Results 9,161-9,180 of 26,843 for speaker:Richard Boyd Barrett

Microenterprise Loan Fund (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (7 Jul 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: The Minister invited suggestions in this debate specifically about the July stimulus. He did actually invite such suggestions.

Microenterprise Loan Fund (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (7 Jul 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Yes. Taxi drivers as a group are excluded from nearly all of these supports for reasons I do not understand. I asked some of the taxi drivers to explain it to me. I am told their exclusion is related to them not paying or charging VAT. I did not fully understand the explanation but I know they are excluded from many of the support schemes for small enterprise.

Microenterprise Loan Fund (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (7 Jul 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: That is an unfairness. Taxi drivers cannot return to work because there is little demand for taxis and also to do so they would need to install screens and the National Transport Authority, NTA, has not clarified what type of screen would pass muster in terms of insurance and so on. There has been no clear direction on this issue. Even though they have not been working throughout the...

Microenterprise Loan Fund (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (7 Jul 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I am saying that they are microenterprises. They are the definition of a microenterprise. In fact, they are the most micro of microenterprises-----

Microenterprise Loan Fund (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (7 Jul 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: -----and they deserve support.

Microenterprise Loan Fund (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (7 Jul 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: It is a microenterprise.

Microenterprise Loan Fund (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (7 Jul 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Any Bill that the Government should put forward supporting microenterprises should take these specifics into account. That is the point I am making. I am appealing to the Government to do that and, in the mean time, I am appealing to the Government not to cut their payments but to maintain those payments as income subsidies. Taxi drivers do not want to remain unemployed. They do not...

Microenterprise Loan Fund (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (7 Jul 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I wish to take the Minister up on his earlier offer to listen to ideas for the July stimulus package. I will focus on a few specific groups. The pandemic and the lockdown affected huge numbers of people in terms of their income, employment and livelihoods but particular groups have been hard hit and are likely to be hard hit for the foreseeable future as long as Covid-19 remains with us....

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (7 Jul 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I welcome, as I am sure the Debenhams workers will welcome, the Taoiseach's words of sympathy and his condemnation of how Debenhams has treated them, but the test is what the Government will do about it. We need to act urgently to do everything we can to make sure that Debenhams does not get away with manipulating the law as it stands to siphon off these assets. Its failure to consult...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (7 Jul 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: The last time the Taoiseach and his party were in government and faced with a major crisis, at that time caused by the greed of bankers and developers, working people got it in the neck, hundreds of thousands of people lost their jobs or had cuts to their pay and a decade of austerity followed. For most people the test as to whether Fianna Fáil has changed and will lead the Government...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Rights (7 Jul 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 10. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the action he plans to take in view of the High Court ruling on SEOs recently; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13729/20]

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Rights (7 Jul 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 11. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will introduce emergency legislation to ameliorate the impact from the recent High Court ruling on the SEO regarding electrician workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13730/20]

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (7 Jul 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 39. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if taxi drivers will be allowed access to the various support schemes for SMEs from which they are currently excluded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14566/20]

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadcasting Sector (7 Jul 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 49. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will consider the long-standing request of musicians and artists for broadcasters to be required to play a minimum of 40% of domestically produced music, drama and artistic output; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14567/20]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Aviation Industry (7 Jul 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 121. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason airlines, such as an airline (details supplied), are permitted to continue to sell airline tickets and run flights without refunding passengers when non–essential travel is advised against; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14281/20]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Taxi Regulations (7 Jul 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 138. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the request of taxi drivers to give a two-year extension on the ten year rule for public service vehicles that are currently licensed in view of the financial impact on their industry as a result of Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14563/20]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Taxi Regulations (7 Jul 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 139. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the request of taxi representative groups for an immediate review of the sustainability of the industry, taxi numbers and the likely supply and demand issues over the coming period in view of the Covid-19 crisis; if he will consider a moratorium on the issuing of further PSV licences until the review is completed and the...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Mortgage Lending (7 Jul 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 145. To ask the Minister for Finance the action he will take regarding the fact that many banks are refusing to allow persons in receipt of the temporary wage subsidy scheme who have been approved for mortgages to draw down those mortgages while in receipt of the subsidy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13731/20]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Wage Subsidy Scheme (7 Jul 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 189. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will provide a tailored wage subsidy scheme for taxi drivers whose industry is facing long-term reductions in incomes as a result of Covid-19 until the sector fully recovers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14564/20]

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (7 Jul 2020)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 248. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will agree to the requests of agencies (details supplied) to protect all local authority arts and entertainment arts related funding streams and budget for next year and not allow the impact of Covid-19 on this year's spending to reduce next year's budgets; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14562/20]