Results 1,681-1,700 of 3,962 for speaker:Lisa Chambers

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Submission: Irish Universities Association (17 Sep 2019)

Lisa Chambers: I thank the witnesses for attending. Mr. Miley has been quoted publicly as saying that it is time for politicians to stop saying what they do not want and to commit to solutions. What is the IUA's view on how third level should be funded? What solution will the association commit to?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Submission: Irish Universities Association (17 Sep 2019)

Lisa Chambers: Can Mr. Miley explain what he meant when he said that those who can afford to pay something should pay? Will ability to pay be adjudicated by the universities or the State? Has the association done any work on what its solution might look like? The association has come in here and said there is a funding problem. I ask him to please explain how its solution to the funding problem will...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Submission: Irish Universities Association (17 Sep 2019)

Lisa Chambers: I thank Mr. Miley. I am still not clear as to what his solution is or how it works. If Mr. Miley is looking at rebalancing on the basis of the earning potential of a particular course, it will do exactly what we do not want to do, which is to become a course for those in certain postcodes because they can afford the repayments. That will put certain professions out of reach for many...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Submission: Irish Universities Association (17 Sep 2019)

Lisa Chambers: What does Mr. Miley mean that it has been dealt with? I ask him to explain that.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Submission: Irish Universities Association (17 Sep 2019)

Lisa Chambers: Is it not the case that the universities had two months notice?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Submission: Irish Universities Association (17 Sep 2019)

Lisa Chambers: That is exactly what I am talking about. I am asking Mr. Miley to comment on the rent increases that happened before the universities were brought under the umbrella of the residential tenancies legislation. People were particularly upset by those increases.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Submission: Irish Universities Association (17 Sep 2019)

Lisa Chambers: I wish to clarify one issue. I do not agree that the price increases were set before there was any indication that pressure zones were going to come in. For more than two years, we have been pressing for rent pressure zones to cover university accommodation. It was very clear that this was coming down the tracks. Some universities are charging in excess of €1,000 more per month for...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Scrutiny: Minister for Finance (17 Sep 2019)

Lisa Chambers: The Minister has made the decision that this will be a Brexit budget. What will make this a Brexit budget, given that to fund what might be needed in the event of a no-deal outcome, the Government plans to borrow?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Scrutiny: Minister for Finance (17 Sep 2019)

Lisa Chambers: Is it correct that it is not intended to use the fiscal space available for Brexit emergency funding and that it will be used for ordinary spending?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Scrutiny: Minister for Finance (17 Sep 2019)

Lisa Chambers: Last week, IFAC representatives came before the committee and their view was that whatever supports were needed for Brexit should come from available budget funding and borrowing should not be the default option. I take it the Minister does not agree with that.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Scrutiny: Minister for Finance (17 Sep 2019)

Lisa Chambers: It was the view of Mr. Tutty in particular that the country is not in as good a position as it could have been in dealing with Brexit and that surpluses should have been run since 2015, or the past three years, in effect. They did not materialise. Does the Minister have a response to that?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Scrutiny: Minister for Finance (17 Sep 2019)

Lisa Chambers: I am not sure it is a strong or persuasive argument to say the Minister did not run a surplus because Opposition politicians did not ask him to. That is effectively what he said. Representatives of IFAC, an independent watchdog that exists to ensure we do not repeat the mistakes of the past, came before the committee last week and were scathing in their comments. Effectively, they said the...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Scrutiny: Minister for Finance (17 Sep 2019)

Lisa Chambers: I appreciate that the Minister would have been under considerable pressure every year to spend and finance certain public services. Health is a particular difficulty. It is his responsibility to deal with that pressure. I am sure it was immense and that it will continue.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Scrutiny: Minister for Finance (17 Sep 2019)

Lisa Chambers: That is the process of questioning at a committee. I read the Minister's opening statement, which indicates that public spending must only be financed by revenue that is predictable and sustainable. Corporation tax receipts are neither predictable nor sustainable and yet they were used to plug considerable holes in health spending last year. It looks like we are on track for significant...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Scrutiny: Minister for Finance (17 Sep 2019)

Lisa Chambers: It is anticipated that much of the overrun will happen towards the end of the year so the figure could increase.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Scrutiny: Minister for Finance (17 Sep 2019)

Lisa Chambers: With regard to Brexit planning, it is accepted that certain sectors are more exposed than others, with tourism and agriculture or agrifood probably being most exposed. They are big employers in rural communities, particularly in the west and north west. Reports from Ernst & Young last week suggest rural communities could go into a type of recession, while there is a report today from...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Scrutiny of Tax Expenditures (Resumed) (11 Sep 2019)

Lisa Chambers: I thank Ms Gunnell for her presentation. On the special assignee relief programme, the main countries we are competing against are the Netherlands and the UK. With which other countries we competing?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Scrutiny of Tax Expenditures (Resumed) (11 Sep 2019)

Lisa Chambers: In terms of what we offer, how do we compare to our main competitors? Is ours a more favourable country to come to work in? Are the tax incentives a little better here?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Scrutiny of Tax Expenditures (Resumed) (11 Sep 2019)

Lisa Chambers: Not the most attractive?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Scrutiny of Tax Expenditures (Resumed) (11 Sep 2019)

Lisa Chambers: Besides extending it to new hires, are there any other changes that Ms Gunnell thinks should be made?