Results 3,341-3,360 of 35,563 for speaker:Pearse Doherty

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (7 Nov 2023)

Pearse Doherty: We are going to take our time to deal with this section because it is a really important section.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (7 Nov 2023)

Pearse Doherty: Okay. The Minister made the point that he believes tax is an issue for landlords leaving the sector. I asked him this question and I am going to ask it again. Does he accept that, regarding taxation for landlords, the effective tax rate has reduced in the past decade? Does he accept that or not?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (7 Nov 2023)

Pearse Doherty: The Minister for Finance is sitting opposite me and, no harm to him, will not even tell this committee what is an undisputed fact. The effective tax rate for landlords has reduced in the past ten years. That is a fact. The Minister will not admit that because it challenges his measure. It challenges what he said. It challenges the rationale where he said tax is a reason landlords are...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (7 Nov 2023)

Pearse Doherty: Are you serious?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (7 Nov 2023)

Pearse Doherty: Are you-----

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (7 Nov 2023)

Pearse Doherty: Is the Minister serious that he is not able to tell us whether the tax rate for landlords-----

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (7 Nov 2023)

Pearse Doherty: He is bringing forward a measure-----

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (7 Nov 2023)

Pearse Doherty: -----that puts €3,600 into the pockets of landlords and he cannot tell us if tax rates for landlords have gone up or down in the past decade. This is hilarious stuff.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (7 Nov 2023)

Pearse Doherty: Can he seriously not tell us that?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (7 Nov 2023)

Pearse Doherty: No. You are the Minister. We are debating your policy.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (7 Nov 2023)

Pearse Doherty: Can the Minister tell us if tax for landlords has gone up or down in the past decade?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (7 Nov 2023)

Pearse Doherty: No, I do not.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (7 Nov 2023)

Pearse Doherty: No, I do not.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (7 Nov 2023)

Pearse Doherty: Does the Minister want an answer to that question?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (7 Nov 2023)

Pearse Doherty: I will answer his question, unlike the Minister, who cannot even tell us, as Minister for Finance, whether the effective rate on landlords has gone up or down in the past ten years. It is laughable. He knows the answer to that question but he is just afraid to say it. When he dips to this kind of misrepresentation of Sinn Féin policy, I know he is under pressure.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (7 Nov 2023)

Pearse Doherty: I am talking about his-----

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (7 Nov 2023)

Pearse Doherty: -----respect and his misrepresentation of policy with regard to landlords, indefinite eviction bans-----

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (7 Nov 2023)

Pearse Doherty: -----and rent bans, etc. That is not our policy.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (7 Nov 2023)

Pearse Doherty: The Minister knows that is not it. We are in favour of a rent ban for three years. That is what he should do and what I would do if I was in his position. I would support tenants and would make a very clear decision to support tenants and not landlords at this point in time. I would make that decision. That is what I would do as Minister for Finance.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (7 Nov 2023)

Pearse Doherty: We know that the Minister's priorities are about putting money into the pockets of landlords. On the reform with regard to private rental income, the Minister should absolutely be doing that. Indeed, we will be proposing amendments in that regard. The fact is that those who rent in this city - the vulture funds - pay no income tax with regard to their rents and pay no CGT with regard to...