Results 2,021-2,040 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Prices: Discussion (4 Oct 2022)

Richard Bruton: I apologise that I had to step out of the meeting, so if I repeat questions, I ask our guests to ignore them. How is the network charge element of the ESB's price set? There has been some controversy about the extent to which network charges should be stable but there seem to have been increases in standing charges and that has caused people considerable concern. To what extent is the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Prices: Discussion (4 Oct 2022)

Richard Bruton: Those on smart meters will pay less for their electricity than those who do not have them because obviously they are using cheaper electricity to generate. Electric Ireland is not trying to break even on this. It is planning to give a price concession through the use of smart meters.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Prices: Discussion (4 Oct 2022)

Richard Bruton: The point I am trying to get at is that if they use cheaper renewable energy, will they get the benefit? Will they get the lion's share of the benefit or will it just be that they are active consumers and doing it in the national interest?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Prices: Discussion (4 Oct 2022)

Richard Bruton: But some smart meter people are worried that they will running hard to try to spread the thing but will not actually get cheaper electricity at the end of that effort. People are expressing that worry to me.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Prices: Discussion (4 Oct 2022)

Richard Bruton: I thank the delegation for their presentation. I wish to probe the issue of the approved network charges. Earlier we heard that CRU approved these regulated charges so Electric Ireland plays no role in them. The network charges have increased so has that been the driver of increased standing charges? Can the ESB show the network charge on the bills provided to consumers so that they...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (4 Oct 2022)

Richard Bruton: 282. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he has considered any intervention to assist older persons with a good income who find their age confines them to a small mortgage to acquire a suitable small dwelling; and if he will consider piloting a shared equity initiative targeted at such a category. [48198/22]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (4 Oct 2022)

Richard Bruton: 410. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she has considered the reintroduction of a diet allowance on supplementary welfare in view of the potential hardship this can cause to those on low incomes. [47869/22]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products (4 Oct 2022)

Richard Bruton: 729. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to reports that throughout the European Union, the medication evushed has been fast-tracked to ensure that patients with blood cancer can develop antibodies to resist Covid, which would otherwise have a very high fatality rate for such patients, but in Ireland, the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics has required a lengthy...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Prices: Discussion (4 Oct 2022)

Richard Bruton: I have two questions. I would like to know how a specific issue with microgeneration was resolved. One of the issues was the question of whether someone who is not buying electricity and who is selling onto the grid pays the standing charges related to running the network and how standing charges are shared between those who have the option to sell onto the grid and to buy from it and those...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Prices: Discussion (4 Oct 2022)

Richard Bruton: Will that be reflected in the balance between standing charges and individuals' bills so standing charges versus user chargers?

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (29 Sep 2022)

Richard Bruton: 165. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the terms of the housing in situ scheme, which allows a local authority in certain circumstances to acquire a house with HAP tenants and retain the house as part of its rental stock, converting the HAP tenant to a council tenant; the assessment of suitable tenants that applies; the rules governing acquisition of the home...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Cards (29 Sep 2022)

Richard Bruton: 266. To ask the Minister for Health if he has considered the provision of support on the medical card for patients whose treatment requires an expensive diet. [47814/22]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Cost of Living, Minimum Wage Increases and Report of Low Pay Commission: Discussion (28 Sep 2022)

Richard Bruton: I believe we should increase the national minimum wage as fast as is sustainably deliverable, and that qualification is what I wish to explore a little with both speakers. When the commission looks at setting the minimum wage, which it set at an increase of 7.6%, what are the factors other than inflation which it has to look at? I know that's yesterday's budget, for example, indicated that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Cost of Living, Minimum Wage Increases and Report of Low Pay Commission: Discussion (28 Sep 2022)

Richard Bruton: That was not the question I asked. If we are in a situation, as we are at the moment, where €10 billion extra has gone out of the economy to pay for oil and gas and we have no control over that, and it is gone and is not in the hands of employers or in the hands of the Government, and if the Government intervenes as it did yesterday to try to cushion the impact on workers, is it not...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Cost of Living, Minimum Wage Increases and Report of Low Pay Commission: Discussion (28 Sep 2022)

Richard Bruton: What does Mr. Light mean by "both"?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Cost of Living, Minimum Wage Increases and Report of Low Pay Commission: Discussion (28 Sep 2022)

Richard Bruton: The decent pay rate is what the Low Pay Commission decides from year to year, but what that is in a given year takes into consideration things that are happening in the rest of the economy. It does seem not unreasonable that in a time of such uncertainty, Government intervention to protect people would be reflected in the pay demands that accompany that in the economy. That is the only...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Cost of Living, Minimum Wage Increases and Report of Low Pay Commission: Discussion (28 Sep 2022)

Richard Bruton: Yes, but what we are discussing in today's context is whether the 7.6% is striking a reasonable balance or not. I am just saying there is contention that it is not. I am trying to see what is the Mandate reaction to some of what, if employers were here today, they might be saying to us.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Cost of Living, Minimum Wage Increases and Report of Low Pay Commission: Discussion (28 Sep 2022)

Richard Bruton: In case the budget is misrepresented I feel that it is important to point out that the budget provides €1,000 for students straight away; an extra payment as part of the maintenance grant; increases in the maintenance grant from January next year; the electricity supplement; and a rent tax relief. I would not like a political view of the budget to be presented without contest.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Coast Guard Service (27 Sep 2022)

Richard Bruton: 87. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the protocols for emergency responses to incidents on Dublin’s beaches; if the Dublin Fire Brigade is notified of incidents; or if it is solely the Coast Guard that is informed. [47070/22]