Results 21,081-21,100 of 26,960 for speaker:Richard Boyd Barrett

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Local Property Tax: Discussion with Revenue (7 Nov 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: When Government first gave the Revenue Commissioners the brief to collect the tax, was there significant discussion over the fact there had been a boycott of the household tax and whether Revenue's job was to find ways and means to ensure a greater level of compliance with the household tax? Is that the brief Revenue was given by the Government?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Local Property Tax: Discussion with Revenue (7 Nov 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Sure. I wish to mention three cases where Revenue has serious responsibility, although I believe the primary responsibility lies with the Government. A woman who came to my clinic had €61.75 taken from her wages in September and again in October. This was done without notification. She does not own a property. She spent three weeks trying to get through to Revenue, but has failed...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Local Property Tax: Discussion with Revenue (7 Nov 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: These are people who came to my clinic.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Local Property Tax: Discussion with Revenue (7 Nov 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: No, they came into my clinic.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Local Property Tax: Discussion with Revenue (7 Nov 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: People spend weeks trying to get through to the Revenue Commissioners.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Local Property Tax: Discussion with Revenue (7 Nov 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: In the first case, it was the dead husband of the woman who did not respond to the communication, because he had passed away. However, the payment was then deducted from her wages, despite the fact she does not own the house.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Local Property Tax: Discussion with Revenue (7 Nov 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I welcome Ms Feehily to the show trial. I will start with a simple question. Does Ms Feehily think she is being politically scapegoated for a tax that this Government decided to impose, but for which she is now taking the heat?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Local Property Tax: Discussion with Revenue (7 Nov 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I ask Ms Feehily to clarify that. She has said that the shambles regarding the payment of the tax has arisen because the tax must be paid on or before 1 January. She has suggested that this has forced Revenue to do many of the things it has done, which have caused concern and anxiety. Whose decision was it that the tax should be payable on or before 1 January?

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport Subsidies (7 Nov 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 20. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the rationale for the reduction in the State subsidy to Dublin Bus over the past years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47178/13]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Service Obligation Services (7 Nov 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 39. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans for the tendering out of Dublin Bus routes to private firms and the implications this will have for the terms and conditions of Dublin Bus drivers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47177/13]

Cannabis Regulation: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (6 Nov 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Dream on.

Cannabis Regulation: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (6 Nov 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Clouded by neoliberal ideology.

Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (6 Nov 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: The Deputy will have his chance to speak. We can do that by putting a modest bit of tax on wealth, on the profits of the corporations and on the very high earners and using that to finance a public investment programme in infrastructure, in public services and in strategic enterprises. Fine Gael claims there is no money for that. They say there is no pot of gold, that the rich do not have...

Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (6 Nov 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: The Deputy will have his chance. He should read the Central Bank report which shows that the financial assets of some people in this society have grown considerably. We know that people who have lost their jobs do not have those assets; we know that public sector workers who lost 20% of their pay do not have that; we know that young people do not have it; we know it has not gone into our...

Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (6 Nov 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I walked into the accident and emergency department, which was like Vietnam. When I went to the desk and asked how long it would be before seeing a doctor, I was told it would be at least 12 to 14 hours. There were patients in accident and emergency in pain, bleeding, suffering etc. The 12 or 14 hour waiting time was mid-week, at a relatively quiet time. God knows what it is like at busy...

Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (6 Nov 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I propose to share time with Deputy Finian McGrath. As the finance spokesperson for People Before Profit-United Left Alliance, it is a rather depressing task to have to respond to the Finance Bill, which is a classic case of the putting profit before people. It is consistent with an economic line of thinking that has continued since before the economic crash, which always put profit before...

Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (6 Nov 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Equally, the Government's claims about growth and employment are utterly bogus. The reality of the fall in the live register figures is explained by two things, one of which is 40,000 people leaving the country every year. They are mostly young, educated people who do not need the so-called incentive of having their social welfare payments attacked. It is very clear that they have energy...

Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (6 Nov 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Google or Facebook?

Cannabis Regulation: Motion [Private Members] (5 Nov 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I commend Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan on tabling the motion and the tremendous work he had done in drafting the Bill he is likely to present to the House in the coming days. The Deputy deserves the commendation of the House for having the political courage and determination to take up an issue that even those who privately and, in some cases, publicly agree with him would not choose to bring...

Appointment of Ombudsman and Information Commissioner: Motions (5 Nov 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Like others, I wish the outgoing Ombudsman, Emily O'Reilly, the best of luck in her new role in Europe. She has been an exemplary ombudsman, a fearless champion of people's rights who was genuinely and passionately concerned with vindicating the rights of ordinary citizens, even when dealing with controversial and difficult issues and up against the obstacle of the State and bureaucracy...