Results 2,181-2,200 of 7,082 for speaker:John Paul Phelan

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Post-Budget Analysis: National Women's Council and Social Justice Ireland (30 Nov 2016)

John Paul Phelan: We are now in public session. I remind everybody to switch off their mobile phones because they interfere with the recording and transmission of the proceedings. I welcome Ms Orla O'Connor and Ms Eilís Ní Chaithnía from the National Women's Council and Dr. Seán Healy and Ms Michelle Murphy from Social Justice Ireland. Today's meeting is part of the committee's...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Post-Budget Analysis: National Women's Council and Social Justice Ireland (30 Nov 2016)

John Paul Phelan: I thank Ms O'Connor for that. I will take questions after both presentations have been made. Members can then fire questions at will but not quite in that they will have to go through the Chair. I call on Dr. Healy to make his presentation.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Post-Budget Analysis: National Women's Council and Social Justice Ireland (30 Nov 2016)

John Paul Phelan: Thank you, Dr. Healy. Deputy Calleary has indicated first and we will then hear from Deputy Doherty.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Post-Budget Analysis: National Women's Council and Social Justice Ireland (30 Nov 2016)

John Paul Phelan: There will be more questions on the matter.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Post-Budget Analysis: National Women's Council and Social Justice Ireland (30 Nov 2016)

John Paul Phelan: I thank Ms O'Connor for her presentation.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Post-Budget Analysis: National Women's Council and Social Justice Ireland (30 Nov 2016)

John Paul Phelan: Dr. Healy referred to Ireland having a lower tax take. A number of witnesses appeared before the committee in advance of the budget, including Seamus Coffey from the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council. He said:If one looks at income tax, sales taxes like VAT, corporation tax, which is now above the OECD average, and other taxes, we are close to the average for most of them. There might be...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Post-Budget Analysis: National Women's Council and Social Justice Ireland (30 Nov 2016)

John Paul Phelan: Several other witnesses emphasised the point about PRSI, particularly on the employer side, but also on the employee side - arguing that it was below on both sides. That is fair enough.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Post-Budget Analysis: National Women's Council and Social Justice Ireland (30 Nov 2016)

John Paul Phelan: There is enough in that batch before we get to Deputy Donnelly. I ask the witnesses to respond.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Post-Budget Analysis: National Women's Council and Social Justice Ireland (30 Nov 2016)

John Paul Phelan: I thank Dr. Healy and I thank the National Women's Council and Social Justice Ireland for their presentations and in answering a lot of questions. There will be ongoing contact between this committee and yourselves. I am sure that they will be before the committee again sometime in 2017. I also thank members.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Post-Budget Analysis: European Anti Poverty Network (22 Nov 2016)

John Paul Phelan: I ask those present to turn off their mobile phones as the interference caused by them affects the sound quality of the transmission of proceedings. I welcome the representatives of the European Anti Poverty Network: Mr. Robin Hanan, who is the director of the Irish branch of the network; Mr. Paul Ginnell, who is its policy officer; and Ms Bríd O'Brien, who is the head of policy and...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Post-Budget Analysis: European Anti Poverty Network (22 Nov 2016)

John Paul Phelan: Does Mr. Ginnell wish to address those questions?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Post-Budget Analysis: European Anti Poverty Network (22 Nov 2016)

John Paul Phelan: I think the problem is that the younger people get old.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Post-Budget Analysis: European Anti Poverty Network (22 Nov 2016)

John Paul Phelan: That was me once. I have a number of follow-on questions. Before the budget, a number of witnesses who appeared at the committee made a point on PRSI. Their view was that PRSI, whether it was the employee or employer contribution, was below the European average. Is that borne out by any examination that the European Anti-poverty Network has done? Do the witnesses agree with that viewpoint?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Post-Budget Analysis: European Anti Poverty Network (22 Nov 2016)

John Paul Phelan: I am trying to recall evidence we heard two months ago, but a number of the witnesses who were not coming from a right of centre viewpoint were at pains to point out that our taxation and welfare system was among the most redistributive that exists in the European Union. Again, is that something the witnesses would have found out from conducting investigations or would they have a different...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Post-Budget Analysis: European Anti Poverty Network (22 Nov 2016)

John Paul Phelan: I wish to address a question to Mr. Ginnell on the graph on page 2, entitled Poverty Trends 2008 to 2014. Mr. Ginnell states that we are not in a good place. I suppose that is reflective of where we were in 2008. When are we likely to see an updated version, in other words, figures for after 2014? In one sense 2014 is not that long ago, but in another sense it is almost three years ago...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Post-Budget Analysis: European Anti Poverty Network (22 Nov 2016)

John Paul Phelan: Will that bring us up to 2015?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Post-Budget Analysis: European Anti Poverty Network (22 Nov 2016)

John Paul Phelan: My final set of questions relates to unemployment. Figures published today suggest that the unemployment rate is down to 7.5% from a peak of 15.4%, although I stand open to correction on that. It is an old chestnut. The view is that the best way to reduce poverty is to get people back to work. What has the impact of the past four years been since unemployment started to drop from its...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Post-Budget Analysis: European Anti Poverty Network (22 Nov 2016)

John Paul Phelan: It was higher at the height of the boom as well. We were way off kilter.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Post-Budget Analysis: European Anti Poverty Network (22 Nov 2016)

John Paul Phelan: There is a vote in the Dáil and we have been called. I apologise for walking out. I could have followed up some more. That was very interesting. I apologise on behalf of members. Many of our members are tied up with the Finance Bill in the Dáil. In any event, I thank our guests sincerely for attending. We will have them back, I am sure, at some stage as we get up-and-running...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Post-Budget Analysis: European Anti Poverty Network (22 Nov 2016)

John Paul Phelan: We will endeavour to do that.