Results 9,501-9,520 of 16,492 for speaker:Ciarán Lynch

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Irish Stability Programme Update: Minister for Finance (15 Apr 2014)

Ciarán Lynch: Sorry, Deputy Mathews. You are no longer a member of this committee. I allowed you as it is the season of Lent and I offer it up.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Irish Stability Programme Update: Minister for Finance (15 Apr 2014)

Ciarán Lynch: Lent will be over next week and I will not have to include Deputy Mathews. I ask him to allow me to conclude without interruption. We may need to revisit that matrix. I thank the Minister for contributing to a very extensive discussion. I welcome the support of the Minister's officials at the meeting. I understand that the report is to go to the Commission by the end of this month....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Irish Stability Programme Update: Minister for Finance (15 Apr 2014)

Ciarán Lynch: I will give the Senator a few minutes as he has waited long enough.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Irish Stability Programme Update: Minister for Finance (15 Apr 2014)

Ciarán Lynch: I will take some brief supplementary questions from Deputy McGrath. If Deputy Mathews has a question I will take it. I will not take a statement.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Irish Stability Programme Update: Minister for Finance (15 Apr 2014)

Ciarán Lynch: The Minister must leave at 9 p.m. but, with some flexibility, I can allow everyone to contribute.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Irish Stability Programme Update: Minister for Finance (15 Apr 2014)

Ciarán Lynch: I wish to make a comment. The macro issue is probably the greater issue with the Bank of Ireland. One of the questions that was put to Mr. Boucher last week was whether any engagement had taken place between the Government or the State and the Bank of Ireland on the sale of the State's percentage in the bank. Has any such discussion taken place? Is there a plan to cash in?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Irish Stability Programme Update: Minister for Finance (15 Apr 2014)

Ciarán Lynch: I call Deputy Kevin Humphreys.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Irish Stability Programme Update: Minister for Finance (15 Apr 2014)

Ciarán Lynch: The Deputy has five more minutes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Irish Stability Programme Update: Minister for Finance (15 Apr 2014)

Ciarán Lynch: The Deputy may ask a couple of final questions.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Irish Stability Programme Update: Minister for Finance (15 Apr 2014)

Ciarán Lynch: Deputy Donnelly is running out of time.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Irish Stability Programme Update: Minister for Finance (15 Apr 2014)

Ciarán Lynch: I call Deputy O'Donnell, who is sharing with Deputy Dara Murphy.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Irish Stability Programme Update: Minister for Finance (15 Apr 2014)

Ciarán Lynch: The Deputy should put a question.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Irish Stability Programme Update: Minister for Finance (15 Apr 2014)

Ciarán Lynch: I just want to let the Deputy know the rules at this committee. The ten minutes are questions and answers. If he wants, the Minister will answer that question first and then I will be able to let him in again.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Irish Stability Programme Update: Minister for Finance (15 Apr 2014)

Ciarán Lynch: Does the Senator need more time or does he want to move on to-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Irish Stability Programme Update: Minister for Finance (15 Apr 2014)

Ciarán Lynch: That brings me to my next question which is whether the Minister expects this country to receive country-specific recommendations in particular in the area of budgetary and fiscal matters?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Irish Stability Programme Update: Minister for Finance (15 Apr 2014)

Ciarán Lynch: But the country-specific recommendations are more than a bit of advice. They come with a big stick.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Irish Stability Programme Update: Minister for Finance (15 Apr 2014)

Ciarán Lynch: Does the Minister see them as not being overly prescriptive but rather more general?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Irish Stability Programme Update: Minister for Finance (15 Apr 2014)

Ciarán Lynch: Could the Minister explain to the committee what the consequences are for failure to meet a country-specific recommendation?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Irish Stability Programme Update: Minister for Finance (15 Apr 2014)

Ciarán Lynch: Yes, but what are the rules of enforcement?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Irish Stability Programme Update: Minister for Finance (15 Apr 2014)

Ciarán Lynch: It may well be the case that the tap could be turned off for a small member state but I have looked at some of the country-specific recommendations and there are very specific recommendations with regard to Germany, for instance, as to how it deals with imports and increases domestic consumption and how it addresses the trade imbalance that is currently in place. What kind of enforcement...