Results 22,181-22,200 of 26,960 for speaker:Richard Boyd Barrett

Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Bill 2013: Second Stage (30 Apr 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Then I do not understand why the Minister is doing this. Why is he empowering the banks now when he could have used this leverage over them to do what he says he wants them to do, which is to restructure debts for people so they become sustainable? Then, after a year or two, if there is tangible evidence the banks are being fair with people, we might consider removing the legal obstacle....

Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Bill 2013: Second Stage (30 Apr 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Considering the context of this Bill, it proves to me and most people in the country that there is one law for the billionaires and another for everybody else. At the weekend, Independent News and Media, owned by a billionaire, Mr. Denis O'Brien, had €138 million of debt written off by a consortium including Allied Irish Banks and Bank of Ireland. If a billionaire owns a company, the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Stability Programme Update: Discussion with Minister for Finance (30 Apr 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I have one very direct question for the Minister. The sale of State assets is not included in the Minister's update. How does the commitment to the troika to sell off €3 billion worth of State assets, some of which is to be used to pay down debts, figure in this arithmetic? Does it figure in this arithmetic? If so, when does the Minister have to sell these State assets? What is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Stability Programme Update: Discussion with Minister for Finance (30 Apr 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: For this year or for any year in the medium term?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Stability Programme Update: Discussion with Minister for Finance (30 Apr 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: So it is open to us not to sell them but to meet the targets through whatever means we choose.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Stability Programme Update: Discussion with Minister for Finance (30 Apr 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: It is a rather perverse notion of success against a background of 14% unemployment and crippling austerity which is being imposed on ordinary people. One can balance books by making people suffer. To take an extreme example, if we wiped out whole sections of the population you could probably balance the books, but it would be on the basis of extreme suffering, so it is rather perverse....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Stability Programme Update: Discussion with Minister for Finance (30 Apr 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: What is the Minister's basis for saying there will be a modest recovery when all the indicators from Europe are that the economy is contracting?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Stability Programme Update: Discussion with Minister for Finance (30 Apr 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I am sorry, Chairman.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Legislative Programme (30 Apr 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: When will that happen?

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Legislative Programme (30 Apr 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I met the troika on Friday and it stated that as far as it understood it, there was a commitment to sell off the harvesting rights to Coillte.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Legislative Programme (30 Apr 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: The Taoiseach is saying it is being considered. Could the Taoiseach clarify for the House if it is a commitment or a consideration of a commitment? That is what we want to know and, more importantly, that is what the thousands of people who came out to Wicklow from all over the country at the weekend want to know. Is the Government required to do this under the troika programme? If so,...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Official Engagements (30 Apr 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: He would turn in his grave if he thought the forests were being sold.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Official Engagements (30 Apr 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I was just wondering if he was at Davos.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Official Engagements (30 Apr 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Last weekend I was involved in organising a protest in Wicklow that saw 4,000 people come out and demonstrate at the Avondale Forest Park, the former home of Charles Stewart Parnell, against the Government's plan to sell off the harvesting rights to Ireland's forestry. In that context, while the Taoiseach was in Switzerland, did he speak to any foresters or anyone in the Swiss Government...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Official Engagements (30 Apr 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 11. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on all meetings he had during the World Economic Forum in Davos in Switzerland and the issues raised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18599/13]

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Official Engagements (30 Apr 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 12. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on his most recent meeting with Christine Lagarde; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18601/13]

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Electricity Generation (30 Apr 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 106. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources with regards to the planned Dublin Array project, the licensing terms that will apply if the project goes ahead; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20200/13]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Fiscal Assessment Report 2013: Discussion with Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (24 Apr 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: The issue of housing was raised. Evidence is emerging that we have a shortage of housing in areas of housing need. This is about to create a problem, not from the point of view of those who want houses, which is my concern, but from the point of view of the impact this shortage could have on the economy. Is the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council concerned about his looming problem?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Fiscal Assessment Report 2013: Discussion with Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (24 Apr 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Yes, on projections for unemployment, which I could not find among the tables, is it the case that if we continue to pursue the current adjustment path, unemployment will be approximately 13% when the programme expires in late 2015? In other words, if we meet all the targets and everything goes well, we will still have more than 400,000 people unemployed. Is this a concern for the council...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Fiscal Assessment Report 2013: Discussion with Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (24 Apr 2013)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I thank the representatives of the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council for their attendance. I always find our engagements interesting. The council's reports contain weeks of reading. The information is always interesting. I want to follow up on the questions asked by Deputy Humphreys by asking about alternatives that could be considered. I apologise for not being here for the entire meeting...