Results 6,361-6,380 of 10,460 for speaker:Gerry Horkan

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Central Bank of Ireland: Discussion (26 Mar 2019)

Gerry Horkan: I thank the Governor for his opening presentation, which seems like a long time ago at this stage. I congratulate him also on his appointment, which obviously reflects very well on him but on the country as well. We will all bask in some reflected glory and I wish him well in that role. In that connection, tomorrow in the Seanad we will deal with the Land and Conveyancing Law Reform...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Central Bank of Ireland: Discussion (26 Mar 2019)

Gerry Horkan: It is effectively being brought forward as Government legislation.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Central Bank of Ireland: Discussion (26 Mar 2019)

Gerry Horkan: I thank the Governor for that. A lot of points have been covered, so I will try not to be repetitive. I am not sure anybody referred to the limits in terms of house prices and mortgages and so on. There are mixed views on that. Some would argue that it is suppressing prices and keeping a lid on them. Others would say that it is not allowing people who want to be able to buy to get on the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Central Bank of Ireland: Discussion (26 Mar 2019)

Gerry Horkan: On a related point, many people are paying significant amounts of money in rent at the moment. If they were able to get on the housing ladder, they would be paying far less than they pay on rent. In the case of those who have paid rent for four, five or six years, could the Central Bank allow the banks to recognise in some way that these people have consistently been paying monthly rents of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Central Bank of Ireland: Discussion (26 Mar 2019)

Gerry Horkan: On the Governor's point on changing circumstances, downturns in the economy and so on, one of the chief executives who appeared before the committee - I think he was from KBC Bank - stated that we are closer to the next recession than we are to the previous one. I heard the Governor's points on the rate of growth decreasing or reaching a plateau. The Minister for Finance has been relatively...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Central Bank of Ireland: Discussion (26 Mar 2019)

Gerry Horkan: On the €665 million that has been paid out on the track mortgage issue, is there a breakdown of redress versus compensation? People have said it cost the banks a certain amount. Effectively, we are giving back to people the money that the banks - not the Central Bank - should never have had in the first place. This is the people's money.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Central Bank of Ireland: Discussion (26 Mar 2019)

Gerry Horkan: I would like to-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Central Bank of Ireland: Discussion (26 Mar 2019)

Gerry Horkan: It would be useful in the final report to see the costs the banks incurred in having to employ all those people to sort out their own mess, plus the total cost of redress and of compensation. Ultimately, there will obviously be fines, enforcement, and so on. I assume the process is ongoing and that, therefore, the witnesses cannot comment in detail on the enforcement action. Nevertheless,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Central Bank of Ireland: Discussion (26 Mar 2019)

Gerry Horkan: I attended the Whitaker lecture last week on the future of money, payments and so on, which was interesting and thought-provoking. The witnesses' bank is the Central Bank of Ireland and it controls the mint in Sandyford. Am it correct that it will continue to produce coin but not notes, or vice versa?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Central Bank of Ireland: Discussion (26 Mar 2019)

Gerry Horkan: Coins will continue to be produced.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Central Bank of Ireland: Discussion (26 Mar 2019)

Gerry Horkan: On the future of money, we see statistics about banks being branchless and in the cloud, while there are new mobile phone applications and so on to allow people to pay for things. There are many changes. People use the tap feature on their cards much more often and are not using cash the way they were. How does Professor Lane, as the Governor of the Central Bank, expect the situation to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Central Bank of Ireland: Discussion (26 Mar 2019)

Gerry Horkan: There has been a 79% decrease - €67 billion - in the number of non-performing loans, NPLs, since the peak in 2013. While I do not want an analysis, was it due to vulture funds, write-offs or restructurings?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Central Bank of Ireland: Discussion (26 Mar 2019)

Gerry Horkan: The figures I quoted were taken from the opening statement. Most will argue that Professor Philip Lane has done a pretty good job. Where does he consider he has failed or not achieved what he wanted to do? What is the remaining greatest risk in the banking sector?

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 Mar 2019)

Gerry Horkan: It is interesting to note that at the start of the Order of Business today almost everybody spoke about the actual Order of Business in the House, which is somewhat unusual. I support the proposal from Senators Ardagh, Nash, Bacik, MacLochlainn and others that we deal only with Committee Stage of the Sea-Fisheries (Amendment) Bill 2017 today. I heard the Taoiseach earlier this week...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 Mar 2019)

Gerry Horkan: I will not call the Leader a nice lady but I might call him a nice man some time. A nice man he is-----

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 Mar 2019)

Gerry Horkan: If the Leader is very sensitive then I will say that he is a nice man again.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 Mar 2019)

Gerry Horkan: When I spoke here on Tuesday on the Order of Business about the Boeing 737 MAX 8, I asked for reflection on what was a very serious situation. I am glad to see that Boeing has now taken the decision to ground the entire fleet for the moment, in response to legitimate concerns. Hopefully, the company can fix the glitch. Boeing has been a very successful company for many years. Hopefully...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 Mar 2019)

Gerry Horkan: I wish everybody, particularly the Leader, a very happy St. Patrick's Day. I hope they enjoy the break.

Seanad: Sea-Fisheries (Amendment) Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Mar 2019)

Gerry Horkan: I have not been in the House for all of this debate but I was following it on the monitor in my office.When does the Minister anticipate that he will meet the organisations involved, that need to be heard in advance of the passing of this legislation? I commend the work of my party colleague, Deputy Gallagher, as well as Members of this House, who have raised this point. We debated it two...

Seanad: Sea-Fisheries (Amendment) Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Mar 2019)

Gerry Horkan: In this House?