Results 1,441-1,460 of 5,566 for speaker:Mairéad Farrell

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Supplementary)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: The first was establishment of a formal process of appointments to interim and permanent senior posts and that the process would be followed in all instances. The second was the establishment of a body to review the remuneration of senior posts in the Civil Service and public service and to develop the process of appointments. The third was the review of the ministerial power to set...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Supplementary)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: Is there time for me to ask one more quick question?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Supplementary)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: There have been recent reports about overtime that was paid to top HSE officials. Between April and September 2020, overtime increased by approximately 760% compared with 2019. In contrast, total overtime for HSE staff increased by only 14% over that period. Is the Minister concerned about that?

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tax Code (16 Dec 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: We all know that the State is in the grips of a housing emergency. There are policies that could change the dynamic and provide solutions to the housing needs our people face. The Government's Housing for All plan chose to kick the can of the vacant property tax down the road for yet another year. Will the Minister confirm a date for the introduction of a vacant homes tax?

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tax Code (16 Dec 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: We need this urgently. Since 2016, Sinn Féin has called for the introduction of a vacant homes tax as another lever to increase supply, end the scourge of dereliction and put vacant homes back into use. In June 2017, my colleague, Deputy Ó Broin, called on the Government to introduce a vacant property tax in budget 2018, a budget that was negotiated between Fianna Fáil and...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tax Code (16 Dec 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: In a note to the Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage in September, the Department of Finance cited analysis on vacant dwellings by GeoDirectory. In its quarter 2 report for 2021, GeoDirectory found that more than 92,000 homes, or 4.5% of the housing stock, lay vacant in June this year. Recent research suggests we have the tenth highest vacancy rate in the world. It is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Real Estate Investment Trusts (16 Dec 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: The Minister of State just said that the funds pay tax as well but they do not. They pay no corporation tax or capital gains tax. I have a quote from the Minister of State from an RTÉ Radio 1 interview he did earlier this year. He said that on any profits being made there is a tax of 20% or 25% depending on the structure and that any profits they make are taxed at a higher rate:...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Dec 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: Gabhaim buíochas, a Cheann Comhairle, agus guím Nollaig shona ar fhoireann Theach Laighean agus tá súil agam go mbeidh Nollaig álainn acu ar fad. A Thánaiste, the Women of Honour group has set out their view that a review, as proposed by the Government, does not go far enough. It is clearly inadequate for an internal review to be held with no power to compel...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Withdrawal from Irish Banking Market: Engagement with KBC (1 Dec 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: I thank the witnesses for appearing before the committee. I want to follow up on two issues raised with the witnesses by my colleague, Deputy Doherty. My first question is in regard to meetings with the Governor of the Central Bank. Is Mr. Blažek aware how many times in the past two years his predecessor met the Governor of the Central Bank?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Withdrawal from Irish Banking Market: Engagement with KBC (1 Dec 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: I thank Mr. Blažek. Would he be able to furnish the committee with that information in writing post meeting?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Withdrawal from Irish Banking Market: Engagement with KBC (1 Dec 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: I thank Mr. Blažek. My second question is in regard to an issue mentioned by my colleague, Deputy Doherty, but which he did not get an opportunity to tease out. What advice would KBC offer a new entrant, or a re-entry of KBC, into the market?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Withdrawal from Irish Banking Market: Engagement with KBC (1 Dec 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: I thank Mr. Blažek for that very interesting analysis. On the staff of KBC Ireland, what protections for pensions will the bank put in place for the long term? Will the bank transfer the employer covenant responsibility and deeds to KBC Group in order to best protect both deferred, active and pensions members of the KBC schemes?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Withdrawal from Irish Banking Market: Engagement with KBC (1 Dec 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: I would hope so. This is about people's lives and livelihoods.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Withdrawal from Irish Banking Market: Engagement with KBC (1 Dec 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: I must go now to the committee room now but if Mr. Blažek feels strongly that the bank is working so well with the employees and that it is so well functioning, I do not understand why it would not engage with a union that represents workers and allow workers and employees to work with their union and have it represent them. That is my opinion on the matter.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Withdrawal from Irish Banking Market: Engagement with KBC (1 Dec 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: I thank the witnesses for attending and for their engagement with the committee. I propose we suspend briefly before beginning our second session to discuss the review of the EU economic governance framework.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Review of EU Economic Governance Framework: Dr. Dirk Ehnts (1 Dec 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: I welcome members and viewers who may be watching our proceedings on Oireachtas TV to the second part of this session of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach. We will now discuss the European Commission’s review of the EU governance framework. I welcome to the meeting the economist, Dr. Dirk Ehnts. The format of the meeting is that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Review of EU Economic Governance Framework: Dr. Dirk Ehnts (1 Dec 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: I thank Dr. Ehnts. I will begin with my own questions initially. I wonder about the origin of the fiscal rules and how they came about. There is the 3% debt-to-GDP rule and the 60% public debt level rule. I wonder if those figures are supported by any evidence. If not, why were those particular figures chosen? What are their implications for economic stability and development?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Review of EU Economic Governance Framework: Dr. Dirk Ehnts (1 Dec 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: That is quite interesting about how that figure of 3% came about. Dr. Ehnts mentioned climate in his opening statement. I am worried about the chance of implementing a Green New Deal, GND, given the current rules. I am also sceptical that it would be enough to increase the debt ceiling to 100%. The majority of financing for the Green New Deal will have to be done at a national level....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Review of EU Economic Governance Framework: Dr. Dirk Ehnts (1 Dec 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: Often in the conversation around money creation, I worry that there is a lack of understanding of the process of money creation. Does Dr. Ehnts think that is the case and that, if there was a deeper understanding of how monetary operations work, there could be a different view of fiscal rules?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Review of EU Economic Governance Framework: Dr. Dirk Ehnts (1 Dec 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: My last question follows on from that. The fiscal rules set targets around debt and deficit levels but not around employment levels or emission targets. Would these be better metrics to strive for?