Results 2,141-2,160 of 6,295 for speaker:Michael D'Arcy

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman Bill 2017: Committee Stage (29 Jun 2017)

Michael D'Arcy: I move amendment No. 21:In page 48, line 19, to delete "wholly or partly substantiated" and substitute "upheld or substantially upheld".

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman Bill 2017: Committee Stage (29 Jun 2017)

Michael D'Arcy: I would like to flag at this point that I will be bringing forward amendments to this section on Report Stage.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman Bill 2017: Committee Stage (29 Jun 2017)

Michael D'Arcy: I move amendment No. 23:In page 49, line 21, to delete "descretionary" and substitute "discretionary".

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman Bill 2017: Committee Stage (29 Jun 2017)

Michael D'Arcy: I move amendment No. 25:In page 50, to delete lines 24 and 25 and substitute the following: "(a) not later than 35 days after the date of notification of the decision of the Ombudsman, or".

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman Bill 2017: Committee Stage (29 Jun 2017)

Michael D'Arcy: I move amendment No. 26:In page 53, line 27, to delete "wholly or partly substantiated" and substitute "upheld or substantially upheld".

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman Bill 2017: Committee Stage (29 Jun 2017)

Michael D'Arcy: I move amendment No. 28:In page 55, line 9, to delete "investigation or adjudication" and substitute "mediation, investigation or adjudication".

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman Bill 2017: Committee Stage (29 Jun 2017)

Michael D'Arcy: I move amendment No. 29:In page 55, line 19, to delete "Ombudsman" and substitute "Council and Ombudsman".

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman Bill 2017: Committee Stage (29 Jun 2017)

Michael D'Arcy: I would like to clarify that I propose to table Report Stage amendments to sections 56 and 77 also. I thank the Chairman and members for facilitating this meeting. I believe this legislation when completed will be good legislation that will protect consumers to a greater degree than has been the case to date. My hope and expectation is that with the merger of the offices we will have a...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman Bill 2017: Committee Stage (29 Jun 2017)

Michael D'Arcy: No. I think it will be taken the following week.

Topical Issue Debate: Research and Development Supports (28 Jun 2017)

Michael D'Arcy: I am not going to pretend to be as up to speed on these things as I might be. I am not. However, there is an incredible amount of research and development going into FinTech in particular and, while this was once considered a disruptive technology to the industry, it has now evolved and there are a lot of cutting-edge companies moving into that space, meaning FinTech is not now as...

Topical Issue Debate: Research and Development Supports (28 Jun 2017)

Michael D'Arcy: I thank the Ceann Comhairle. It is somewhat pleasing to be complimented on my elevation to the position of Minister of State by Deputy Lawless because we come from the same town and we attended the same secondary school.

Topical Issue Debate: Research and Development Supports (28 Jun 2017)

Michael D'Arcy: He is well settled in north Kildare at this stage. I thank Deputy Lawless for raising this question. Research and development is an important source of growth because it contributes to ideas and products which affect productivity. One of the key insights of modern economic theory has been that per capitagrowth ultimately comes from changes in productivity. As such, research and...

Seanad: National Housing Co-operative Bill 2017: Second Stage (28 Jun 2017)

Michael D'Arcy: I thank the Acting Chairman. It is a pleasure to be back in the House. Senator Ó Clochartaigh seems to be present every time I am in the House.

Seanad: National Housing Co-operative Bill 2017: Second Stage (28 Jun 2017)

Michael D'Arcy: The Senator is very kind.

Seanad: National Housing Co-operative Bill 2017: Second Stage (28 Jun 2017)

Michael D'Arcy: It is good to see that Senator Norris has moved to the centre.

Seanad: National Housing Co-operative Bill 2017: Second Stage (28 Jun 2017)

Michael D'Arcy: There are major issues. Affordability is the biggest issue and the Bill does nothing for people who want to purchase property. The problem with the rental sector is that not only is there a lack of housing, too many people are renting.Until we have houses that people on average salaries can purchase, they will be renting. There is huge pressure on rent. I am pleased that the Senator...

Seanad: National Housing Co-operative Bill 2017: Second Stage (28 Jun 2017)

Michael D'Arcy: We are having the debate. That is why we are here. I agree with the Senator. As a result of our history, in this country the word "eviction" is a dirty word. We also have to understand and accept that there are very few evictions. Senator Daly said there were about 5,000 to date. To put that into context, there are 170 evictions a day in the UK, and there were 45,000 evictions in 2016.

Seanad: National Housing Co-operative Bill 2017: Second Stage (28 Jun 2017)

Michael D'Arcy: The position in which we find ourselves is of great difficulty for some people. I want to put the figures on the record now. There are 121,000 private dwelling homes in the State that are now in arrears, and 87% of those loans have been restructured. Some 15,700 homes are under pressure. I do not know whether Senator Conway-Walsh made her statement with or without the required knowledge,...

Seanad: National Housing Co-operative Bill 2017: Second Stage (28 Jun 2017)

Michael D'Arcy: That is incorrect.

Seanad: National Housing Co-operative Bill 2017: Second Stage (28 Jun 2017)

Michael D'Arcy: The national debt is €200 billion. In 2007, it was €40 billion. The banks will cost the State €30 billion. The extra €140 billion is a result of the deficits we ran between 2007 and 2017. We ran, on average, a €14 billion deficit per year for ten years. They are the figures. The €7 billion figure refers to servicing the entire debt. They are...