Results 9,141-9,160 of 27,073 for speaker:Richard Boyd Barrett

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (8 Sep 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 742. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will allow persons on a pandemic unemployment payment whose work is unlikely to return for the foreseeable future to retrain with schemes such as Springboard without their payment being affected; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22213/20]

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (8 Sep 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 798. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if there are specific financial measures to support small play schools with Covid-19 compliance, for example, to employ extra staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22219/20]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Nursing Education (8 Sep 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 979. To ask the Minister for Health if financial supports will be put in place for student nurses and midwives that are unable to work whilst on placement (details supplied); if he will consider increasing the financial supports offered to student nurses and midwives and other student healthcare workers in the longer term; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22262/20]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Legislative Measures (8 Sep 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 1412. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if legislation is planned to further protect animals and pets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21090/20]

Back to School, Further and Higher Education and Special Education: Statements (3 Sep 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Even before Covid-19 hit, higher education in this country was in a sorry state because of the impact imposed by misguided austerity. In February, before Covid-19 arrived, further and higher education were still suffering from the cumulative impact of €550 million in cuts and were operating with less than the funding that existed in 2007. Student to academic ratios in that period...

Back to School, Further and Higher Education and Special Education: Statements (3 Sep 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: We should go back to that.

Criminal Justice (Enforcement Powers) (Covid-19) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (3 Sep 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I will respond to the Minister. This section connects the provisions of this Bill to the extraordinary powers given in previous emergency Covid-19 legislation that we supported. It allows the Minister for Health to prescribe certain events and activities as offences carrying penal provisions. The problem is what has now changed. The enforcement powers that this Bill provides can now be...

Criminal Justice (Enforcement Powers) (Covid-19) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (3 Sep 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: On a point of order, I raised earlier the issue of the additional time promised by the Government and I saw the Chief Whip hovering around. The Ceann Comhairle himself suggested that we were going to get additional time to deal with our and Deputy McNamara's amendments. If there is a vote called now, the time will have expired.

Criminal Justice (Enforcement Powers) (Covid-19) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (3 Sep 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: The Minister says she is happy to go to 3 p.m.

Criminal Justice (Enforcement Powers) (Covid-19) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (3 Sep 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I believe our opposition to the section is the most important proposal today, precisely because the section gives a blank cheque and carte blancheto the Minister, under the emergency amendment of the Health Act that was passed earlier this year, to make regulations which potentially go way beyond the specific scope of this Bill. We would be happy to let this Bill go through because we accept...

Criminal Justice (Enforcement Powers) (Covid-19) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (3 Sep 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: There is also an amendment in our names.

Criminal Justice (Enforcement Powers) (Covid-19) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (3 Sep 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: On a point of order, the Leas-Cheann Comhairle has just pointed out that we will finish at 1.30 p.m. We have only managed to discuss one amendment and as we see when we drill down into the detail, there are many questions to be asked. My own amendment is the third. When we discussed at the Business Committee that there was limited time for this, I am pretty certain that a commitment was...

Criminal Justice (Enforcement Powers) (Covid-19) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (3 Sep 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: If Deputy Howlin presses this amendment to a vote, as he may well do, then all the time will be gone. I would like a second opportunity to speak before that happens. I ask the Minister to contact the Whip to ask for extra time. Unless the Government comes in, which it should, to give us extra time as the Government Chief Whip promised, then I want to speak again on this amendment.

Criminal Justice (Enforcement Powers) (Covid-19) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (3 Sep 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: That is one more hour.

Criminal Justice (Enforcement Powers) (Covid-19) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (3 Sep 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I support Deputy Howlin's amendment. First, it is reasonable to say that this is rushed legislation where there is much detail that needs to be scrutinised and fully understood. I do not accept that, because the committees were not up and running, we could not have done that. We set up the Special Committee on Covid-19 Response specifically to deal with Covid-19 matters, and I see no...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (2 Sep 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: The Government has not extended the pandemic unemployment payment to April because it is going to cut it to the level that effectively makes it the same as the jobseeker’s allowance. It is cutting the income support payment for people who would like to return to work. The fact the numbers on the PUP have steadily come down in line with the restrictions affecting their particular...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (2 Sep 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: For arts, music and other entertainment performers, there is nothing or only tiny amounts out there for them. We need support, not cuts in the income supports for them or for the Debenhams workers who are coming here tonight and who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (2 Sep 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: These people do not need to be punished on 17 September; they need support. Do not cut their income supports, please.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (2 Sep 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: We face a grim and depressing fact that while we might have hoped, when the Dáil broke up, that the situation with Covid-19 would incrementally improve, those hopes have been dashed and we are facing an ongoing battle with Covid-19 for the foreseeable future. That means the economic and employment impacts on vast numbers of workers, who have had their income and employment stolen by the...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Sep 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I must object for the same reasons as apply to the speaking arrangements. We will see a situation where many of the Opposition parties and groups will not get to speak until two or three hours into a debate. That is a devious and underhanded attempt by the Government to silence the Opposition. In response to the Minister I note that unless there is a guillotine, backbenchers have always...