote 27 - International Co-operation
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (21 Jun 2018)

Catherine Murphy: It is also a collective, corporate effort in respect of our offices. It is taking time that it should not be taking.

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 14 - Control of Ireland's Bilateral Assistance Programme
Vote 27 - International Co-operation
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (21 Jun 2018)

Catherine Murphy: When I was in Tanzania, I listened carefully to different issues. It was like being at home in Ireland. Tanzania has the fastest economy in east Africa. We were asked to look at gender violence, which we are very familiar with here. We have huge difficulties with it. There were many other issues, including lack of infrastructure, just like here. What struck me was the last presentation...

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 14 - Control of Ireland's Bilateral Assistance Programme
Vote 27 - International Co-operation
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (21 Jun 2018)

Catherine Murphy: I noted that €2 million in the Vote under foreign aid was unspent and returned to the Exchequer. I understand that may happen where something that is intended to be done does not happen. Was there a specific reason for the return of that €2 million? We hear repeatedly about commitments made internationally when humanitarian crises take place. Those commitments are not...