Results 17,501-17,520 of 27,080 for speaker:Richard Boyd Barrett

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Covid-19 Pandemic (27 May 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 1080. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will revise guidelines in relation to co-living and ensure that these kind of developments will not be allowed in view of the fact that Covid-19 has highlighted the dangers of overcrowded living conditions and the role congregated living plays in transmission of diseases; and if he will make a statement on the matter....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Arts Funding (27 May 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 1110. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will reconsider in the interests of the income and welfare of the recipients, reversing her decision that the dance artist residency scheme 2020 will not go ahead; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8268/20]

Estimates for Public Services 2020 - Vote 37 - Employment Affairs and Social Protection (Revised Estimate) (28 May 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I am sharing time with Deputy Barry. The Minister has sought to assure people that there is no plan to cut the pandemic unemployment payment, and we heard similar assurances from the Taoiseach yesterday. I will outline why people have reason to be distrustful of those assurances. First, it is worth remembering that the original proposal from the Government for support for people who lost...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Business of Special Committee (2 Jun 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: The Government announced that it would make changes to the public-private contract on Friday.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Business of Special Committee (2 Jun 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I immediately contacted the secretariat in writing and stated that in my opinion it would be crazy for us to have a session today with the HSE and the Department of Health without having the Minister, Deputy Harris, here as well because Mr. Breslin has already made clear that he cannot answer certain questions to do with policy because they are not in his remit. It renders redundant our...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Business of Special Committee (2 Jun 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I will not labour the point as we need to get on with business but this is closing the door after the horse has bolted. The Government has made a major announcement that it is going to change the deal and hand back much of the private capacity without us discussing the extent to which we need that private capacity, whether it is the best way, if we should be going back to the two-tier system...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Use of Private Hospitals (Resumed) (2 Jun 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Would Mr. Breslin accept that we are caught on the horns of a major dilemma here, where one is damned if one does and damned if one does not, arising from the fact that on entering into this crisis we had woefully inadequate levels of capacity in intensive care units, ICU, beds, staff and consultants? That is the fundamental problem. It was unacceptable, on entering into the crisis, that we...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Use of Private Hospitals (Resumed) (2 Jun 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I do not dispute that. We accept there is an unacceptably low level of capacity given the pre-existing challenges pre-Covid-19, and now with Covid-19. As a sidebar, I will turn to the heroic work of our health workers. Are the high infection rates in any way linked to the low staffing and capacity levels, which meant staff were overworked, working excessive hours and therefore exposed...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Use of Private Hospitals (Resumed) (2 Jun 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Fair enough. Given that we have to increase capacity, would it not be helpful if, for example, the Department did not have to negotiate with private hospitals but just had the capacity? Would that not be better? It would be better if we knew what was on their books, which we do not really know, in terms of the cost of beds. Would that not be better notwithstanding the need to ramp up...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Travel Restrictions (2 Jun 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: There are many issues impacted by Covid-19 in terms of transport. I do not have time to address all of them but as a general remark, while social distancing and Covid-19 is around, if we are going to maintain our public transport system it has to be on a not-for-profit basis. It will not be commercially viable, but we cannot do without it. We have to move to a not-for-profit approach. On...

Covid-19 (Defence): Statements (3 Jun 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: The Minister of State and others have rightly praised the role of our Defence Forces in the public health effort. They have done fantastic work in areas like testing and tracing. Obviously, there is the bravery of forces on missions in Lebanon, Congo and elsewhere. Does that praise not ring a bit hollow when we consider the failure to really support our military personnel with decent pay...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (3 Jun 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 29. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the way in which a person can receive a passport renewal during the Covid-19 restrictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9014/20]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Job Losses (3 Jun 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 104. To ask the Minister for Finance his plans to encourage a bank (details supplied) to intervene with a consortium, of which it is a part of, to ensure fair treatment of its workers in view of that fact that employment was terminated by the consortium and it is refusing to provide a fair redundancy package for the employees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9600/20]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Maternity Leave (3 Jun 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 328. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to extend maternity leave by three months for those currently on maternity leave; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9604/20]

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (3 Jun 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 487. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if there will be a similar grant to the restart grant available through local councils for SMEs that is not conditional on being registered for commercial rates in view of the fact not all small business have rate registered premises due to the fact so much business is conducted online and many businesses do not require physical...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Enterprise Support Services (3 Jun 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 488. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if the enterprise boards will facilitate initiatives and training programmes for traders and businesses to upskill and improve during and post-Covid-19 phased reopening that do not require the person or company to pay or to go into debt in the process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9492/20]

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Workplace Relations Commission (3 Jun 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 496. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if her attention has been drawn to the fact that film production companies have refused to attend the WRC in an industrial relations matter taken by more than 30 employees (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9603/20]

Written Answers — Department of Health: National Public Health Emergency Team (3 Jun 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 742. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide all the minutes of the expert advisory group, the advices and position papers provided to NPHET and the minutes of the vulnerable and elderly subgroup of NPHET as previously requested through the Covid enquiries line and directly with the CMO at the Special Committee on Covid-19 Response; and if he will make a statement on the matter....

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Tests (3 Jun 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 743. To ask the Minister for Health his plans for expanding testing into all healthcare settings including regularity with which healthcare workers will be tested and the way in which this will be rolled out to home help; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9590/20]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Tests (3 Jun 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 744. To ask the Minister for Health the new criteria for Covid-19 testing; and if he will provide a report in relation to a number of areas related to testing (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9591/20]