Results 2,541-2,560 of 27,016 for speaker:Richard Boyd Barrett

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: General Scheme of the Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2023: Discussion (22 Nov 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Therefore, it cannot be used for carbon credits.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: General Scheme of the Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2023: Discussion (22 Nov 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: It would be useful to get a categoric response on that. Perhaps it is an issue that we could get further clarity on.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: General Scheme of the Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2023: Discussion (22 Nov 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: This is literally my last question. On that very point, the purchase of forests has become a big thing because they are supposedly carbon sinks, but there are also very serious reports that a lot of our forests are actually carbon emitters because of the type of forestry – monoculture of Sitka spruce - or it is planted on the wrong kind of soil so it is actually bad for water quality...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: General Scheme of the Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2023: Discussion (22 Nov 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I thank the witnesses and Deputy Conway-Walsh.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 11 – Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Supplementary)
Vote 12 – Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Supplementary)
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Supplementary)
Vote 14 – State Laboratory (Supplementary)
Vote 17 – Public Appointments Service (Supplementary)
Vote 18 – National Shared Services Office (Supplementary)
Vote 43 – Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Supplementary) (22 Nov 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Sure. How many empty Garda stations did the Minister of State say he had? Was it 25?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 11 – Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Supplementary)
Vote 12 – Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Supplementary)
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Supplementary)
Vote 14 – State Laboratory (Supplementary)
Vote 17 – Public Appointments Service (Supplementary)
Vote 18 – National Shared Services Office (Supplementary)
Vote 43 – Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Supplementary) (22 Nov 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: He said he was engaging with local authorities. What is happening with that?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 11 – Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Supplementary)
Vote 12 – Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Supplementary)
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Supplementary)
Vote 14 – State Laboratory (Supplementary)
Vote 17 – Public Appointments Service (Supplementary)
Vote 18 – National Shared Services Office (Supplementary)
Vote 43 – Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Supplementary) (22 Nov 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I would prefer not to. This is not because I am being difficult but because I am trying to gather some facts.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 11 – Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Supplementary)
Vote 12 – Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Supplementary)
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Supplementary)
Vote 14 – State Laboratory (Supplementary)
Vote 17 – Public Appointments Service (Supplementary)
Vote 18 – National Shared Services Office (Supplementary)
Vote 43 – Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Supplementary) (22 Nov 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I see. I apologise.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 11 – Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Supplementary)
Vote 12 – Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Supplementary)
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Supplementary)
Vote 14 – State Laboratory (Supplementary)
Vote 17 – Public Appointments Service (Supplementary)
Vote 18 – National Shared Services Office (Supplementary)
Vote 43 – Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Supplementary) (22 Nov 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I am sure the Minister of State was not. I am conscious that in my area, some of the stations have been sitting empty for quite some time and I would like to know how all that process is going. With the Covid-19 changes and all the rest of it that the Minister of State mentioned, are we left with buildings we either own or lease that now are very significantly underutilised because a lot...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 11 – Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Supplementary)
Vote 12 – Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Supplementary)
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Supplementary)
Vote 14 – State Laboratory (Supplementary)
Vote 17 – Public Appointments Service (Supplementary)
Vote 18 – National Shared Services Office (Supplementary)
Vote 43 – Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Supplementary) (22 Nov 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I know the OPW does not operate it but it is a public-private partnership and the OPW is involved. Is that not correct?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 11 – Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Supplementary)
Vote 12 – Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Supplementary)
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Supplementary)
Vote 14 – State Laboratory (Supplementary)
Vote 17 – Public Appointments Service (Supplementary)
Vote 18 – National Shared Services Office (Supplementary)
Vote 43 – Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Supplementary) (22 Nov 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: The OPW has no influence whatsoever over what it does.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: General Scheme of the Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2023: Discussion (22 Nov 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: It would not be the intention but would it be allowed? We are going to miss our targets. Everybody knows that. One of the ways the Government has got out of that dilemma is by purchasing carbon credits - buying the right from other people to pollute more. I am just wondering if it allows for that.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 11 – Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Supplementary)
Vote 12 – Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Supplementary)
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Supplementary)
Vote 14 – State Laboratory (Supplementary)
Vote 17 – Public Appointments Service (Supplementary)
Vote 18 – National Shared Services Office (Supplementary)
Vote 43 – Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Supplementary) (22 Nov 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Not anymore?

Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2023: Second Stage (21 Nov 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I will probably only take ten minutes but you never know. I will try to keep to ten. This legislation comes before us every year. While we continue to operate a two-tier system of healthcare in this country, which we believe is fundamentally wrong, this legislation goes towards trying to keep premiums down for health insurers that cover a larger cohort of older people, particularly the...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Social Dialogue (21 Nov 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: One of the purposes of social dialogue is to address the question of poverty. I raise the issue, as the social welfare Bill begins its journey to the Dáil, of the fact that the series of one-off payments the Government is giving to help people with the crippling cost-of-living crisis as we head towards the winter will not be extended to people who are on short-term payments. This is...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Social Dialogue (21 Nov 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: We have four minutes and 39 seconds. We might as well use it.