Results 11,081-11,100 of 26,032 for speaker:Kieran O'Donnell

Seanad: Finance Bill (Certified Money Bill) 2019: Report and Final Stages (10 Dec 2019)

Kieran O'Donnell: If I had a choice between reducing capital taxes or income taxes, I would probably choose to reduce income tax. I am putting that in context. Governments have to make decisions. We have reduced income tax rates.

Seanad: Finance Bill (Certified Money Bill) 2019: Report and Final Stages (10 Dec 2019)

Kieran O'Donnell: Once again, it is a decision for Government.

Seanad: Finance Bill (Certified Money Bill) 2019: Report and Final Stages (10 Dec 2019)

Kieran O'Donnell: I thank the Minister of State for allowing us to engage with his officials on the Living City initiative. The take-up in Limerick has been much lower than I would have liked. We need to look at the scheme. It is a Georgian city and it is critical to its development.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Future Funding of Public Service Broadcasting: Discussion (10 Dec 2019)

Kieran O'Donnell: I welcome Ms Forbes. I welcome the fact that she has acknowledged the €9 million coming from Government and that RTÉ will receive it very much in the spirit in which it was given by the Taoiseach, in that RTÉ will defer any decision on Lyric FM until the broadcasting commission reports. I wrote to Ms Forbes in November, specifically about Lyric FM and where it is based. I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Future Funding of Public Service Broadcasting: Discussion (10 Dec 2019)

Kieran O'Donnell: I am not asking for a change of decision. I am asking for a deferral. It would provide, with the broadcasting, a natural forum to look at all aspects.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Future Funding of Public Service Broadcasting: Discussion (10 Dec 2019)

Kieran O'Donnell: In the limited time I have, the specific question I want to ask is whether discussions have taken place with the owner onlooking at various lease options involving downsizing. If not, will RTÉ engage in those discussions now?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Future Funding of Public Service Broadcasting: Discussion (10 Dec 2019)

Kieran O'Donnell: I believe there is further scope in that area. Will Ms Forbes give a commitment that she will explore that unconditionally with the owner to see what options are available?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Central Bank: Discussion (5 Dec 2019)

Kieran O'Donnell: I welcome Governor Makhlouf and wish him well in his role. I also wish his colleagues well. I want to touch on a few themes. To go back to the market-based finance sector, Mr. Makhlouf stated that it is dominated by investment funds and money market funds, which account for approximately two thirds of total assets. To what assets is he referring in that regard?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Central Bank: Discussion (5 Dec 2019)

Kieran O'Donnell: What would be the total amount involved? Can Ms Donnery put a value on the two thirds?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Central Bank: Discussion (5 Dec 2019)

Kieran O'Donnell: So the total amount is €4.4 trillion.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Central Bank: Discussion (5 Dec 2019)

Kieran O'Donnell: Ms Donnery stated that 35% of commercial real estate in Ireland is now controlled by investment funds. Is that correct?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Central Bank: Discussion (5 Dec 2019)

Kieran O'Donnell: If we extrapolate out from that, how much of residential real estate do the investment funds control?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Central Bank: Discussion (5 Dec 2019)

Kieran O'Donnell: The main reason I ask is because we are seeing that at the moment. In the context of the figure for commercial residential real estate, is that dominated properties by Dublin?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Central Bank: Discussion (5 Dec 2019)

Kieran O'Donnell: How much of that 35% relates to loans that were sold from the mainstream banks to investment vehicles?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Central Bank: Discussion (5 Dec 2019)

Kieran O'Donnell: Has Ms Donnery quantified the loans that have been sold to investment funds from banks? What percentage of the real estate, both residential and commercial, do they control? Ms Donnery is saying that this is separate from the banks that have sold portfolios of loans-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Central Bank: Discussion (5 Dec 2019)

Kieran O'Donnell: If she were to quantify the total number of the commercial and residential real estate under the control of investment funds in Ireland, be it where they have bought directly or loan portfolios, what percentage of that do they control? Mr. Sibley made reference to it in terms of the Central Bank having issues with the banks and that they could deal with the loans in different ways from...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Central Bank: Discussion (5 Dec 2019)

Kieran O'Donnell: The matter was raised and I am following up on it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Central Bank: Discussion (5 Dec 2019)

Kieran O'Donnell: My concern is simple. It is whether many of these funds that are purchasing mortgages are structured in a way that they can deal with the long-term requirements of the mortgage holders whose loans they purchased or if they are effectively asset disposal agencies in a different form. My concern is that they are 100% geared for this, as I said earlier. There is a stability aspect to that....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Central Bank: Discussion (5 Dec 2019)

Kieran O'Donnell: Mr. Makhlouf, in his presentation, referred to plans regarding the development of a number of buffers regarding the capital of banks, particularly cushions against different types of risk, including an economic downturn. What is his view on the financial well-being of the mainstream banking system, that is, the pillar banks? How does he see the Irish, European and world economies developing...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Central Bank: Discussion (5 Dec 2019)

Kieran O'Donnell: As of yesterday, there have been no changes to the mortgage rules. Not looking at the rights and wrongs of the matter or the Central Bank's independence, Mr. Makhlouf may have been aware that Deputy Micheál Martin said recently that if Fianna Fáil was in government, it would ensure that the Central Bank recognised rental payments to open up the mortgage market. How would Mr....