Results 4,701-4,720 of 5,104 for speaker:Mairéad Farrell

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Commissioner Mairead McGuinness on priorities for her term of office and EU Commission matters (9 Dec 2020)

Mairéad Farrell: The initial issue I wish to raise with the Commissioner is that of corporation tax and plans at a Commission level. In July, her colleague, Commissioner Gentiloni, stated that the Commission wanted to pressure capitals to root out what he referred to as "structures that facilitate aggressive tax planning" as part of upcoming reforms. As Commissioner McGuinness is aware, the Commission...

Organisation of Working Time (Domestic Violence Leave) Bill 2020: Second Stage [Private Members] (8 Dec 2020)

Mairéad Farrell: Ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil le mo chomhghleacaithe, na Teachtaí McDonald agus O'Reilly, as an mBille fíor-thábhachtach seo a chur os comhair na Dála. Dá n-achtófaí an Bille seo, thabharfadh sé ceart reachtúil ar shaoire oibrithe maidir le foiréigean baile agus tá sin fíor-thábhachtach. I thank my...

National Surplus (Reserve Fund for Exceptional Contingencies) Act 2019: Motion (8 Dec 2020)

Mairéad Farrell: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as an méid a dúirt sé ansin. Tuigimid ar fad gur in amantaí eisceachtúla a táimid mar gheall ar an bpaindéim. Bhí dea-scéal mar gheall ar an bpaindéim inniu le daoine ag fáil an vacsaín don chéad uair. Tá súil againn ar fad go gciallóidh sé sin go mbeidh deireadh ag am...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Renewable Energy Generation (8 Dec 2020)

Mairéad Farrell: 264. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government when he plans to progress legislation in order to amend Statutory Instrument SI No. 83 of 2007 in order that schools and community buildings can be exempted from having to apply for planning permission to install solar photovoltaic panels on rooftops; his plans to introduce further legislative amendments to lift the limits...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Post-Budget Analysis: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (8 Dec 2020)

Mairéad Farrell: I have a number of questions concerning the council's report. The report highlights the fact that budget 2021 includes substantial permanent increases in spending that are not matched with a clear future funding source and that this cannot be considered a fiscally prudent approach to budgeting. Although the Government initially said it would not raise taxes in 2021, it is now saying that...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Post-Budget Analysis: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (8 Dec 2020)

Mairéad Farrell: The December Fiscal Assessment Report also notes that budget 2021 includes substantial permanent increases in spending of at least €5.4 billion. This spending provides for measures that would remain post-pandemic. The report says that this could rise to €8.5 billion after considering non-Exchequer areas and that "There is no sense as to how these [lasting increases] will be...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Post-Budget Analysis: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (8 Dec 2020)

Mairéad Farrell: I thank Mr. Barnes for that. I understand there will be hard choices but I hope we will not see a repeat of what happened previously where those most vulnerable in society were affected again and again, and harder and harder, under the so-called recovery, while so many people never saw any kind of recovery. Mr. Barnes made another point around the lack of clarity on the non-voted...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Post-Budget Analysis: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (8 Dec 2020)

Mairéad Farrell: I am conscious of the time but I do want to come in again. The report also notes that Ireland faces a threat from changes to the international tax system. A number of these changes have been enacted in recent years and more are coming down the line. We have had the OECD's base erosion and profit shifting initiative and the EU's anti-tax avoidance directive. Other proposals for EU...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Financial Services Union: Discussion. (8 Dec 2020)

Mairéad Farrell: Gabhaim buíochas as an cur i láthair seo. I must declare that I am a member of the FSU, as I worked in banking in the years prior to joining it. However, I had just joined when I got elected, which was a bit of a surprise at the time. The vital role Ulster Bank has played in supporting local jobs is very clear. It employs 3,000 people and that has a serious impact on the economy...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Financial Services Union: Discussion. (8 Dec 2020)

Mairéad Farrell: I echo what the Chairman said. It is deeply disappointing that Ulster Bank has failed to come before this committee, given the impact its withdrawal would have and the distress it would cause. It is important that Mr. O'Connell relayed the real-life experience of what staff are going through and, as he said, it is not just one particular member of staff, but all staff. It is hugely...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Financial Services Union: Discussion. (8 Dec 2020)

Mairéad Farrell: It is very important that the Minister for Finance reaches out to the British Chancellor and puts that on the record with him. Reaching out to NatWest is also extremely important because 3,000 livelihoods, families and communities will be affected by this. Mr. O'Connell outlined that very well in his opening statement. It has also been reported that Cerberus, one of the most aggressive...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Financial Services Union: Discussion. (8 Dec 2020)

Mairéad Farrell: In his opening statement, Mr O'Connell said, "There should be no place in Irish banking or society for vulture funds." Does he support my colleague Deputy Doherty's no consent, no sale Bill, which would prohibit the sale of mortgage loans to vulture funds without the consent of the borrower?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Financial Services Union: Discussion. (8 Dec 2020)

Mairéad Farrell: On 25 November, my colleague, Deputy Doherty, wrote to the Governor of the Central Bank to request the bank's views on the impact of Ulster Bank's withdrawal on the Irish market, both in terms of competition and consumer protection. He received quite an interesting response from deputy governor, Ed Sibley. In that letter, he said he could confirm that the Central Bank has "regular and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Financial Services Union: Discussion. (8 Dec 2020)

Mairéad Farrell: I thank the witness.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Financial Services Union: Discussion. (8 Dec 2020)

Mairéad Farrell: A great deal of interesting stuff came up after my own questions. What was very interesting and stark was the fact that if a branch closes, lending to the SME sector falls by 64%. This will obviously affect rural, more isolated and smaller places. I represent Galway West, which houses the likes of Connemara. I can see the impact this would have on the likes of Clifden. If Ulster Bank...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Financial Services Union: Discussion. (8 Dec 2020)

Mairéad Farrell: Mr. O'Connell is right. The key thing here is responsibility. The bank has a responsibility to the 3,000 people who work for it. It has a responsibility based on the fact that it has been around for 200 years. It is outrageous that it has refused to come before us time and again despite numerous requests. It is good that the message coming out of this committee meeting loud and clear is...

Finance Bill 2020: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (3 Dec 2020)

Mairéad Farrell: I will be speaking in support of amendments Nos. 72, 76 and 77. It is very clear that we are in a climate emergency and we need to act now. We need strong decisive action and leadership by the Government to deal with this climate emergency but we need progressive policies if we want to deal with this it. I am deeply disappointed at the regressive nature of the carbon tax. I spoke at...

Finance Bill 2020: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (3 Dec 2020)

Mairéad Farrell: I echo the sentiments of Deputy Doherty. I am concerned. We had a lengthy debate on Committee Stage in this regard. I was quite surprised at this amendment because I am concerned it could lead to this section not being implemented for a long time. When we had the discussion on Committee Stage, it was our understanding that it would come into effect on 1 January 2021. I have been...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (3 Dec 2020)

Mairéad Farrell: 70. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her views on whether applications for the pandemic unemployment payment should be extended to April 2021 in line with employment wage subsidy scheme and the reduced bands restored to their earlier rates in view of the new localised lockdowns and in view of the fact the State is just entering the final quarter of the year....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Staff (3 Dec 2020)

Mairéad Farrell: 299. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of staff members of UCD, TCD and DCU who availed of fee waivers remissions for undergraduate and postgraduate courses in their respective institutions in each of the years 2016 to 2019, in tabular form. [40975/20]