Results 10,501-10,520 of 26,843 for speaker:Richard Boyd Barrett

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Live Exports (8 May 2019)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 1126. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the campaign to stop live animals being transported to Libya; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19195/19]

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Electricity Grid (8 May 2019)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 1255. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the plans by the ESB for new smart meters in homes nationally; the cost to the customer for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19515/19]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Service Staff (8 May 2019)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 1562. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of front-line staff in Dublin Fire Brigade in each of the years 2014 to 2018; the number of new recruits in each of the years; the cost of overtime for each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19463/19]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Residential Tenancies Board (8 May 2019)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 1567. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if in all HAP and RAS tenancies and leasing arrangements between local authorities and landlords the properties are registered with the RTB; if this is a requirement for the landlord to receive payments; the number of tenancies that are not compliant by local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19485/19]

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Cost of Doing Business in Ireland: National Competitiveness Council (8 May 2019)

Richard Boyd Barrett: On our productivity figures, how distorted would Professor Clinch say Irish productivity figures are by the presence and domination of a small number of information technology, IT, multinationals? We have had to develop a new measure of the economy, namely GNI* because of the distortions created by their predominance. I put it to Professor Clinch that we need a "productivity*" measure of...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Cost of Doing Business in Ireland: National Competitiveness Council (8 May 2019)

Richard Boyd Barrett: As a follow-on from that, would Professor Clinch say that too many of the tax credits, tax reliefs and supports are essentially benefiting that 10% of firms and that we need to radically and dramatically shift supports and expenditures into areas that will boost the domestic economy and reduce those costs, unlock those bottlenecks and so on rather than continuing to direct an awful lot of it...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Cost of Doing Business in Ireland: National Competitiveness Council (8 May 2019)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I have used the analogy before and I mentioned it earlier of flying on one large engine for relying on our standards of living. My first response is not to switch off that engine until the other one is firing strongly. That is how I would answer it in a colloquial sense. Inward investment will always be a major part of our economic model and it has been hugely successful in importing...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Cost of Doing Business in Ireland: National Competitiveness Council (8 May 2019)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Much of it is about education and investment therein. While that is a broad brush-stroke comment, we need a hell of a lot more money to be invested in our universities and we need to develop and tailor our education system, without making it a completely utilitarian education system because I do not like that either. Much higher levels of investment in that regard are nonetheless part of...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Cost of Doing Business in Ireland: National Competitiveness Council (8 May 2019)

Richard Boyd Barrett: It seems these are significant problems, leading workers to have no choice but to make pay demands. Housing costs are off the charts. Childcare has been identified and the professor pointed out that transport is another area where there has been a consistent rise in costs, which seems to go against any attempt to deal with climate change or congestion. How does Professor Clinch expect...

Ireland's Position on the Future of Europe: Statements (18 Apr 2019)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Will the statements on youth homelessness come back?

Ireland's Position on the Future of Europe: Statements (18 Apr 2019)

Richard Boyd Barrett: It is appropriate that we should discuss the future of Europe as we face into the European elections in a few weeks' time and also because Europe is at an extremely important crossroads. Unless we change track, there might be no future for Europe. The fear of this scenario was highlighted by the Extinction Rebellion protestors in London over the last few days, to whom I pay tribute and who...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Policy (18 Apr 2019)

Richard Boyd Barrett: We all know we need temporary stop-gaps. The problem is the Government's overall plan will still leave us overwhelmingly reliant on HAP, RAS, leasing and the private rental sector. In allowing people to move from HAP accommodation into family hubs, out of hubs and into HAP homes and back into emergency accommodation the Government in guaranteeing that there will be a homelessness crisis for...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Policy (18 Apr 2019)

Richard Boyd Barrett: That is not what the plan states.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Policy (18 Apr 2019)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 10. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his views on the impact on public finances of the heavy reliance on leasing, HAP and RAS in the housing policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18071/19]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Policy (18 Apr 2019)

Richard Boyd Barrett: This relates to my earlier question. I looked at what the Minister said about the shocking cost to the State of money given to the private sector - to landlords, private developers and so on - for 2018. To put it in very simple terms, the Minister informed us that approximately €1 billion was spent on HAP, RAS, leasing and purchases from private developers last year. We can add in...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Policy (18 Apr 2019)

Richard Boyd Barrett: The Rebuilding Ireland targets clearly state that of the 137,000 social housing units the Government intends to deliver, more than 100,000 are going to involve RAS, HAP, leasing and purchases from the private sector. That is the Government's plan. The Minister says there is going to be more construction but, overall, the vast bulk of the plan is dependent on RAS, HAP and leasing. We...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness (18 Apr 2019)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Let me state the obvious - we have a worsening housing crisis. Today's report from the Ombudsman indicates that. We are going to spend €100 million building new hubs this year. The average cost of keeping a household in a hub is €100,000 per year. Two years of such expenditure would build a council house on public land. In that light, the suffering of the children is also...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness (18 Apr 2019)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 4. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his views on the impact on public finances of the heavy reliance on leasing, housing assistance payment, HAP and the rental accommodation scheme, RAS, in the housing policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18075/19]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness (18 Apr 2019)

Richard Boyd Barrett: We are talking about the potential for vast cost overruns in the hospitals sector. The Government's reliance on the private sector to resolve the housing crisis is not only a disastrous social failure, it means the cost will be extortionate. Private developers and landlords will have the State over a barrel for well in excess of €1 billion and perhaps €2 billion a year for the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness (18 Apr 2019)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Rebuilding Ireland has a target of 137,000 social housing units. Of those, it is intended to source 104,000 from the private sector through acquisition, lease, RAS and HAP. The cost of that will be extortionate. Indeed, I ask whether the Government has massively underbudgeted for HAP in 2019. The Minister says €423 million is the allocation for an additional 16,700 HAP tenancies in...