Results 2,681-2,700 of 26,831 for speaker:Richard Boyd Barrett

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement: Central Bank of Ireland and ESRI (19 Sep 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: There are a couple of other points that are worth clarifying in this debate and I want to see what the officials think. Capacity constraints are being mentioned quite a lot. A major factor, possibly the major one, is labour and skills shortages. The officials might accept it is a bit of a chicken-and-egg situation. I met a group of teachers today who said there are loads of people out...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement: Central Bank of Ireland and ESRI (19 Sep 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Yes. My last point, and it follows from the previous one, but again I feel it is worth spelling out, is that one of the big ongoing current expenditures that is ballooning is the amount of money the State is forking out every year in housing assistance payment, HAP, rental accommodation scheme, RAS, and leasing arrangements. The same could probably be said about the outsourcing to the...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement: Central Bank of Ireland and ESRI (19 Sep 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I do not know if the witnesses have any comment on this but on the mortgages point, and it is a Government decision, is there any reason we cannot just fix mortgage interest rates at a level that is sustainable for people? This is particularly when the Peppers of this world are lashing them up to 5%, 6% or 7%, which is crippling people. The Government has the power and should cap interest...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement: Central Bank of Ireland and ESRI (19 Sep 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: It always seems to be in the first bulletin at the beginning of the year. I never see it in the others.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement: Central Bank of Ireland and ESRI (19 Sep 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I always find that interesting because it can be seen year on year, basically since the recession, that net household wealth has dramatically increased. The most recent Central Bank bulletin I saw indicated such wealth was more than €1 trillion for the first time. That was net. That will come as a huge surprise to the bottom 50% or 60% who have a tiny proportion of that or, in some...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement: Central Bank of Ireland and ESRI (19 Sep 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Mortgage interest rates.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Transparency of RTÉ Expenditure of Public Funds and Governance Issues: RTÉ (Resumed) (13 Sep 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I thank the Chair and committee for allowing me in on this discussion. We are in a pretty grim and tragic situation. We are coming up to the budget, where I would like to argue – and will argue, despite all of this – that we are not putting enough public investment into arts and culture generally, including public service broadcasting. We are way below the European average...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Transparency of RTÉ Expenditure of Public Funds and Governance Issues: RTÉ (Resumed) (13 Sep 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Yes.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Transparency of RTÉ Expenditure of Public Funds and Governance Issues: RTÉ (Resumed) (13 Sep 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Sorry.

Situation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory: Statements (13 Jul 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I thank the Regional Group for allowing me to use their time slot and the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for allowing that, too. I also thank all the Dáil staff, service officers, ushers, everybody in the canteen and everybody in here who keep us going during the term. I thank them for all their help and their great work, and wish them the best for the next few weeks. The Irish Government...

Situation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory: Statements (13 Jul 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Never.

Situation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory: Statements (13 Jul 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: On a point of order, Deputy Gino Kenny will take this slot and I-----

Situation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory: Statements (13 Jul 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: -----will take the Regional Independent Group's time after Sinn Féin's next slot, if that is okay.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Raidió Teilifís Éireann (13 Jul 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 65. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which she believes systemic issues such as advertising, commercial pressures and the funding model have negatively impacted on the public service remit of RTÉ and contributed to the controversy that has now emerged in the broadcaster; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34687/23]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Raidió Teilifís Éireann (13 Jul 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: There has been much public fury about the secret payments in RTÉ, the pay cuts that were not pay cuts, secret accounts and so on. One of the things that has come across very strongly in all of this is how commercial activity and advertising have serious undermined and negatively impacted on the public service remit of RTÉ. Does the Minister agree that is a serious problem that...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Raidió Teilifís Éireann (13 Jul 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 68. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht whether, in the aftermath of the RTÉ controversy, she intends to introduce salary caps to rein in the excessive remuneration of a minority of staff and contractors at the top of the organisation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34685/23]

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Film Industry (13 Jul 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 73. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if an investigation into the Irish film industry is planned in view of the issues raised by representatives of actors, performers and crew during the recent hearings at the Committee on Budgetary Oversight in respect of the section 481 film credit and systemic breaches of employment rights, copyright legislation and suggestions...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Film Industry (13 Jul 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 86. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if and when she intends to convene a stakeholder forum for the Irish film industry as recommended in the recent report on section 481 produced by the Committee on Budgetary Oversight; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34688/23]

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Raidió Teilifís Éireann (13 Jul 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 87. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if and when she intends to meet representatives of the RTÉ staff to ascertain their views on the payments controversy and the changes in culture and governance needed and to address the employment issues affecting ordinary staff; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34684/23]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (13 Jul 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 572. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is aware and concerned about the Coillte practice of sending native seeds to the Netherlands, where these seeds develop into saplings and are then purchased and imported back into Ireland by Coillte, running the risk of contamination and the importation of diseases into Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter....