Results 281-300 of 5,294 for speaker:Michael McCarthy

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Data (16 Jul 2015)

Michael McCarthy: 114. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the cost to the Exchequer of a €10 increase in the annual Christmas bonus; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30344/15]

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Data (16 Jul 2015)

Michael McCarthy: 115. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the cost of increasing child benefit by €5 per week; €10 per week; €15 per week; and €20 per week; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30345/15]

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Properties (16 Jul 2015)

Michael McCarthy: 246. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if local social welfare offices are exempt from the payment of rates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29852/15]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Emergency Works Scheme Applications (16 Jul 2015)

Michael McCarthy: 658. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding an application under the emergency works scheme in respect of a school (details supplied) in County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29723/15]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Properties (16 Jul 2015)

Michael McCarthy: 666. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on the current status of the legal transfer of property (details supplied) in County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29962/15]

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: National Lottery Funding Disbursement (16 Jul 2015)

Michael McCarthy: 743. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will ensure that a fair share at least 17% of national lottery funding is allocated in budget 2016 for work on the natural environment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29866/15]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electoral Commission in Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Jul 2015)

Michael McCarthy: Apologies have been received from Deputy Catherine Murphy and Senator Ned O'Sullivan. This meeting has been convened to consider matters relating to the consultation paper on the establishment of an electoral commission in Ireland. We will now discuss this subject. It is proposed that this part of our meeting will conclude at 4.30 p.m., unless previously concluded, and that at the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electoral Commission in Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Jul 2015)

Michael McCarthy: Councillor Davitt is to make the opening presentation on behalf of the Association of Irish Local Government. I draw the attention of witnesses to the fact that by virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence to the committee. However, if they are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence on a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electoral Commission in Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Jul 2015)

Michael McCarthy: Thank you, Dr. Kavanagh. I call Mr. Seán Donnelly.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electoral Commission in Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Jul 2015)

Michael McCarthy: I thank Mr. Donnelly for a very interesting contribution. It is now the turn of Mr. Davitt from the Association of Irish Local Government.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electoral Commission in Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Jul 2015)

Michael McCarthy: I have a couple of points to make to the Department of Social Protection. Perhaps the Data Protection Commissioner might comment too. To what extent does the Department of Social Protection share PPSN information? I presume it liaises with Revenue on PPS numbers, but to what extent does it happen? With how many other public bodies does the Department interact on the issue of PPSN...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electoral Commission in Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Jul 2015)

Michael McCarthy: I thank the witnesses. Before calling Deputy Brian Stanley, I ask members to address any questions they have for a particular delegate directly to that delegate. Otherwise, we will be going around in circles.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electoral Commission in Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Jul 2015)

Michael McCarthy: We might ask Mr. Donnelly to respond also.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electoral Commission in Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Jul 2015)

Michael McCarthy: What was the book you referred to from 1991?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electoral Commission in Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Jul 2015)

Michael McCarthy: Correct. I am just testing your knowledge. I call Deputy Mulherin.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electoral Commission in Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Jul 2015)

Michael McCarthy: Members might keep to asking questions, because I will revert to the panel for some brief closing remarks.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electoral Commission in Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Jul 2015)

Michael McCarthy: You have already spoken, Deputy Coppinger. Thank you for that insightful comment. We will now hear closing comments. Many of the points have been made well over the past six weeks. We are rehashing many of the topics, and the questions, raised with witnesses over that six-week period. I ask the witnesses to reflect on some of those if they wish to make closing comments. We are a little...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electoral Commission in Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Jul 2015)

Michael McCarthy: I have one point to put to Mr. Donnelly before we go any further. Gay Mitchell did a quiz book of Irish politics in 1990 and he did a follow-up in 1994. One of the first questions in the 1994 publication was "What is psephology?". His explanation was that it was the sociological and statistical analysis of election counts and trends. In my experience there is only one person who has...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electoral Commission in Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Jul 2015)

Michael McCarthy: It is entirely accurate in that sense.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electoral Commission in Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Jul 2015)

Michael McCarthy: I thank all the witnesses for their contributions. All of their exchanges with us will help us in our deliberations in the preparation of our report later in the year, probably in September. I thank the witnesses for taking time out of their busy schedules to attend. It is very much appreciated. I propose we suspend for five minutes and then resume in private session to deal with...