Results 4,721-4,740 of 26,842 for speaker:Richard Boyd Barrett

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Updated Economic and Fiscal Position in Advance of Budget 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Sep 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: The Minister appears to have indicated that the Government has not fully made its decisions on an additional package that may be made available to address the cost-of-living crisis we are facing. I will make a suggestion to him for when he is considering what the Government is going to do. To my mind, and the minds of a considerable number of people, it is worrying when he constantly...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Updated Economic and Fiscal Position in Advance of Budget 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Sep 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: To be clear about what I said, the point I made was that purchasing houses would be a one-off measure that would save us money. We are paying out a €1 billion in RAS and HAP payments, increasingly to these international investment funds. Would it not be better if we just bought the stuff instead of the funds buying it? We could then deliver public and affordable housing. For every...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Updated Economic and Fiscal Position in Advance of Budget 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Sep 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Energy prices were going up before the war, as the Minister knows well.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Updated Economic and Fiscal Position in Advance of Budget 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Sep 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Of course, it made matters worse.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Updated Economic and Fiscal Position in Advance of Budget 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Sep 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Energy is also being weaponised by private companies.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Updated Economic and Fiscal Position in Advance of Budget 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Sep 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: It has also been weaponised by private companies.

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (14 Sep 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 163. To ask the Minister for Finance the rationale for the taxation of social welfare maternity benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44529/22]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Impacting the Taxi Industry: Discussion (14 Sep 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I thank the Chairman. To be honest, I must apologise as well as I have to go back over to the Dáil. We are bouncing back and forth. I heard all the presentations at the outset and People Before Profit will support all the demands the groups are making. I thank Tiománaí Tacsaí Na hÉireann, the NPHTA, the Irish Taxi Drivers Federation and the Taxi Alliance of Ireland...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Impacting the Taxi Industry: Discussion (14 Sep 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: What is the difference? I want the committee to ponder that fact. It is completely unfair. There is no reason for it. I cannot understand the reason for it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Impacting the Taxi Industry: Discussion (14 Sep 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: It makes no sense to me, and I hope the committee will take that on board.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Impacting the Taxi Industry: Discussion (14 Sep 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I would be very happy to attend if I am not doing something elsewhere. I will do everything I can, as I have tried to, for the taxi drivers on these issues. I am sure the representatives here can say it, but I want to reiterate to the committee the fact that the concern about the taxi advisory committee not being fit for purpose has been raised repeatedly with the Minister. If all of the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Impacting the Taxi Industry: Discussion (14 Sep 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: What they are looking for is a direct line to talk to the Department and to the Minister on an ongoing basis. That is the way to address issues both for the drivers and for the public, rather than having to do through this body that is just not functioning for the industry, or for anybody really. That is important. On the issue of EVs, the point has been made to me and the committee that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Impacting the Taxi Industry: Discussion (14 Sep 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: From hearing the representatives and from being aware of their grievances over the years, I am aware that one of the fundamental problems is that in the mindset of those who look at public transport, the taxi drivers are just not seen as part of the public transport system in the same way as other parts of the public transport system. There is a sort of seriousness about buses, trains and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Impacting the Taxi Industry: Discussion (14 Sep 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Following on from that, I agree completely with the points made. It is ironic that complaints are now being made that there are not enough taxis, to which the witnesses have responded. All of a sudden people are asking where the taxi drivers are, when nothing has been done to support the drivers and the industry. Indeed, things have been done that have driven people out of the industry and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Impacting the Taxi Industry: Discussion (14 Sep 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I thank the Chair and the witnesses. I apologise. I have to go.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Updated Economic and Fiscal Position in Advance of Budget 2023: Discussion (7 Sep 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I thank all of the contributors. There is so much to think about and we are covering so much ground that it makes the head spin. The idea of targeted measures is a mantra that has been trotted out but we need to spell out what it means. I would not mind hearing a little more on what the witnesses think it means. If targeted measures were to mean, for example, having lots of means-tested...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Updated Economic and Fiscal Position in Advance of Budget 2023: Discussion (7 Sep 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: May I ask one brief additional question? If we were strictly following the original rules around fiscal space and all the rest of it, how much fiscal space would be available in this budget?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Updated Economic and Fiscal Position in Advance of Budget 2023: Discussion (7 Sep 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Would it be fair to say the space would be a lot larger than our guests are allowing for in terms of expenditure?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Updated Economic and Fiscal Position in Advance of Budget 2023: Discussion (7 Sep 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: The cost-of-living crisis is the big issue facing us all. IBEC has referred to some businesses that are in trouble and has stated that without support, they could go to the wall. Dr. McDonnell from the Nevin Economic Research Institute is talking about the need for targeted measures for those who are most adversely impacted by the cost-of-living crisis. I think we should always refer to...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Updated Economic and Fiscal Position in Advance of Budget 2023: Discussion (7 Sep 2022)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Is it the case that even before this crisis hit, the cost of living here in a number of areas mentioned was much higher than in the rest of Europe? I refer to childcare, housing, education and in a number of other areas, and that was pre-Ukraine and pre- the current round of the cost-of-living crisis. Why is that the case? Why do we have higher childcare costs than everywhere else? Why do...