Results 1,281-1,300 of 10,843 for speaker:Matt Carthy

Public Accounts Committee (2 Dec 2020)

Matt Carthy: We understand Caranua’s representatives are coming in on 17 December. It would be appropriate if, in advance of that, we wrote to Caranua and advised them that some members of the committee are particularly interested in the provision of supports for survivors following its wind-up. It would be useful if they were in a position to provide a detailed briefing note on their engagements...

Public Accounts Committee (2 Dec 2020)

Matt Carthy: The references in this correspondence are very significant. Essentially, it states that a huge amount of money that we were told was going to be directed to SMEs, which form a very important part of our economy, was actually used to bolster the balance sheet, repay a loan, pay dividends to shareholders and provide significant liquidity to a foreign-based parent company. According to the...

Public Accounts Committee (2 Dec 2020)

Matt Carthy: It would be useful if we could invite the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission to come before us. It is an organisation that has a lot of money to spend on PR. I am just not sure whether it is spending the rest of its money on delivering, so it might be useful to do that. An important body that could be useful also, and there is not necessarily an urgency about it, is Bord Bia....

Public Accounts Committee (2 Dec 2020)

Matt Carthy: That is why it rang a bell. Is it still in existence?

Finance Bill 2020: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (3 Dec 2020)

Matt Carthy: The carbon tax is a fraud that is being perpetrated against ordinary workers and families. Scandalously, it is being perpetrated in the name of environmentalism. There is nothing related to environmentalism with regard to the carbon tax. The carbon tax is simply another revenue-generating measure. It would be helpful if people before the House were honest and actually set out what exactly...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (3 Dec 2020)

Matt Carthy: 42. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of pandemic unemployment payment recipients who are awaiting payments for arrears due; and when the arrears will be paid. [39984/20]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (3 Dec 2020)

Matt Carthy: 68. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to increase supports to family carers including amending eligibility criteria, increasing payment rates and providing pension entitlements. [39985/20]

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Direct Provision System (3 Dec 2020)

Matt Carthy: 124. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the dates on which inspections have been carried out at a direct provision centre (details supplied) since 2016; and the outcomes of the inspections. [40654/20]

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care and Education (3 Dec 2020)

Matt Carthy: 137. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his plans to provide for additional capital funding towards the development and expansion of community childcare centres. [40655/20]

Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 30 – Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Supplementary) (3 Dec 2020)

Matt Carthy: I thank the Minister for being here this morning. Attendance of members is low but there is a lot happening this morning, including the fact that people are moving between Leinster House and the convention centre, which is never easy. I thank the Minister for his clear outline of the contents of the Revised Estimates but I seek clarification on a number of matters. The Minister referenced...

Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 30 – Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Supplementary) (3 Dec 2020)

Matt Carthy: I acknowledge that. To be frank, I have always said there is an element of giving the benefit of the doubt to the Department, as someone who has been very critical. There is new legislation and new staff are in place, and we need to see the out-workings of all of that. I would encourage the Minister to ensure that sentences like "This can largely be attributed to the fall-off in interest...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Brexit Supports (8 Dec 2020)

Matt Carthy: 30. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the contingency measures he will put in place, including financial support, to support farmers and the agri-food sector to deal with the outworkings of Brexit from 1 January 2021. [41596/20]

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Brexit Supports (8 Dec 2020)

Matt Carthy: We have been talking about the countdown to Brexit and we are now potentially within hours of knowing whether we dealing with a deal or a no-deal scenario. As the Minister knows, nobody is set to lose more than Irish farmers and the agri-food sector in the broadest terms. I would like the Minister to take this opportunity to convey to the House the contingency measures that his Department...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Brexit Supports (8 Dec 2020)

Matt Carthy: I thank the Minister for that reply. There are many varying and competing concerns for the agriculture sector in the event of a no-deal Brexit or a less than perfect Brexit deal. The biggest of those will be access to the British market. I will ask the Minister about the exploration of other markets and, particularly, the importance of the land bridge and what will be put in place....

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Brexit Supports (8 Dec 2020)

Matt Carthy: Regarding exports, one way or another we need to find new markets and exploit the markets that are there. At a meeting of Joint Committee on Agriculture and the Marine an hour or so ago we learned that Ireland is the only significant exporter at EU level that does not provide export credit insurance. Is the Minister working with his counterparts in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Trade Agreements (8 Dec 2020)

Matt Carthy: 32. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has completed an assessment on the potential impact on the Irish agrifood sector of the EU-Mercosur trade deal. [41597/20]

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Trade Agreements (8 Dec 2020)

Matt Carthy: When the Minister was on this side of the House, he joined our party in supporting a resolution that called for the then Government to reject the EU-Mercosur trade agreement. He did so for all the right reasons. The programme for Government rowed back on that and committed to a review of the deal. Anyone who has examined the agreement from an environmental or Irish agricultural viewpoint...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Trade Agreements (8 Dec 2020)

Matt Carthy: I am disappointed by the Minister's response. He did not accept the exact same speech when it was read to him by his Fine Gael predecessor when he was in opposition. Last week, we learned that 11,088 sq. km of forest had been destroyed in Brazil between the start of August 2019 and the end of July 2020 to make way for beef ranches. That beef is being produced at a very low cost because of...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Trade Agreements (8 Dec 2020)

Matt Carthy: The Minister knows what the outcome of the report will be, namely, that the deal will be a bad one for Ireland. He also knows what the deal's benefits are. They accrue to the German car manufacturing sector. That is why the Irish Government will not stand up and say that the deal needs to be rejected. I believe the Government's position is that environmental concerns primarily will lead...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Trade Agreements (8 Dec 2020)

Matt Carthy: So was Fianna Fáil when it was in opposition.