Results 1,241-1,260 of 6,627 for speaker:Rose Conway-Walsh

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Stability Programme Update: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Rose Conway-Walsh: I absolutely and completely understand that, but I would be negligent in my duty, while we have any member of the Central Bank before us, not to raise the issue that is most pressing across the whole of the western seaboard, including in terms of our overall public expenditure. I would therefore really appreciate it if the witnesses would speak to that.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Stability Programme Update: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Rose Conway-Walsh: I really appreciate that and I thank Dr. Kelly. I ask him to do that because there are mixed messages in a sense coming out from the Central Bank. I think the Central Bank has a central role to play for us in trying to get this right not only to protect taxpayers' money but also to enable people to get on with their lives. Banks should never be capitalising from people's misery on assets...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Stability Programme Update: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Rose Conway-Walsh: The ESRI said that Ireland was among the countries with the lowest investment in housing in the EU in 2022, only exceeding Greece, Poland and Bosnia and Herzegovina. That is shocking, given what we hear constantly from the Government. In the quarterly bulletin, the Central Bank talks about how labour constraints are easing. Will Dr. Kelly expand on that and outline if increased public...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Stability Programme Update: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Rose Conway-Walsh: How should we use the employment data as a sign of economic strength? Dr. Kelly says there is an increased labour force and the low unemployment rates we see across the board. I do not know any state that does not have low unemployment rates at the moment. Are we overreliant on the low unemployment rates to give us a narrative that everything is okay? Looking at that, what are the bigger...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Stability Programme Update: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Rose Conway-Walsh: I would like to see the outworkings of the decline in commercial property activity. How do the witnesses see that continuing and what do they think needs to be addressed? What is the impact on the overall economy as that declines?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Stability Programme Update: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Rose Conway-Walsh: It would appear there are currently a lot of vacancies, but rather than rents coming down, they are being held at a level. Do the witnesses foresee rents on commercial property coming down rapidly over the next months?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Stability Programme Update: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Rose Conway-Walsh: Do any other members wish to contribute? I will ask Dr. Kelly a couple of final questions. How important are interest rates on the investment levels? How important is it that the European Central Bank, ECB, is not too slow to bring interest rates back down in order to protect the investment levels?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Stability Programme Update: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Rose Conway-Walsh: Do we know how many fixed-rate mortgages are due to end this year?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Stability Programme Update: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Rose Conway-Walsh: It is 750,000.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Stability Programme Update: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Rose Conway-Walsh: It is 70,000, okay. Do we know what they had been fixed at or-----

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Stability Programme Update: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Rose Conway-Walsh: In terms of our over-reliance on foreign direct investment, FDI, and the small number of companies, were there to be changes in taxation policy in the US following an election or whatever in increasing the amount of tax on earnings abroad, what impact will that have?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Stability Programme Update: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Rose Conway-Walsh: Are we doing an assessment on the impact of BEPS? The previous one was done in 2017 in terms of the €2 billion it may cost. We obviously need an up-to-date assessment on it. Do we have an up-to-date assessment or is that in the pipeline of being done?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Stability Programme Update: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Rose Conway-Walsh: The Central Bank must have an opinion on how important it is to have that done so that we know how much it is likely to cost.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Stability Programme Update: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Rose Conway-Walsh: I will mention two things on the constraints of FDI and growth and production in infrastructure. How important is it that we account for inflation in the spending on the national development plan? We had mention of €2.5 billion per year that is behind €19 billion after 2030. How concerned would the Central Bank be about that in terms of the impact of not being competitive in...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Stability Programme Update: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Rose Conway-Walsh: Of course, it is not just about having places for people to live, as greatly important as this need is. It is also a matter of the escalating rents, which leave less money in people's pockets to spend in local economies and the knock-on impact of this reality. Turning to human capital and the labour force, looking at an all-island approach to human capital and investment in education and...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Stability Programme Update: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Rose Conway-Walsh: Obviously, though, increasing our labour force makes sense across the island as does removing the barriers and restrictions in this regard to offer mobility to workers and opportunities for students to study across the island. Investment in education is not going to impact inflation, so investment in our human capital is, therefore, very important. Moving to the point on the number of...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Stability Programme Update: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Rose Conway-Walsh: There certainly are, but there are certainly people who cannot because of the way the welfare and taxation system is designed. We need better congruence in this regard. We will leave it at that for today, unless anyone else online would like to contribute. No one wishes to. I thank everyone for their contributions.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Stability Programme Update: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Rose Conway-Walsh: One of the biggest constraints pointed out to us by business is the lack of housing and the housing crisis. Looking at the target of 30,000 units, we know, and have known for a long time, that this is kind of meaningless in terms of what we need to do to address the legacy that exists in this area. How concerned would the witnesses be about this aspect? How important would they think it is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Illegal Israeli Settlements Divestment Bill 2023: Discussion (20 Mar 2024)

Rose Conway-Walsh: Cuirim fáilte romhaibh go léir. I have to read this note on privilege first. The evidence of witnesses physically present or who give evidence from within the parliamentary precincts is protected pursuant to both the Constitution and statute by absolute privilege. Witnesses are again reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice that they should not criticise or make...