Results 1,841-1,860 of 6,541 for speaker:Ruairí Ó Murchú

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Brexit Issues (27 Jan 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: All across the House accept Brexit is a disaster. The Irish protocol was a necessary mitigation. Every apparent one step forward is two steps back. We are dealing with cul-de-sac unionism and any threats it makes. The Minister has already spoken about the unhelpful commentary from Boris Johnson, even if some of that may be diversionary. We have heard from Maroš...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Brexit Issues (27 Jan 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire. We all thought there might have been change when Liz Truss came into the role. I had an opportunity in Strasbourg to talk to Maroš Šefčovič about this. In fairness, I did not intend ever to talk about what he said but it is all in the public domain. I refer to the suggestion of more cordial relations. The fact is Liz Truss has...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Brexit Issues (27 Jan 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: Time is very important and I accept we have that window. I welcome the clarity and the reiteration this is not for renegotiation. That is the difficulty. It is to be hoped Liz Truss is there as a dealmaker and other factors will not impact on that. I accept that sometimes with these questions we are asking the Minister to look into a crystal ball, which I assume he does not have. I...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (27 Jan 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: I raise an issue of which the Tánaiste is aware, that is, the case of the 100 jobs in fulfilment operations in National Pen. Those jobs will be gone by January 2023. What engagement has the Government had with the company? This is not the first time we have been down this road. Communications between National Pen and its workers have been dreadful over many years. There is a fear...

National Broadband Plan: Statements (27 Jan 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: I have just come running from a meeting with NBI. I will deal with two major questions. We have all seen the commentary, particularly in the Business Post, on the financial structures involved here. David McCourt has spoken about looking at different corporate structures or investors and there will be an element of communication with the Government on that. We need to ensure we can...

National Broadband Plan: Statements (27 Jan 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: Is the Minister of State happy that NBI is fit for purpose on the basis it has sufficient money to do business and there is no cash flow problem at this time?

National Broadband Plan: Statements (27 Jan 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: I spoke to NBI about what can be done with regard to acceleration. Some 34,417 premises have now been passed. NBI says it will pass 60,000 by the end of March, although that was meant to have happened by now. I asked about the Covid delays and the acceleration. NBI has suddenly got rapid response teams and it can be done with them but there is a difficulty in dealing with Eir's "make...

National Broadband Plan: Statements (27 Jan 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: Does the Minister of State think he can deliver the self-installed product and ensure that Eir deliver faster? NBI is absolutely reliant on it.

Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Second Stage (Resumed) (27 Jan 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: I will add my voice to what my colleagues have said. Sinn Féin is in support of this legislation. Nobody would be against good governance, particularly in higher education. There are obviously issues of accessibility and Deputy Conway-Walsh has already spoken about some of the proposals that were made by Sinn Féin during pre-legislative scrutiny of the Bill, particularly relating...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Special EU Programmes Body: Engagement with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (26 Jan 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: I thank the Minister and his officials for coming here today. Very quickly, on the Commission and those last pieces of the process, when will this be in play?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Special EU Programmes Body: Engagement with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (26 Jan 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: That is good and possibly one of the few things to be salvaged from Brexit. What does the Minister mean by the pre-application work or the preparatory work that has been done by the SEUBP?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Special EU Programmes Body: Engagement with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (26 Jan 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: I agree completely that there is an onus on all of us to ensure information gets out to the organisations and that those relationships are made. I have seen where some of the smaller pieces of work have been done. The SEUBP and whoever else have made connections with some organisations. In some cases, it is about redirecting them and pointing out that this does not necessarily suit them...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Special EU Programmes Body: Engagement with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (26 Jan 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: It is not a question. It is about ensuring that, as I said, whether it is local authorities or whoever is involved, nobody adds any complications. I think we all agree that would be a positive thing to do.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Special EU Programmes Body: Engagement with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (26 Jan 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: The small grants, and looking at some of the learnings and difficulties that would have previously existed around the bureaucracy, are very positive measures. In fairness, whatever I may think about what is not in the programme, if the Minister is looking at those things then it covers a fair amount of scope. How tight are the criteria? In the process that is left regarding the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Special EU Programmes Body: Engagement with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (26 Jan 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: Does the Minister believe that the scope is fairly wide within them and that there are not overly strict criteria? I do not mean the governance, which is obviously necessary.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Special EU Programmes Body: Engagement with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (26 Jan 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: My apologies, but I have just arrived. I am very good at being a nuisance.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Special EU Programmes Body: Engagement with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (26 Jan 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: Yes, it is something I should know. I ask the witnesses to give details on the process for assessing applications. Who will make the assessments and who will assess the assessors?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: In fairness, I can see the logic of NIFTI and making sure all this is happening. I accept the difficulties and also that part of the Minister's job is to look at means of speeding this up. When the Minister appeared before the committee previously he spoke of a survival of the fittest scenario almost with regard to planning applications. We probably need a planning process that takes away...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Special EU Programmes Body: Engagement with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (26 Jan 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: There will be considerable interaction by local authorities with elected representatives and others. Sometimes when local authorities run projects, they look after those pieces of work that suit themselves and in some cases suit individuals. The biggest problem we have always had with project funding is that those with capacity are those that receive. That is understandable in some cases,...