Results 4,021-4,040 of 8,245 for speaker:Bríd Smith

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cancer Screening Programmes (10 Dec 2019)

Bríd Smith: 446. To ask the Minister for Health if the exact same standards of measuring of that which constitutes a discordant slide upon review as opposed to a concordant slide are employed by the ongoing slide review involving cases of cervical cancer in the UK referenced by a college (details supplied) and its own methodology used in a recent review. [51753/19]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Energy Efficiency (10 Dec 2019)

Bríd Smith: 683. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if the €20 million allocation for retrofitting homes in the midlands under the just transition plan is funding from the SEAI or from other sources; the amount that will be spent in 2020 and thereafter; the counties to which the allocation will be targeted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49389/19]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Future Funding of Public Service Broadcasting: Discussion (10 Dec 2019)

Bríd Smith: I thank the witnesses for their presentations. I want to ask some direct questions. The local NUJ branch in RTÉ had a proposal that all salaries in the organisation would be capped at €200,000. How much could be saved annually if that proposal was implemented?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Future Funding of Public Service Broadcasting: Discussion (10 Dec 2019)

Bríd Smith: It is the case that the local NUJ branch in RTÉ put forward a proposal and voted that all salaries would be capped at €200,000. Ms Forbes must be aware of that. Has she worked out the figure that could be saved annually? It involves all salaries, not just the top ten earners but everybody, including the witnesses.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Future Funding of Public Service Broadcasting: Discussion (10 Dec 2019)

Bríd Smith: It would be helpful if we could get a costing on that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Future Funding of Public Service Broadcasting: Discussion (10 Dec 2019)

Bríd Smith: Please. I have another direct question. How much will the proposed moving of Lyric FM out of Limerick save?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Future Funding of Public Service Broadcasting: Discussion (10 Dec 2019)

Bríd Smith: Ms Forbes, I only have ten minutes. That would not be an acceptable answer for the staff in Limerick, many of whom have settled and bought homes there on the understanding that this was to be where they would work. It is not good for the city of Limerick. This sort of rambling answer is not acceptable when I asked a direct question. There must be some idea of how much would be saved if...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Future Funding of Public Service Broadcasting: Discussion (10 Dec 2019)

Bríd Smith: To have suggested the move in the first place means Ms Forbes must have some idea how much it would save, if anything.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Future Funding of Public Service Broadcasting: Discussion (10 Dec 2019)

Bríd Smith: I am not getting an answer to that. The cap placed on the level of contribution received from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection in lieu of the free TV licence, as part of the household package, amounted to a reduction of €5 million in RTÉ’s funding for the first year and has subsequently risen. Has Ms Forbes calculated how much was lost by...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Future Funding of Public Service Broadcasting: Discussion (10 Dec 2019)

Bríd Smith: I am really surprised that these figures are not available to us. These questions are very simple. I would like to get an answer. Would Ms Forbes agree that the entire subsistence in respect of the free TV licence should be reinstated to RTÉ?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Future Funding of Public Service Broadcasting: Discussion (10 Dec 2019)

Bríd Smith: It is not just a once-off. It will be reinstated-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Future Funding of Public Service Broadcasting: Discussion (10 Dec 2019)

Bríd Smith: -----on a recurring basis.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Future Funding of Public Service Broadcasting: Discussion (10 Dec 2019)

Bríd Smith: I do not think it is being restored completely. I have examined the figures and I think it falls far short of a complete restoration. I would like to get a definitive answer in this regard.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Future Funding of Public Service Broadcasting: Discussion (10 Dec 2019)

Bríd Smith: I would like to refer to the recommendations this committee made to RTÉ to help with public broadcasting. We recommended that retransmission fees should be introduced for companies that enjoy the retransmission of RTÉ material. I am talking about a variety of pay-TV platforms, including Eir, Sky, Virgin Media and Vodafone. Has RTÉ done any work to try to claim retransmission...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Future Funding of Public Service Broadcasting: Discussion (10 Dec 2019)

Bríd Smith: Is RTÉ lobbying the Minister for such a change?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Future Funding of Public Service Broadcasting: Discussion (10 Dec 2019)

Bríd Smith: RTÉ would like to see this happen.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Future Funding of Public Service Broadcasting: Discussion (10 Dec 2019)

Bríd Smith: I think that would be a sensible proposal. It would take the burden off. I do not know what Ms Forbes was referring to when she spoke about "Ireland's outdated and inefficient collection system". I assume she is in favour of Revenue being involved the collection of this money, as proposed by Senator McDowell. I voted against that proposal because I am not in favour of any more money being...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Future Funding of Public Service Broadcasting: Discussion (10 Dec 2019)

Bríd Smith: I assume Mr. Coveney acknowledges that such a fund could plug a big hole in the finances of RTÉ and public broadcasting in general. If we were able to tax the digital media, it could save 200 jobs and prevent Lyric FM from being moved out of Limerick.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Future Funding of Public Service Broadcasting: Discussion (10 Dec 2019)

Bríd Smith: I recently met some RTÉ pensioners in the context of the fight for the full reinstatement of the public sector pensions that were cut in 2008. Those pensioners, including people who worked in key roles in research and accounts, have not received an increase since 2008. Many of them are living on the breadline. Do the witnesses think anything can be done to reinstate or increase the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Future Funding of Public Service Broadcasting: Discussion (10 Dec 2019)

Bríd Smith: Is the Minister holding it up?