Results 301-320 of 4,707 for speaker:Neale Richmond

Seanad: Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2024: Committee Stage (29 May 2024)

Neale Richmond: I will come in briefly. As I said, I appreciate the sentiment of the Senator's contribution. She is right that I am in a position as a Minister of State in the Government to be able to ensure we get the reassurances required in this regard. To be frank, I do not think there is a need for a legislative requirement for a report. The legislation is clear on what the responsibilities are in...

Seanad: Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2024: Committee Stage (29 May 2024)

Neale Richmond: I thank the Senator for placing these amendments and for her very clear rationale on the justification and the very serious concerns that she holds in respect of current and previous or proposed investment strategies of the State. There is quite a bit in these amendments and I will address some aspects that the Senator did not directly refer to, if that is okay.

Seanad: Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2024: Committee Stage (29 May 2024)

Neale Richmond: No, just aspects of the amendments themselves. The thrust of your argument is well made; do not worry about that. I think it is important for the totality of the debate to examine some of the impact of the entire drafting of the legislation and what considerations a government may have to take in hand in respect of utilisation, as per the middle part of amendment No. 32, in respect of the...

Seanad: Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2024: Committee Stage (29 May 2024)

Neale Richmond: I thank the Senators for tabling this amendment and I thank Senator Warfield for his contribution. This is a repeat of a debate we had a number of weeks ago with the relevant spokespersons from the Senator's party in the Dáil. My response will remain the same in that I fully accept the clear intention and focus on the need for the State to improve investment in many areas, including of...

Seanad: Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2024: Committee Stage (29 May 2024)

Neale Richmond: I will always consider any amendment put forward by the Senator. Indeed, these amendments were considered and debated when they were proposed by his colleagues in the Dáil a number of weeks ago. The context of this discussion, which is key, is the real purpose of this fund. The point I am about to make might provide an element of reassurance to the Senator. Regrettably, we have seen...

Seanad: Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2024: Committee Stage (29 May 2024)

Neale Richmond: Needless to say, I do not choose the grouping but I will speak to each amendment separately because they merit being treated as such. In any event, if there are votes, they will be taken consecutively. From the outset, I think it is fair to say, although the Senator may choose to disagree, that there will be an element of this on which we are just going to disagree. It is okay to disagree...

Seanad: Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2024: Committee Stage (29 May 2024)

Neale Richmond: I thank the Senator for the proposed amendment. Under this legislation, there is a requirement for the NTMA to consult with the Minister of Finance and the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform and to have regard to the views expressed. This aligns with the existing requirements for the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund, and the Minister can also...

Seanad: Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2024: Committee Stage (29 May 2024)

Neale Richmond: I thank the Senator for the proposed amendment. I will provide some context as to where we are at. As has been discussed throughout the debate on the Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund, there are two purposes provided for under this Bill, namely, to support State expenditure in any year from 2026 where there has been, or is likely to be in the subsequent year, a significant...

Seanad: Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2024: Committee Stage (29 May 2024)

Neale Richmond: I thank both Senators for their contributions. I will respond to the easy one first. Senator Kyne's presumption is correct. I would like to speak more widely to these amendments and acknowledge the contribution, as ever, from Senator Higgins. I would like to make a number of points about including these provisions. The main point to be considered for each of the additions is that only a...

Seanad: Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2024: Committee Stage (29 May 2024)

Neale Richmond: I will take the amendments together as they relate to the management of the funds by the NTMA. The elements the Senator proposes to amend are very important operational positions that have been carefully drafted to ensure the effective management of the new funds and to align with the existing framework of the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund. Amendment No. 24 would prevent the agency from...

Seanad: Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2024: Committee Stage (29 May 2024)

Neale Richmond: I could go into great detail on all of the points the Senator has made. Throughout the course of this debate, she has a fair idea of what I am going to say and will appreciate the very clear position of the Government. There is a clear position which has been laid out not only in my remarks but throughout the Bill. I cannot accept the three amendments, but I am more than happy to engage...

Business Support Package: Statements (23 May 2024)

Neale Richmond: I am delighted to be given the opportunity to say a few words here this afternoon and to point out some of the excellent work that has been done by a slew of Ministers and officials across a number of Departments, led by the Minister, Deputy Burke, and following on, despite some revisionism, which we are used to, from certain parties across the Chamber, from a package announced a couple...

Business Support Package: Statements (23 May 2024)

Neale Richmond: Sinn Féin's entire enterprise budget last year was €30.3 million. Within that, Sinn Féin says that there should be the creation of an Irish jobs agency. We have Enterprise Ireland. When we have a 15-minute intervention from the Sinn Féin spokespeople, and we will have more slating of this package, they really need to start looking at themselves and the sheer lack of...

Business Support Package: Statements (23 May 2024)

Neale Richmond: No, they have also increased local property tax; Deputy Nash can ask the local councillors - even though the council has taken in more money and is spending more than ever, but yet it will not reduce commercial rates or local property tax. That is something Deputy Nash can reflect on. I am more than happy to engage with the local Labour Party candidate when she calls to my door looking...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Credit Unions (21 May 2024)

Neale Richmond: I thank the Deputy for his question. However, I was a little bit confused and hope we might have a bit of clarification in our debate. There is a cap of €100,000, not €30,000 as is stated in the Deputy's question, on member savings, as outlined in Central Bank Regulation 35 of the Credit Union Act 1997 (Regulatory Requirements) Regulations 2016. As the Deputy is aware, the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Credit Unions (21 May 2024)

Neale Richmond: As I stated, the maximum individual member savings limit is €100,000, which is a sizeable amount, particularly for most community groups. With the exception of large-scale sports capital grants, there are very few grants that we----

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Credit Unions (21 May 2024)

Neale Richmond: There is not a cap of €30,000. That is up to the individual credit union. The policy of the Central Bank is €100,000. The reason they have that is to ensure the protection of members' savings and to ensure that credit union funding continues to be sufficiently diversified and is not dependent on a small number of members. The Deputy knows how the credit union works. You...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Credit Unions (21 May 2024)

Neale Richmond: The Deputy might write to me with the specific nature of the query and representations being made. That might give me an opportunity to look at the matter in more detail and see what role I can play, cognisant of the independence of the Central Bank and also of the boards of individual credit unions. The most recent data we have is that 70% of credit unions have imposed their own member...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Insurance Industry (21 May 2024)

Neale Richmond: I thank the Deputies for their supplementary questions. With regard to the issue raised by Deputy O'Sullivan, I was not aware of the specific issue with regard to modular builds and I will seek a conversation with the Minister, Deputy Foley, to see whether we can get resolution. It is of major concern to all of our constituencies. To respond to Deputy Durkan's point, we do work with the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Insurance Industry (21 May 2024)

Neale Richmond: I thank the three Deputies for their interventions. For general premiums, the most drastic example has been the decrease in motor insurance over the past four years. There has been an average decrease of 24% in the cost of premiums in that sector, which is key progress that is extremely welcome. A lot of that is due to the decline in soft tissue injuries. I will be quite frank and have...