Results 1,001-1,020 of 2,017 for speaker:Anthony Lawlor

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Access to Finance for SMEs: Discussion (Resumed) (27 May 2014)

Anthony Lawlor: I thank the witnesses and I have attended a number of previous briefings for companies. I am delighted at the fact that for most small and medium enterprises, SMEs, the problem is now working capital rather than investment capital. The banks are being allowed to make decisions and they can micro-manage that issue better than the witnesses. What is the average stake taken by venture...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic Violence Incidence (27 May 2014)

Anthony Lawlor: 692. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if the incidence of domestic violence has increased since 2006; the annual figures for domestic violence incidents from 2006 to 2013 inclusive; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23002/14]

Other Questions: Sports Capital Programme Eligibility (15 May 2014)

Anthony Lawlor: Can the sports capital allocations be paid in stages?

Other Questions: Local Authority Members' Remit (15 May 2014)

Anthony Lawlor: 11. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the measures being taken in his Department to devolve powers to local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21563/14]

Other Questions: Local Authority Members' Remit (15 May 2014)

Anthony Lawlor: I appreciate the Minister is here to take this question himself as he was a city councillor himself and will appreciate my point. Heretofore, many councillors were not aware of their powers. I would like to see more powers devolved to councillors for roads programmes. When I was a councillor in the late 1990s, there was a three year roads programme which councillors could debate....

Other Questions: Local Authority Members' Remit (15 May 2014)

Anthony Lawlor: Will the Minister inform those newly elected members of local authorities next week of their functions and roles on roads programmes? Many of them are not aware of their roles and defer a lot of decision-making to local authority management.

Other Questions: Local Authority Members' Remit (15 May 2014)

Anthony Lawlor: Yes.

Other Questions: Sports Capital Programme Eligibility (15 May 2014)

Anthony Lawlor: I am pleased with the manner in which the Minister of State is allocating funds under the sports capital programme. He has not engaged in the type of gerrymandering that occurred under previous Ministers, although I must admit that County Kildare benefited from this approach under a previous Minister for Finance. Will clubs be able to carry out works in stages and be paid on that basis?

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Community Involvement Scheme (15 May 2014)

Anthony Lawlor: 36. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the date on which allocations under the community involvement scheme will be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21564/14]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme Eligibility (15 May 2014)

Anthony Lawlor: 85. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason schools that applied for funding under categories 7, 8, 9 and 10 of the summer works scheme were not approved for funding in 2014; the reason a distinction was made in respect of categories 1 to 6; if funding will be available for categories 7 to 10 in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21897/14]

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) (14 May 2014)

Anthony Lawlor: I welcome the progress in housing legislation. This is a step along the way, and we have a long way to go to rectify the problems that developed under the previous Fianna Fáil Administration. I am delighted Deputy Troy said the only construction that will happen under his watch will be the tent at the Galway Races where his developer friends will be. I am sure he would welcome such a...

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) (14 May 2014)

Anthony Lawlor: I have always said that while Part 5 was an instrument to aid development and build houses, it never built communities and I have always argued against it. Deputy Troy has suddenly developed a social bent regarding building social housing. He never mentioned it in the past three years when no houses were delivered to local authorities under the Part 5 scheme. It is one of the reasons the...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Sports Capital Programme Applications (14 May 2014)

Anthony Lawlor: 218. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when his Department will announce funding under the 2014 sports capital programme; and the position regarding funding in respect of a club (details supplied) in County Kildare. [21683/14]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Sports Capital Programme Applications (14 May 2014)

Anthony Lawlor: 219. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when his Department will announce funding under the 2014 sports capital programme an the position regarding funding in respect of a club (details supplied) in County Kildare [21684/14]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Access to Finance for SMEs: (Resumed) ISME, IBEC and SFA (13 May 2014)

Anthony Lawlor: I welcome our guests. This has been a fascinating discussion. I have in front of me the papers submitted by the banks and it has been extremely interesting to listen to what employers have to say on the various matters to which they relate. The cost of loans is a major issue. Said cost is probably scaring people off in the context of drawing down loans. The difference between the cost...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Access to Finance for SMEs: (Resumed) ISME, IBEC and SFA (13 May 2014)

Anthony Lawlor: I know. It also comes back to the issue of diverging viewpoints. It is interesting that SMEs are repaying loans and that the level of lending is being outstripped as a result. The focus of SMEs is to consolidate their businesses before they begin to expand. This is reflected in the overall economy at present. The banking sector is also shrinking. There must be some encouragement from...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Access to Finance for SMEs: (Resumed) ISME, IBEC and SFA (13 May 2014)

Anthony Lawlor: Yes. Mr. Noonan and Ms Callan both referred to State banks as a source of finance. It takes a while to establish a State bank.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Access to Finance for SMEs: (Resumed) ISME, IBEC and SFA (13 May 2014)

Anthony Lawlor: I am aware of that. We may have moved beyond the need to establish such a bank at this stage. The BES was a good initiative and it should have been brought to a close when expansion began. In addition, the section 23 reliefs should have been stopped when the property market took off. Those reliefs were only put in place to kick-start activity. Similarly, the BES was designed to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Access to Finance for SMEs: (Resumed) ISME, IBEC and SFA (13 May 2014)

Anthony Lawlor: Yes, particularly as MABS itself is overrun at present. Our discussions today have been enlightening, particularly in the context of the conflicting arguments that have been put forward. I can see some light at the end of the tunnel but I reiterate that there is a need to get the pendulum to swing back in the opposite direction. There must not be a return to the stupidity which obtained...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Access to Finance for SMEs: (Resumed) ISME, IBEC and SFA (13 May 2014)

Anthony Lawlor: I just wish to make a few observations. Despite the number of witnesses who have addressed this committee, this is the first time we have got a definite figure regarding the cost of borrowings being 1.4% higher than across the rest of Europe. It was important we heard that today. It was also important for us to hear a number of witnesses speak about the need for a State-backed bank. Some...