Results 16,901-16,920 of 27,275 for speaker:Richard Boyd Barrett

Nomination of Taoiseach (Resumed) (6 May 2016)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Even under the supposed Irish Water enhanced investment plan, at its height it will only reach €600 million. That is one third less than what was spent in 2007. Where is the rest of the money going? It is going into the pockets of highly paid executives, consultants and private contractors. That is the truth. It is not going into fixing the pipes or the water infrastructure but...

Crime: Statements (5 May 2016)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Yes. We have seven and a half minutes each. It goes without saying that gangland violence, feuds, executions, armed attacks, terrorising communities, violent turf wars to control the drugs trade and all the accompanying evils that go with this sort of gangland violence should be condemned utterly and we should seek to eliminate them. However, I have heard little in the way of actual...

Agriculture: Statements (4 May 2016)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Following what Deputy Penrose said, and the figures bear it out when one looks at the grants and subsidies, it seems incredible that some of the biggest ones are getting these massive sums of money when small farmers are really struggling to survive. We have already had testimony about how, if things get any worse, many of these people will be bankrupted.

Agriculture: Statements (4 May 2016)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Yes. Therefore, I have two and a half minutes left. Do I?

Agriculture: Statements (4 May 2016)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Yes, seven and a half minutes each. Is it not?

Agriculture: Statements (4 May 2016)

Richard Boyd Barrett: One other thing just strikes me in all of this. Another big contradiction is that we have 600,000 people in this country suffering from food poverty. Is that not an extraordinary contradiction as well? We are one of the biggest producers of food in the world and yet 600,000 people, mostly elderly people, children of the less well-off and so on, are suffering extreme food poverty. It seems...

Agriculture: Statements (4 May 2016)

Richard Boyd Barrett: As a Dublin TD, obviously I am not as familiar as some other Deputies with the problems on the ground and the challenges that face rural Ireland or the agriculture sector. However, I have listened intently to this debate and many previous debates in the area of agriculture and I have started to develop some understanding of the problems facing our farmers and rural Ireland. I still do not...

Agriculture: Statements (4 May 2016)

Richard Boyd Barrett: That is really quite a staggering amount of money, and shows the importance of this sector to the State and our citizens. However, there is a big contradiction between an industry of this scale - we are the biggest exporter of beef, lamb and dairy in the whole of Europe, the biggest exporter of powdered infant formula and the UK's largest supplier of food - and farmers' incomes. It is a...

Business of Dáil (4 May 2016)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I do not want to take away from the importance of any of the issues that have been raised to date but I would add that at the last two Whips' meetings we have asked for a debate about industrial relations issues. Luas industrial action continues and, at this stage, it appears to be a very intractable dispute. We brought Luas workers in here the week before last to meet an all-party group of...

EU Migration and Refugee Crisis: Statements (28 Apr 2016)

Richard Boyd Barrett: The British based writer and journalist, Richard Seymour, recently wrote an article about the refugee crisis entitled "When is a Tragedy a Massacre". In that article, with which I agree, he lays the blame for the massacre of human beings trying to get into the Europe at the door of the European Union. That this is a massacre, let there be no doubt. Since 2000, 22,000 human beings - I agree...

Estimates for Public Services 2016 (28 Apr 2016)

Richard Boyd Barrett: The work of the CSO is very important to allow for planning in key areas like housing, health and education. The information it gathers in the course of the census and the various other reports, publications and surveys that it carries out are of huge importance and make a great contribution, which should help to underpin proper planning by politicians and other Departments. I fully...

Ireland's Stability Programme Update April 2016: Statements (27 Apr 2016)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I echo the point that it is completely unacceptable that we have a document on the State's financial position given to Members at 10 p.m, and that we are expected to give a proper analysis of it with that notice. I register my protest in that regard. Before I get into the substance of the stability programme, I point out that there is no mention whatsoever of the issue of water, yet we...

Business of Dáil (27 Apr 2016)

Richard Boyd Barrett: After eight weeks and five days - almost nine weeks - it would appear that the popular will of the people has finally broken through and forced Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil at least towards the idea that the will of the people should be respected and that this House should honour its democratic mandate on the issue of water charges.

Business of Dáil (27 Apr 2016)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I am speaking about the whole proposed Order of Business. We believe we should now go the next step and allow that decision to be made by taking motions today. A motion has been put down by 39 Members on the issue. We do not need a commission or more dithering or delay. If, finally, the principle that the democratic mandate that is operating on this House in regard to water charges is to...

Business of Dáil (27 Apr 2016)

Richard Boyd Barrett: What I propose is that on the Order of Business today we should allow for the motion that has been put down on the Order Paper and signed by 39 Deputies to be taken and voted on.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payments (27 Apr 2016)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 97. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if the housing assistance payment limit will be raised to an extra €125 per month for a person (details supplied). [8555/16]

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payments (27 Apr 2016)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 99. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 488 of 20 April 2016, the reason only 19 authorities are rolling out housing assistance payment for all households; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8557/16]

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payments (27 Apr 2016)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 102. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide a list of the limits for housing assistance payment in each of the local authorities for each different family size; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8560/16]

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (27 Apr 2016)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 98. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if, further to his letter to a person (details supplied), his Department reached the 2015 targets including the 2,000 rental accommodation scheme tenancies; if these tenancies were new tenancies or renewed tenancies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8556/16]

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payments Eligibility (27 Apr 2016)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 100. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if, with regard to the housing assistance payment for homeless pilot in the four Dublin local authorities, he will put in place the resources within each local authority to assist homeless persons and families and those in immediate risk of homelessness to find a housing assistance payment tenancy instead of the current...