Results 2,601-2,620 of 14,473 for speaker:Dara Calleary

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Capital Expenditure Programme (16 Jun 2022)

Dara Calleary: It is coming towards the end of the session. We have four more sitting weeks. Does the Minister foresee any Supplementary Estimates around capital expenditure that may enable some projects to start? For instance, the Department of Education is doing some excellent work on its capital side at present. I commend the Minister, Deputy Foley, on that. However, there is a reluctance in that...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Sector Pay (16 Jun 2022)

Dara Calleary: I welcome that. The Minister knows himself, for instance in health, that there are so many challenges in filling vacancies in the therapies and for consultants and nurses, in particular advanced nurse practitioners, all of which would make a significant difference to the delivery of services. Similarly, vacancies cannot be filled across the National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Sector Pay (16 Jun 2022)

Dara Calleary: I know the whole area of relativities is embedded in the concept of a lot of these talks, but if relativities and the need to restrict their effect is impacting on the delivery of public services, is there an argument to be made for some measure to be put in place to balance the need to deliver to people on waiting lists and parents of children with additional needs? There is a need to make...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Capital Expenditure Programme (16 Jun 2022)

Dara Calleary: I wish to query where we are at currently with capital expenditure profiles given that we are nearly halfway through the year. I know the Minister is doing a lot of work to reform capital expenditure systems to make sure money is spent quicker and without the kind of delays we have been seeing. When can we expect to see changes?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Sector Pay (16 Jun 2022)

Dara Calleary: I do not mind how the questions are grouped. I was listening to the discussion earlier and I wish the Minister and his Department well in these talks. I wish to examine a particular angle. Is any work being done in respect of sectoral-specific challenges within the public service, where vacancies cannot be filled? For example, is there any focus on vacancies in health and disability...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Credit Unions (16 Jun 2022)

Dara Calleary: The Minister of State has been doing a lot of work and has engaged extensively with various elements of the credit union movement since his appointment. I want to get a sense of where we are at with the plan to support our credit unions in their ambition to grow and become a much bigger part of banking solutions, particularly community banking solutions.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Credit Unions (16 Jun 2022)

Dara Calleary: I acknowledge the Minister of State's engagement with the credit union movement. We cannot just dismiss the role of the Central Bank by saying this is a matter for the Central Bank. There is no doubt that the Central Bank's attitude and its regulation act as a brake on credit unions playing a bigger role in communities, in particular, in banking. That is historical. We need to reflect on...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Credit Unions (16 Jun 2022)

Dara Calleary: I welcome movement on this matter. If the legislation is passed, how will it change the operation of the individual credit unions? Will it unleash them or give them the chance to be more responsive than they can be currently? As the Minister of State noted earlier, banks are withdrawing their physical services from communities, leaving many people who depend on branch banking exposed. The...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Insurance Industry (16 Jun 2022)

Dara Calleary: While we wait on the courts, premiums are going up. Public liability premiums increased by 16%, according to research from the Alliance for Insurance Reform. Many businesses cannot wait given the other cost pressures they are under. Again, I ask the Minister of State whether there will be price monitoring under the new system. Can we give a role to the Competition and Consumer Protection...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Insurance Industry (16 Jun 2022)

Dara Calleary: 7. To ask the Minister for Finance the measures that he is taking to increase competition in the Irish insurance market; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30073/22]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Insurance Industry (16 Jun 2022)

Dara Calleary: Much reform has been made on the jurisprudence side of insurance costs and legal costs, yet business insurance costs continue to rise. What action is the Government taking to address this issue and to follow up whether the reduction in legal costs and awards are being passed on in the form of reduced insurance premiums? What further actions are planned?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Insurance Industry (16 Jun 2022)

Dara Calleary: I thank the Minister of State. I was contacted recently by a company in my constituency in the broader hospitality industry. It was closed for much of 2020 and 2021 as a consequence of Covid, yet has had a 300% increase in insurance costs since 2019. There has also been a considerable increase in its excess. This is in spite of the changes to judicial guidelines which, as the Minister of...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Yield (16 Jun 2022)

Dara Calleary: 24. To ask the Minister for Finance if he is concerned that the public finances are forecast to remain heavily reliant on corporation tax receipts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30074/22]

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Budget 2022 (16 Jun 2022)

Dara Calleary: 101. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the amount of the €7 billion in contingencies for spending set out in Budget 2022 which remains unallocated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29750/22]

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Cost of Living Issues (16 Jun 2022)

Dara Calleary: 104. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the amount that he has sanctioned in expenditure measures to ease cost of living pressures since and including Budget 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29749/22]

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Pension Provisions (16 Jun 2022)

Dara Calleary: 226. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he has plans to review current pension abatement arrangements for public service staff who complete their employment in one area of the public sector and subsequently take-up employment in another area of the public service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31712/22]

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (15 Jun 2022)

Dara Calleary: 244. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development when community activity grants will be announced. [31163/22]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Engagement with the French Ambassador (15 Jun 2022)

Dara Calleary: I welcome the ambassador and his team. I think they have possibly been our closest European neighbour since 1798 but we can discuss that again. I will not mention the protocol because I am sure the many experts on it in attendance will mention it. I will come back to the themes of the Presidency - recovery, strength and belonging. They were the themes on 1 January and today Europe is in a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Engagement with Representatives of the European Committee of the Regions (15 Jun 2022)

Dara Calleary: I thank the delegates not only for their presentations but also for their ongoing work. We have been set a challenge and, in fairness to Senator Keogan, she was the first to advocate for having European affairs officers. We have been set a challenge. In fairness to Senator Keogan, she was first regarding the EU officers. It would be a wonderful way to mark Ireland's 50th anniversary as an...

Joint Committee on the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Irish Speaking Community: Foilsitheoireacht agus Léitheoireacht na Gaeilge: Plé (Atógáil). (15 Jun 2022)

Dara Calleary: Cuirim fáilte roimh an bhfoireann ón Leabharlann Náisiúnta. Déanaim comhghairdeas leis an stiúrthóir gníomhach as úsáid na Gaeilge. Fáiltím roimh an iarracht atá á déanamh aici. Tá sé suimiúil nach bhfuil a lán de na príomhfheidhmeannaigh a thagann os ár gcomhair ag déanamh an...