Results 24,861-24,880 of 26,550 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Mar 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: Senator Keane is sore because she got cut short.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Mar 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: Citizens have rights too.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Mar 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: That is the problem.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Mar 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: Yes.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2012 (Certified Money Bill): Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Mar 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: I will be brief, as there are several sections to get through and the Minister must deal with a number of pressing issues. During Second Stage yesterday, my party outlined its overall view of the Bill. I will only comment on the relevant sections. We will not comment on the sections that have already been discussed. For efficiency's sake, colleagues across the floor might follow this line...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2012 (Certified Money Bill): Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Mar 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: I move recommendation No. 8: In page 11, before section 2, but in Chapter 1, to insert the following new section: "2.--(1) On or before the end of each tax year the Minister for Finance shall set out the total amount of each of the following categories of public expenditure as a percentage of the total voted and non-voted current and capital expenditure for that tax year-- (a) voted capital...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2012 (Certified Money Bill): Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Mar 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Minister for his response to our recommendation, which is somewhat similar to what the Chancellor proposed yesterday. It would be fair to say, based on the letters sent to pensioners earlier this year, that while the Revenue Commissioners have come a long way in ensuring their forms are more understandable, they also have a long way to go. Many senior citizens found the...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2012 (Certified Money Bill): Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Mar 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: I will withdraw the recommendation on that basis. Recommendation, by leave, withdrawn.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2012 (Certified Money Bill): Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Mar 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: I have a few questions on this section. This section effectively removes the tax exemption for the first 36 days of illness benefit and occupational injury benefit. In his statement yesterday, the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Hayes, said that in some circumstances when an employee goes sick and continues to be paid by the employer, the employee can be better off financially on sick leave...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2012 (Certified Money Bill): Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Mar 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Minister for that explanation. Much of what he has said makes sense. We have discussed absenteeism at length and the comparison between absenteeism in the private and public sectors. Effectively, the Minister is saying this section is included in the Bill to deal with public sector short-term sick leave. Is that the situation? Does the Minister see this section having any...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2012 (Certified Money Bill): Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Mar 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: This in no way, shape or form relates to the ongoing discussions in Government in regard to social welfare payments to employers.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2012 (Certified Money Bill): Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Mar 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: Fine. I will not oppose the section.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Mar 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: I raised the issue of the household charge yesterday. Every day that passes shows the current method of attempting to collect it is failing. The information campaign is negligible and the Government is not speaking with one voice. The Tánaiste seemed, to put it mildly, confused yesterday afternoon when answering questions about how individuals would go about paying the charge To be...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Mar 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: In fairness, we did the Seanad some service yesterday by informing and educating some Members on the other side of the House, particularly some of the newcomers to Fine Gael who may have learned some lessons.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Mar 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: I was not talking about the Senator. Yesterday's debate was important and covered new politics. I mentioned the breaching of pay caps for special advisers. The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Simon Coveney, has a great friend, Mr. Fergal Leamy, who was his special adviser and is an eminent individual. He said he would come on board as his patriotic duty and left...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Mar 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: I refer to the new special adviser to the Minister, Deputy Coveney. Ms Mary Minihan and The Irish Times gave us a very clear insight into the Fine Gael Parliamentary Party meeting yesterday evening when the matter was discussed at length. I ask my Fine Gael colleagues on the other side of the House to consider the fact that the most recent adviser appointed to the Government has once again...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2012 (Certified Money Bill): Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Mar 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: Does the Department or the Office of the Revenue Commissioners track the excise duty on motor fuel? I am interested in hearing the answer to the question on the proportion of tax taken on a litre of fuel. At budget time, it was stated the cost of a litre was approximately €1.50 or €1.51 but this has increased to €1.68 to €1.70. The international pressures that bring themselves to...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2012 (Certified Money Bill): Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Mar 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: I remind Senators this is the Seanad of the Republic of Ireland. We have no jurisdiction over Northern Ireland. In fairness to Senator Cullinane, I understand why he is getting tired of hearing constant jibes about what is happening in the North. It is irrelevant in the context of what we are doing in this House.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2012 (Certified Money Bill): Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Mar 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: The memorandum of understanding agreed a phased increase of VAT to 23% over a two-year period rather than 2% up front. I ask the Minister to review the cut he made to VAT not only for the hospitality sector but also other industries. The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Varadkar, who is wont to make off-the-cuff remarks in this regard, questioned whether the reduced rate...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2012 (Certified Money Bill): Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Mar 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: I want clarification on this section, which relates to the increase in the imputed income to 5% or 6% for approved retirement funds, ARF, or a vested PRSA in excess of €2 million. The previous Government introduced the imputed annual distribution on approved retirement funds and it makes sense. There are also significant changes to section 18, resulting in the reduction of the allowable...