Results 43,701-43,720 of 51,305 for speaker:Micheál Martin
- Confidence in the Taoiseach and the Government: Motion (15 Jun 2010)
Micheál Martin: Deputies referred to property and to relationships in politics, and so on. We have been treated to many slogans in that regard.
- Confidence in the Taoiseach and the Government: Motion (15 Jun 2010)
Micheál Martin: We are in the national Parliament. Will Deputy Shortall respect my right to make my contribution?
- Confidence in the Taoiseach and the Government: Motion (15 Jun 2010)
Micheál Martin: If people read the report by Regling and Watson, they would be aware that it states that our taxation system favoured the property and construction sectors. Regling and Watson identified two issues.
- Confidence in the Taoiseach and the Government: Motion (15 Jun 2010)
Micheál Martin: They instanced the fact that there was mortgage interest relief and no property tax. In recent years, would any Member of the House have advocated the introduction of a property tax and the elimination of mortgage interest relief? It is to obtain the answers in respect of questions such as this that it is necessary to read the reports.
- Confidence in the Taoiseach and the Government: Motion (15 Jun 2010)
Micheál Martin: The profound impact of the adoption of the euro has not been mentioned during this debate.
- Confidence in the Taoiseach and the Government: Motion (15 Jun 2010)
Micheál Martin: Regling and Watson's report refers to a quantum change in terms of the volume of wholesale money that came into our banks.
- Confidence in the Taoiseach and the Government: Motion (15 Jun 2010)
Micheál Martin: There is also the matter of competition in the banking sector.
- Confidence in the Taoiseach and the Government: Motion (15 Jun 2010)
Micheál Martin: I did not say that.
- Confidence in the Taoiseach and the Government: Motion (15 Jun 2010)
Micheál Martin: With the greatest of respect and as the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform pointed out, the Labour Party favoured increased public expenditure and less taxation.
- Confidence in the Taoiseach and the Government: Motion (15 Jun 2010)
Micheál Martin: Before the 2007 general election, the then leader of the Labour Party, Deputy Rabbitte - who was subsequently removed from that position - was first out of the traps in the context of promising further tax reductions. We accept some culpability in respect of reducing the tax base, a matter to which both reports refer. However, the Labour Party wanted to reduce that base further and to...
- Confidence in the Taoiseach and the Government: Motion (15 Jun 2010)
Micheál Martin: The level of interruption is appalling.
- Confidence in the Taoiseach and the Government: Motion (15 Jun 2010)
Micheál Martin: Tax incentive schemes relating to property were not introduced today or yesterday. The first urban renewal schemes were, for example, introduced in the 1980s. The parties opposite are well acquainted with schemes because it was they who introduced them.
- Confidence in the Taoiseach and the Government: Motion (15 Jun 2010)
Micheál Martin: I accept that they were needed. Do the Deputies recall the seaside resorts scheme? That was quite a recent scheme that was pioneered by Deputies Kenny and Quinn. Earlier, Deputy Quinn referred to the horror in the midlands and section 23. Does the Deputy not recall the seaside resorts scheme?
- Confidence in the Taoiseach and the Government: Motion (15 Jun 2010)
Micheál Martin: What was pathetic about that scheme was that there was one for everybody in the audience. By audience, I refer to those who served in the Cabinet of the rainbow coalition.
- Confidence in the Taoiseach and the Government: Motion (15 Jun 2010)
Micheál Martin: Once one Minister in the Cabinet to which I refer was granted a seaside resort scheme, they all wanted one.
- Confidence in the Taoiseach and the Government: Motion (15 Jun 2010)
Micheál Martin: I invite the Deputies opposite to visit some of those seaside resorts-----
- Confidence in the Taoiseach and the Government: Motion (15 Jun 2010)
Micheál Martin: -----in order to witness the appalling consequences of the scheme.
- Confidence in the Taoiseach and the Government: Motion (15 Jun 2010)
Micheál Martin: The Taoiseach, when he was Minister for Finance, was the first person to-----
- Confidence in the Taoiseach and the Government: Motion (15 Jun 2010)
Micheál Martin: ----take action in respect of tax reliefs. He was the first Minister for Finance to do so.
- Confidence in the Taoiseach and the Government: Motion (15 Jun 2010)
Micheál Martin: All of those opposite were lobbying for tax relief at the time.