Results 161-180 of 7,504 for speaker:Cian O'Callaghan
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (Resumed) (23 Sep 2025)
Cian O'Callaghan: Dr. Kelly, in his opening statement, made the observation that those companies "exporting to the US tend to be larger, more productive" than those exporting to UK or European Union markets. Why is that the case? How can it be addressed?
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (Resumed) (23 Sep 2025)
Cian O'Callaghan: So some of it is volume.
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (Resumed) (23 Sep 2025)
Cian O'Callaghan: What about the issue of productivity?
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (Resumed) (23 Sep 2025)
Cian O'Callaghan: Is there not a difference between some elements of the multinational sector in terms of productivity and some elements of the more indigenous sector?
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (Resumed) (23 Sep 2025)
Cian O'Callaghan: More investment and research.
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (Resumed) (23 Sep 2025)
Cian O'Callaghan: I thank the witnesses for coming in. First, the opening statement states that the economy is arguably overheating with capacity constraints driven by infrastructure and housing deficits. What are the signs of it overheating at the moment? What kind of impacts and risks are associated with that?
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (Resumed) (23 Sep 2025)
Cian O'Callaghan: To summarise what Dr. McDonnell is saying, we are at risk of overheating now if we do not make the right choices.
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (Resumed) (23 Sep 2025)
Cian O'Callaghan: On the €2 billion increase on capital spending outlined in the summer economic statement, does Dr. McDonnell think that is sufficient in terms of the ratio between capital and current expenditure?
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (Resumed) (23 Sep 2025)
Cian O'Callaghan: Our construction sector productivity is quite poor relative to comparable countries. There is a lack of investment in equipment and technology, and a lack of private sector investment in particular in those areas. Does Dr. McDonnell have any ideas how to address that productivity gap in the construction sector?
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (Resumed) (23 Sep 2025)
Cian O'Callaghan: There is a lack of private sector investment in that at the moment, and that is what the data shows.
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (Resumed) (23 Sep 2025)
Cian O'Callaghan: On the area of research and development, in the opening statement it was argued that much higher spending on public research and development is needed to bring us into line with other advanced countries and economies. This is described as a consistent and frustrating policy failure. Does Dr. McDonnell have any view on why this area of public research and development is being neglected so...
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (Resumed) (23 Sep 2025)
Cian O'Callaghan: It does seem to be a particular weakness. We had some discussion earlier about some strengths that we have as a country but this seems to be a particular weakness.
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (Resumed) (23 Sep 2025)
Cian O'Callaghan: I thank the witness for coming in. On the point about the challenge of infrastructure, delivering it, and the importance of financing infrastructure, IBEC's pre-budget submission has a costing of €86 million to do the reduction on VAT for apartments and to discontinue development levies on new-build apartments. Does that €86 million include replacement funding for...
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (Resumed) (23 Sep 2025)
Cian O'Callaghan: Is the increase in property tax in the submission?
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (Resumed) (23 Sep 2025)
Cian O'Callaghan: There is an absolute logic to what Mr. Brady just said regarding where taxation falls and how it is collected. There is a risk with this that it could then lead to higher site values. Are there any measures he can propose to ensure a reduction in VAT would not be effectively captured by increased site values?
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (Resumed) (23 Sep 2025)
Cian O'Callaghan: Regarding general funding on infrastructure, the IBEC submission provides for €1.3 billion in new infrastructure spending. The summer economic statement provides for €2 billion. IBEC is advocating for less spending on infrastructure than the Government.
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (Resumed) (23 Sep 2025)
Cian O'Callaghan: Okay, so it is €1.4 billion in addition to-----
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (Resumed) (23 Sep 2025)
Cian O'Callaghan: That makes sense. IBEC is advocating a budget day package of €3 billion, but that is in addition to maintaining existing levels of public service. Does Mr. Brady have an estimate on that and what would be the overall budget package?
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (Resumed) (23 Sep 2025)
Cian O'Callaghan: It could be an overall package of €7 billion compared to the Government's of €9.4 billion.
- Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (Resumed) (23 Sep 2025)
Cian O'Callaghan: On page 12 of the submission, there is a striking graph of investment into capital expenditure in Ireland compared to other countries. It shows that in almost every year we are significantly behind other countries. This is an ongoing problem. Is what IBEC proposes going to bring us up to a sufficient level of capital expenditure?