Results 22,661-22,680 of 26,350 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: We have been saying that for years.

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: They sure did. It is a pity the Government cannot point to other good things it did.

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: The Government is taking money from people who are saving it for their retirements.

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: The Senator's party asked for it.

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: No, they are not.

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: That is not true.

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: It will affect the average VHI family policy.

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: It is not, because the Government sold it as a minor thing.

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: It is an absolute fact that the Government is penalising people in making provision for their health and that of their families through a reduction of tax relief and a further increase in stamp duty. On budget day the Minister, Deputy Michael Noonan, stated this would only affect a small proportion of gold-plated private health insurance policies.

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: He did.

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: Absolute rubbish.

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: I was there. Did he say "gold-plated" or not?

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: I am sure that in Tallaght over the course of the next year, when the Minister of State is out and about in his constituency and the greater Dublin region, he will meet many people who have been hit with very sizable increases in private health insurance. Many of them are aged 50 years or older and they do not necessarily have the ability to move providers. The Government will now push many...

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: Yes; it was introduced for a period. Not only has it been extended, but any use of language-----

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: It is. There has been use of really cute language and the Government has managed to talk about the private pension levy without saying "0.75%". There has been mention of an additional 0.15% stamp duty levy on pension fund assets in 2014 and 2015, but the existing 0.6% levy will cease at the end of 2014. There seems to be a really good spin doctor in the Department of Finance who is able to...

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: In most cases.

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: It is unfortunate that the Department of Finance did not see fit to respond to correspondence from families outlining the position. I agree that the area needed to be reformed and this was put forward on the day almost as an anti-fraud measure. Family units may split from time to time and with this measure, effectively, the principle of shared parenting has gone out the window. I will...

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: Exactly. It would allow the credit to be shared. Will the Government think about this? This measure will have a massive impact, particularly on those in the average industrial wage bracket of between €30,000 and €40,000, as a €1,600 tax credit is significant. We all know that there are additional costs for parents looking after kids in different homes, where a...

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: Sometimes I surprise myself.

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: I will table an amendment tomorrow specifically to deal with that issue. There are also very serious concerns being raised about the entitlement to use allowances and reliefs to minimise tax liability. It was correctly curtailed in 2006 and again in the Finance Act 2010. I am specifically raising this matter on behalf of family hoteliers who are being treated as high earners if they use a...