Results 5,941-5,960 of 36,188 for speaker:Pearse Doherty

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Mortgage Resolution Processes (24 Jan 2023)

Pearse Doherty: A person of whom I am aware is paying €400 a month more. That is €4,800 to the vulture fund. The code of conduct states that where a borrower is experiencing repayment difficulty, a regulated entity must explore all the options for alternative repayment arrangements offered by the entity. There are no options in this case. The vulture fund offers no options. The Government...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Mortgage Resolution Processes (24 Jan 2023)

Pearse Doherty: We have touched on this issue previously. The question relates to the cohort of around 114,000 individuals who have mortgages with the vulture funds. The issue is the code of conduct on mortgage arrears. The Minister gave me an answer last week suggesting that they could look at alternatives or could move to a different mortgage provider but these people have no alternative. These vulture...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tax Code (24 Jan 2023)

Pearse Doherty: Will the Minister take the Taoiseach aside and explain to him that his Department, the ESRI and other experts, including the Commission on Taxation and Welfare, whose members were the experts appointed by the Government, are all of the view that taxpayers funding developers will only deepen the pockets of those developers without actually increasing supply? Will the Minister have that...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Banking Sector (24 Jan 2023)

Pearse Doherty: Can I clarify something with the Minister? The programme for Government committed to assess the CCMA, including the available suite of alternative repayment arrangements, and to ensure it has full legal effect. Is the Government going to do that or is it just saying that the Central Bank is carrying out a piece of work that will take us up to 2025? This is a far wider consumer protection...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tax Code (24 Jan 2023)

Pearse Doherty: 74. To ask the Minister for Finance his views on introducing additional tax measures for developers and investors in the residential property market; if he agrees with a previously commissioned report (details supplied) that such incentives would represent a clear waste of scarce public resources and would lead to an increase in site and property prices; and if he will make a statement on the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tax Code (24 Jan 2023)

Pearse Doherty: In November of last year, the Taoiseach made plain his desire to introduce tax breaks for private developers. That sums up the approach of the Government in housing policy and the cul-de-sac which the Taoiseach's thinking has entered. Unfortunately, he is taking struggling renters and prospective owners down that cul-de-sac with him and stunting their life plans and hopes for the future....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tax Code (24 Jan 2023)

Pearse Doherty: With respect, I have asked the Minister a direct question here. The Taoiseach is upfront about it - he wants tax breaks for developers. That is the cul-de-sac which he wants us to go down, which underlines the abject failure of the housing policy of this Government and indeed the Taoiseach. Can the Minister for Finance tell the House if he is willing to consider tax breaks for developers?...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Insurance Industry (24 Jan 2023)

Pearse Doherty: 66. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will introduce measures to ensure that recent reforms in the insurance sector will result in proportional reductions in premiums for consumers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3330/23]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Insurance Industry (24 Jan 2023)

Pearse Doherty: The personal injury guidelines have been in effect since April 2021. Despite the sharp reductions in personal injury awards and claims through the High Court, there is growing frustration that the benefits of the reforms are not being passed on in full to customers, businesses, community groups, sporting organisations, etc. The money is being pocketed by the industry. Will the Minister of...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Insurance Industry (24 Jan 2023)

Pearse Doherty: I wish the Minister of State well. Most of what she said could have been written by the insurance industry. That is disappointing. We really need to work on this. It does not take much time. Industry profits are already being boosted. Personal injury awards are down by 38% in the book of quantum. It has already happened. The number of cases that went through the courts in the first...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Insurance Industry (24 Jan 2023)

Pearse Doherty: I agree, and I will work with the Minister of State on other legislation, particularly on the duty of care and some other needed reforms. However, we passed legislation. I supported that legislation but not to deepen the pockets of the insurance industry. Awards have been slashed and the numbers going through the courts have dropped dramatically. The profits of the industry have...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tax Collection (24 Jan 2023)

Pearse Doherty: I will be interested to see if that economic analysis and impact assessment on whether this rate will go back up will be published before a decision is taken. The Taoiseach remarked this month that it would be possible to extend the reduction while excluding hotels. Is that on the cards? Is there potential for that? It would also have to exclude all holiday accommodation such as bed and...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tax Collection (24 Jan 2023)

Pearse Doherty: 64. To ask the Minister for Finance his views on extending the reduced 9% rate of VAT for the hospitality and tourism sector; its estimated cost, including and excluding hotel accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3329/23]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tax Collection (24 Jan 2023)

Pearse Doherty: The reduced VAT rate for the hospitality and tourism sectors is due to end at the end of February. As we know, these sectors face a number of headwinds this year, including the economic downturn, reduced disposable income and higher travel costs; together with a number of tailwinds, including pent-up demand to travel as a result of the Covid restrictions being eased, risk subsiding and the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tax Collection (24 Jan 2023)

Pearse Doherty: Although it is noted on the Register of Members' Interests, I wish to declare that I am a director of a music festival that benefited from the 9% VAT rate. It is a not-for-profit organisation. The reduced rate of VAT was introduced in November 2020 during the pandemic more to support the cash margins of struggling businesses than to incentivise a reduction in prices. The total cost of the...

Forestry Sector: Motion [Private Members] (24 Jan 2023)

Pearse Doherty: Hear, hear.

Forestry Sector: Motion [Private Members] (24 Jan 2023)

Pearse Doherty: We are waiting for the Government to announce its position.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tax Reliefs (24 Jan 2023)

Pearse Doherty: 62. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will consider the introduction of timely, targeted and temporary mortgage interest relief in the context of rising interest costs for mortgage borrowers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3328/23]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tax Reliefs (24 Jan 2023)

Pearse Doherty: I welcome the Minister for Finance and the Minister of State to their first oral questions and wish them good luck in their new roles. This question is about the reaction required to the European Central Bank, ECB's interest rate hikes. Interest rates have increased by 2.5%, with a further increase of approximately 1% unfortunately expected by the end of the year. These increases are...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tax Reliefs (24 Jan 2023)

Pearse Doherty: It is disappointing that the Minister is ruling it out at this point because the full impact of interest rate hikes is yet to be felt, with retail banks still to pass them on fully through fixed and variable rates. Bank of Ireland has made announcements about its fixed rates. It is widely expected that this position will change in the coming months. The picture is mixed. Nearly 250,000...