Results 21,721-21,740 of 26,960 for speaker:Richard Boyd Barrett
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Disposal of State Assets and Quarterly Review: Discussion with Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (19 Jun 2013)
Richard Boyd Barrett: He shook his head and said it had no impact.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Disposal of State Assets and Quarterly Review: Discussion with Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (19 Jun 2013)
Richard Boyd Barrett: The Minister seems entirely dismissive of the impact of public opposition to his previous commitment to sell off the harvesting rights. People in this county do not believe that any form of privatisation of any aspect of Ireland's public forestry is acceptable, because it will lead to pressure on that amenity, which is a precious national asset, as a whole. I was hoping for an assurance...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Disposal of State Assets and Quarterly Review: Discussion with Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (19 Jun 2013)
Richard Boyd Barrett: They were not elected on a platform of selling off our forests.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Disposal of State Assets and Quarterly Review: Discussion with Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (19 Jun 2013)
Richard Boyd Barrett: I am not annoyed-----
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Disposal of State Assets and Quarterly Review: Discussion with Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (19 Jun 2013)
Richard Boyd Barrett: The situation is that the Minister is still holding open the possibility for privatisation but his plans in that regard have been stopped for now.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Disposal of State Assets and Quarterly Review: Discussion with Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (19 Jun 2013)
Richard Boyd Barrett: It is absolutely clear from what he said. However, we shall leave it at that.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Disposal of State Assets and Quarterly Review: Discussion with Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (19 Jun 2013)
Richard Boyd Barrett: Chairman, the Minister is cutting across me.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Disposal of State Assets and Quarterly Review: Discussion with Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (19 Jun 2013)
Richard Boyd Barrett: In regard to the potential sale of other State assets, I would make the same argument. Does the Minister agree that selling off the profitable parts of Bord Gáis, for example, to an entity such as Blackstone, the United States investment fund which I understand has expressed an interest in purchasing them, for the rumoured price tag of €1 billion, will inevitably put pressure on...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Disposal of State Assets and Quarterly Review: Discussion with Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (19 Jun 2013)
Richard Boyd Barrett: I agree that the deficit of jobs is the greatest problem for our economy, but I do not see how selling off profitable parts of State enterprises will create jobs. In fact, doing so will merely put pressure on what is left of the company in public ownership to be privatised. That was one of the reasons for my opposition to the sale of Coillte's harvesting rights, and the same danger arises...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Disposal of State Assets and Quarterly Review: Discussion with Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (19 Jun 2013)
Richard Boyd Barrett: I said "profitable", not "strategic".
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Disposal of State Assets and Quarterly Review: Discussion with Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (19 Jun 2013)
Richard Boyd Barrett: I welcome the Government's decision to abandon the plan to sell off the Coillte harvesting rights. This is a stunning victory for people power and the campaign of public protest against the plan to sell off our public forests. It is a pity that members of the Minister's own party, who are chuckling, seem to have such contempt for the public's view on this issue-----
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Disposal of State Assets and Quarterly Review: Discussion with Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (19 Jun 2013)
Richard Boyd Barrett: It is a tremendous victory for people power and the protest campaign against the plan to sell off the forests. It is also a victory for common sense. It indicates that the Government is listening to people, which is a positive development. The Minister has stated that it is not now an appropriate time to sell off the harvesting rights of Coillte. Will he assure the committee and the...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Disposal of State Assets and Quarterly Review: Discussion with Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (19 Jun 2013)
Richard Boyd Barrett: My time is short and I have heard the Minister's point before. Is the Minister saying that he is still holding out the possibility of selling off the harvesting rights at some point in the future?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Disposal of State Assets and Quarterly Review: Discussion with Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (19 Jun 2013)
Richard Boyd Barrett: A "Yes" or "No" answer would be helpful.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Disposal of State Assets and Quarterly Review: Discussion with Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (19 Jun 2013)
Richard Boyd Barrett: That is not the question.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Disposal of State Assets and Quarterly Review: Discussion with Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (19 Jun 2013)
Richard Boyd Barrett: On the contrary, the Minister is confusing the issues. I asked about the harvesting rights and the Minister spoke about selling trees. We all know Coillte sells trees and plants replacements. Any benefit or profit that is derived from that sale comes back to the State and to a State-owned company. The issue is that the Minister had proposed to sell off the harvesting rights to private...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Disposal of State Assets and Quarterly Review: Discussion with Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (19 Jun 2013)
Richard Boyd Barrett: The Minister is slightly dancing around the question. If I am not getting an answer, so be it. I do not believe, and neither does the public, that the harvesting rights or any aspect of our public forestry should be sold now or at any point in the future, not just because it is a valuable economic asset but because it is part of our national and cultural heritage. It is simply not for...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Disposal of State Assets and Quarterly Review: Discussion with Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (19 Jun 2013)
Richard Boyd Barrett: It is a straightforward question.
- Other Questions: EU Regulations (19 Jun 2013)
Richard Boyd Barrett: 7. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the legislation to implement the EU Timber Regulation will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29378/13]
- Other Questions: EU Regulations (19 Jun 2013)
Richard Boyd Barrett: I wish the Minister of State good luck in his new position. I hope the senior Minister, Deputy Coveney, makes the right decision on the proposed sale of the harvesting rights of Coillte. The Government is aware of the huge opposition to the plan to sell off the harvesting rights and I hope the Government has listened to the views of the public that have been clearly stated on that. The...