Results 941-960 of 26,831 for speaker:Richard Boyd Barrett

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion (10 Jul 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Okay. That is pretty worrying but I suppose it is a frank admission. This is why, it seems to me, that we are not discussing the Housing Commission report because the Government has no intention of acting on it in budget 2025. Essentially, that is what the Minister is really telling us.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion (10 Jul 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Okay but-----

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion (10 Jul 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I accept that you cannot necessarily do everything overnight but also, it is clearly set out by the commission that there needs to be a dramatic increase, and it starts that increase from the coming year - 61,000, if you include student accommodation, is what it is setting out. If you add in student accommodation, it has it at 61,000, and that is up from 33,000. That is almost, in units per...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion (10 Jul 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: When do we start?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion (10 Jul 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Yes, although I could mention water infrastructure and so on. Direct capital allocation is slightly reduced and the Minister has not refuted that point. It seems, on foot of what the Minister is saying, that the only increase the Department of housing is getting relates to the housing assistance payment, HAP. That is probably what it is. The Minister is factoring in that there will be...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion (10 Jul 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Am I out of time?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion (10 Jul 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Hardly, but-----

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion (10 Jul 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: The Minister is saying that capital investment has increased over the past while. That is true; it has. However, based on the allocation for housing capital specifically, what the Minister has read out is less than what was provided last year. Is the Minister disputing that fact? I take his point that money is going elsewhere in the Department of housing. There will be some increases...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion (10 Jul 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: This is part of the question. Our committee has looked at a lot of tax expenditures. We have generally suggested that they should be scrutinised as much as the budget day measures, ongoing expenditure measures, etc. What will the Minister do in terms of the presentation of information on tax expenditures for the budget material and budget day?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement: Discussion (10 Jul 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Sorry, I do not mean that. I mean tax expenditures, such as tax credits and reliefs.

Post-European Council Meeting: Statements (10 Jul 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: The European Union should hang its head in shame for its failure to sanction Israel in respect of the genocidal massacre it has been carrying out in Gaza for the past nine months. Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil should hang their heads in shame for supporting as the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, who has continued to provide Israel with impunity and allow the...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (10 Jul 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: The Government should drop the fees for them as well.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (10 Jul 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 10. To ask the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on children, education and disability will meet next. [29522/24]

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (10 Jul 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: We are a long way from where we need to be when it comes to supporting children with special needs and disabilities, to put it very mildly.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (10 Jul 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: As we are in the last week of this Dáil session, just let me give the Taoiseach an instance of that. In April, Greg and his wife, Celine, and Greg is an SNA by the way, were in the Public Gallery here when we debated the issue of special needs. We raised the case of his son, Lewis, who is 13, who has autism and an intellectual disability, because he has no school place. Subsequent...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (10 Jul 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: It is completely untenable and does not provide for the needs of this family. The parents are supposed to drive up and back to County Louth for a place that is not even suitable.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (10 Jul 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: These parents have had to go to court to try to vindicate the rights of their children and still there are no placements for their children. We have to do better than this.

Ceisteanna - Questions: European Council (10 Jul 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: The European Union makes clear its determination to stand against Putin's barbaric actions in Ukraine. I fundamentally disagree with the alliance that they wish to advance with NATO but we all are horrified about what Putin is doing. Then we look at what is happening today or in the last few days in Gaza. Four schools were attacked with 29 people killed in just one attack on a school. As...

Ceisteanna - Questions: European Council (10 Jul 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 6. To ask the Taoiseach to report on his two-day attendance at the European Council on 27 and 28 June 2024. [28371/24]

Ceisteanna - Questions: British-Irish Co-operation (10 Jul 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 2. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on the 41st summit meeting of the British-Irish Council in the Isle of Man that he attended. [28373/24]