Results 17,161-17,180 of 27,080 for speaker:Richard Boyd Barrett
- Finance Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) (25 Nov 2015)
Richard Boyd Barrett: The problem is that the multinationals are engaging in aggressive tax avoidance to the point that they pay tax at pitifully low levels. In some individual cases, the tax rate is estimated to be 0%. The US congressional committee and bureau of statistics are saying the American multinationals, the big IT multinationals, operating in this country are paying at a rate of 2%. Do we consider...
- Other Questions: Afforestation Programme (25 Nov 2015)
Richard Boyd Barrett: They should not see it as being in competition with other farming activities, rather it should complement them as well as helping us to deal with the urgent climate change challenge.
- Other Questions: Afforestation Programme (25 Nov 2015)
Richard Boyd Barrett: There are two aspects of this. One is trying to encourage farmers to see the benefits of forestry. I am learning as I go. We need to get the message across to farmers about how the different types of agroforestry can benefit them. They need to see it as a win-win situation rather than seeing it as a competition over land use for existing farming activities. We need to educate people and...
- Other Questions: Afforestation Programme (25 Nov 2015)
Richard Boyd Barrett: With a bit of imagination that land could be used for forestry if it were given to local communities, co-operatives and so on.
- Other Questions: Afforestation Programme (25 Nov 2015)
Richard Boyd Barrett: 6. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the role he envisages forestry playing in helping Ireland meet European Union climate mitigation targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41393/15]
- Other Questions: Afforestation Programme (25 Nov 2015)
Richard Boyd Barrett: We have discussed forestry many times in this House. I was glad and, more importantly, champions of forestry were very glad to hear the Minister's recent comments to the effect that he sees afforestation as a key measure to deal with our CO2 emissions problems. In representing the view of those who champion forestry, I have emphasised the value of agroforestry as a key measure in mitigating...
- Other Questions: Afforestation Programme (25 Nov 2015)
Richard Boyd Barrett: The Minister and I certainly are in agreement on the principle here, which I am very glad to hear. However, we need to be more ambitious and to push this as far and as effectively as we can. The Programme of Competitive Forestry Research for Development, COFORD, estimates that to achieve our 17% forestry target by 2014, we need to be planting 15,000 ha per annum. We are still well short of...
- Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (25 Nov 2015)
Richard Boyd Barrett: 39. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will establish a dedicated unit focused on ensuring that all farms make greater use of native forestry as a climate change mitigation measure, to assist Ireland in meeting European Union emission reduction targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41392/15]
- Finance Bill 2015: Report Stage (24 Nov 2015)
Richard Boyd Barrett: The amendment I submitted on the knowledge development box has been ruled out of order for being a potential charge on the people, which is the new formulation. It used to be "a potential charge on the Exchequer". The new formulation is ironic in this case. If we eliminated the tax loopholes that benefit multinationals and allow them to aggressively avoid paying large amounts of tax, far...
- Finance Bill 2015: Report Stage (24 Nov 2015)
Richard Boyd Barrett: Notwithstanding the clowning around, Deputy Durkan made one serious point on the environmental question and the merits or otherwise of bringing gas and oil onshore. He is absolutely correct in that regard. I believe most of it should not be taken out of the ground. For this reason, the State must have complete power of decision making in this area. If any of this oil and gas is brought...
- Finance Bill 2015: Report Stage (24 Nov 2015)
Richard Boyd Barrett: While accepting that they had to co-operate with these companies to get the industry going, they committed to using the country's resources to develop a state company that would deliver all the benefits to Norway in the medium to long term. We have not done that.
- Finance Bill 2015: Report Stage (24 Nov 2015)
Richard Boyd Barrett: I brought in a jar of oil to Deputy Rabbitte one day. It was taken from the Connemara field. He said in this House one day that there had never been a drop of oil taken from the Irish offshore. I got a call from someone who worked in the Connemara field. He said to me it so happened that he had a drop of oil from the Connemara field.
- Finance Bill 2015: Report Stage (24 Nov 2015)
Richard Boyd Barrett: We are changing now.
- Finance Bill 2015: Report Stage (24 Nov 2015)
Richard Boyd Barrett: I brought in a jar of this oil.
- Finance Bill 2015: Report Stage (24 Nov 2015)
Richard Boyd Barrett: The interesting thing was that this jar was from-----
- Finance Bill 2015: Report Stage (24 Nov 2015)
Richard Boyd Barrett: No, no.
- Finance Bill 2015: Report Stage (24 Nov 2015)
Richard Boyd Barrett: It filled a tanker, which was then taken off to Norway.
- Finance Bill 2015: Report Stage (24 Nov 2015)
Richard Boyd Barrett: It filled a tanker from the Connemara field.
- Finance Bill 2015: Report Stage (24 Nov 2015)
Richard Boyd Barrett: I want to explain this to the Deputies opposite.
- Finance Bill 2015: Report Stage (24 Nov 2015)
Richard Boyd Barrett: I was told by a person who worked on the rig in question that we do not have anybody on these rigs to see what they are doing. He explained that we are relying on the information given to us by the oil companies. That is in contrast with what was done in Norway. In the initial period, the Norwegian authorities had to make deals with the oil companies because they did not have sufficient...