Results 1,321-1,340 of 1,974 for speaker:Arthur Spring

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

Arthur Spring: We are in no hurry.

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

Arthur Spring: Has the council considered the sale of some State assets? For example, we have acquired the banks, unfortunately or fortunately. Has the council considered the value that will be built into those assets in the future? As for the sale thereof, has the council made recommendations to the State or the Department of Finance as to how that could be used to offset some of the burden?

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

Arthur Spring: For example, Irish Water has been set up but no payment was made to the Irish State. I am aware it was for the purposes of allowing it to borrow off-balance sheet and so on but is that typical best practice internationally, whereby the assets essentially were bequeathed to an organisation without the State getting a payment or that organisation borrowing money to fund it?

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

Arthur Spring: Yes, but it is off-balance sheet. I believe it had the capacity to borrow €1.6 billion without putting it on the State balance sheet. However, if it is an entity in its own right, should it not borrow money and give that to the State for the purposes of it being a special purpose vehicle or whatever?

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

Arthur Spring: Some of it would be. I was just wondering-----

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

Arthur Spring: From the sounds of things, the Acting Chairman is catching a train so I will turn to the bank recapitalisation. I am aware the council thinks there is a small chance and we should keep asking for it. Is that the best chance we have of a silver bullet or, as a country, should we be examining anything else such as the sale of the banks or something else? Is there anything that is not being...

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

Arthur Spring: I find it very frustrating to be around organisations that say what a great success the programme has been for Ireland. I hear from the OECD, the Commission and all the rest. I am sure the Acting Chairman and I, together with the other parliamentarians, would state that when one goes to people's doors, they say the programme has been a disaster, as people's standard of life has decreased....

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

Arthur Spring: Do the witnesses want to come canvassing in north County Kerry in the early part of 2016 and explain that on the doors?

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

Arthur Spring: By the looks of things, I could do with a couple of the witnesses. The other point I wished to make was that I appeared on "Prime Time" last September and got something wrong, in that I stated the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council was okay with an adjustment of €2.6 billion instead of €3.1 billion. I was wrong and the witnesses did a fantastic job of getting me back on the...

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

Arthur Spring: I was always going to say it.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid Provision (24 Jun 2014)

Arthur Spring: 124. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if increased funding for 2014 will be provided to an organisation (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26835/14]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid (24 Jun 2014)

Arthur Spring: 125. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if the foreign aid programme will provide for a co-ordination strategy of a global education unit whereby a best practice template for foreign aid education could be provided using EU and Irish State funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26836/14]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Adult Education (26 Jun 2014)

Arthur Spring: 87. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will consider the extension of the dates of adult literacy courses being taught in adult literacy and basic education centres nationwide; and if summer courses will be introduced for students who wish to continue their learning during the traditional summer break in education. [27699/14]

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Construction Contracts (1 Jul 2014)

Arthur Spring: 199. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the position regarding the development of the code of practice under the provisions of the Construction Contracts Act; and when the code of practice will be completed. [27972/14]

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (1 Jul 2014)

Arthur Spring: 255. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if he will provide in tabular form a list of all social welfare payments; if the payment can be reviewed; and how often reviews can be carried out for each relevant payment. [28423/14]

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Private Rented Accommodation Costs and Controls (1 Jul 2014)

Arthur Spring: 294. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the monthly percentage in variation, not amount from the monthly mean of rental accommodation scheme reviews issued in the preceding twelve months in which the relevant data is available. [27828/14]

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Non-Principal Private Residence Charge Administration (1 Jul 2014)

Arthur Spring: 340. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if local authorities have the discretion to reduce the amount of the non principal private residence charge including fines outstanding by a house owner. [28416/14]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Network (1 Jul 2014)

Arthur Spring: 610. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the estimated cost per mile of construction of additional roadway on existing two lane local roads to facilitate, where possible, the addition of cycleways and if such a project has been completed on Irish roads. [28098/14]

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: EU-IMF Programme of Support (2 Jul 2014)

Arthur Spring: 122. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the annual cost of water to the State on the date the memorandum of understanding was signed with the troika; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28691/14]

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: EU-IMF Programme of Support (2 Jul 2014)

Arthur Spring: 123. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the cost per household of water charges envisaged when the memorandum of understanding with the troika was signed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28692/14]