Results 3,621-3,640 of 5,098 for speaker:Mairéad Farrell

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Ombudsman and Information Commissioner: Commissioner Designate (9 Dec 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: Mr. Deering makes an interesting point because people who regularly make FOI requests would say that there are differences in how different public bodies respond to such requests. I will not name these but this is something that is very much seen as a given. One other thing that Mr. Deering said there is that there is the culture of champions championing the importance of FOIs, which is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Ombudsman and Information Commissioner: Commissioner Designate (9 Dec 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: I thank Mr. Deering. My concern is that we are adding to the hoops that people who are making protected disclosures have to jump through. They cannot go directly to a Minister. I appreciate that Mr. Deering wants us to have a think about it but I wanted to add my concerns so that they can be included in the thought process.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Ombudsman and Information Commissioner: Commissioner Designate (9 Dec 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: I, too, congratulate Mr. Deering on his nomination for the position. I heard and read his opening statement with real interest because I am interested in this subject myself. Mr. Deering said that "public services are not always as good as they could or should be ... and information is not always furnished". Does he think that is due to an internal culture or is it due to a lack of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Ombudsman and Information Commissioner: Commissioner Designate (9 Dec 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: I have one final question on the protected disclosures legislation mentioned by Mr. Deering, which is something that we have been dealing with in this committee and that I am particularly interested in. I have heard concerns from whistleblowers and academics and from transparency campaigning organisations that certain provisions in the Bill on public service disclosures could lower existing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Cúrsaí Oidhreachta (8 Dec 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: 56. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government cén t-eolas atá aige faoin obair a bhí ar siúl le déanaí i bPáirc Náisiúnta Chonamara i mbaile fearainn an Mhaoilinn ar shuíomh a bhfuil tábhacht ar leith ag baint leis ó thaobh na seandálaíochta de; cé a bhí i mbun na hoibre sin; cé hiad na...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Assessment Report: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (8 Dec 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: Gabhaim buíochas leis na finnéithe as teacht os comhair an choiste. This has been quite an interesting discussion so far. IFAC noted in its recent fiscal assessment report that we have stayed within the fiscal rules, but it notes elsewhere the risk of GDP declining in the medium term due to changes in the international tax regime. Do the witnesses believe that if the fiscal rules...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Assessment Report: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (8 Dec 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: I thank Mr. Barnes. If the rules were to remain the same or unchanged, it could be an issue of concern-----

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Assessment Report: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (8 Dec 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: The finance committee has been considering the issue of the fiscal rules because, as Mr. Barnes said, the review is being conducted. Both committees are working in this regard. At a meeting of one of the committees, we heard a deficit percentage of 3% was simply plucked out of the air at the time in question. France, for example, had a deficit of 2.6% at the time. The deficit percentage...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Assessment Report: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (8 Dec 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: Gabhaim buíochas leis. I thank Mr. Barnes. It is interesting to hear that. The reason I asked is that I am a member of two different committees that are very much focused on this matter. It is, therefore, topical and submissions need to be in by the end of the month. The report also notes the Commission on Pensions package of reforms and the council's concern with delays in...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Assessment Report: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (8 Dec 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: I also note IFAC's focus on the pension age and PRSI increases, but there does not seem to be much focus on the significant tax expenditure that occurs on private pensions. Originally, there were concerns raised, even by the troika, that such expenditure is benefiting high earners. I would be interested in the council commenting on why there is a lack of focus on this as well. I want to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Insurance Issues: Central Bank (8 Dec 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: Gabhaim buíochas leis na finnéithe as ucht teacht os comhair an choiste. Many of the questions I intended asking have already been asked. I will follow up on two issues. First, in relation to the conversation with my colleague, Deputy Doherty, I am interested in the powers available to the Central Bank. In Britain, the Financial Conduct Authority is able to take cases instead of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Insurance Issues: Central Bank (8 Dec 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: Does the Central Bank require extra powers to do what the FCA does? I am not saying whether it should or should not do it. I am just asking if the Central Bank would require additional powers?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Insurance Issues: Central Bank (8 Dec 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: Is Dr. Cassidy saying that it will take years for that information to be in the NCID? Is he saying that the Central Bank will be able to look at the trends in premiums but not euro-for-euro changes?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Withdrawal from Irish Banking Market: Engagement with Ulster Bank (8 Dec 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: I apologise. I sometimes have issues with sound, as the Chairman knows. Gabhaim buíochas leis na finnéithe as teacht os comhair an choiste. I am interested in the non-performing loans. The witnesses did not give any indication in their opening statement as to the ultimate fate of the non-performing loan book. Many customers are understandably anxious about the entity that will...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Withdrawal from Irish Banking Market: Engagement with Ulster Bank (8 Dec 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: Can Ms Howard indicate when the bank will have to deal with the non-performing loan sale? We hope people will engage.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Withdrawal from Irish Banking Market: Engagement with Ulster Bank (8 Dec 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: In November 2019, the deputy governor of the Central Bank stated at the national retail banking conference of the Banking & Payments Federation Ireland, BPFI, that "the Central Bank is still having to push banks and non-banks too hard to take a customer centric approach to resolving arrears". He made clear that the Central Bank does not have a preference for loan sales but for...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Withdrawal from Irish Banking Market: Engagement with Ulster Bank (8 Dec 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: That was my next question. Ulster Bank has to provide evidence to the Central Bank that it has examined all the various options. Ms Howard stated Ulster Bank comes to some kind of agreement with four out of five of those who engage with it. On those agreements, what are the preferred arrangements to keep people in their homes? Does Ms Howard have a breakdown?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Withdrawal from Irish Banking Market: Engagement with Ulster Bank (8 Dec 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: On capital requirements, over the past couple of months, there has been a good bit of commentary on the return on equity and capital requirements that characterise the banking sector here. We have seen from research that risk-weighted assets attributed to Irish banks were significantly affected by the legacy of the crash, with a subsequent impact on the return on equity and even the mortgage...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Withdrawal from Irish Banking Market: Engagement with Ulster Bank (8 Dec 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: My final question is on the status of the 600 jobs in the North. Will they be directly affected by the withdrawal of Ulster Bank here in the South? Have new rules been identified for the staff? Can the delegates give a commitment to the staff that their jobs are secure?