Results 9,521-9,540 of 12,604 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Seanad: Finance Bill 2008 (Certified Money Bill): Committee Stage. (13 Mar 2008)

Willie O'Dea: In principle, there is much merit in the Senator's amendment. Many annuities have fallen in value or are not as valuable when they come to be paid as was originally anticipated. This is because the yield from Government bonds has dropped considerably and there has also been considerable turmoil in the international equity markets. The other difficulty with annuities is that, generally...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2008 (Certified Money Bill): Committee Stage. (13 Mar 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I will convey the Senator's view to the Tánaiste. People in the public sector, including ourselves, are fortunate in that we have a defined contribution scheme. The existing position covering many smaller contributors in the PAYE system, whom I suspect the Senator has in mind, could be described as paternalistic. The Government is of the view that if some employees are given the option of...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2008 (Certified Money Bill): Committee Stage. (13 Mar 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I did not receive the specific letter to which Senator Twomey referred but I am aware of what is being said and who is saying it. I disagree with the Senator's argument. The current position is that where an employer gives an employee shares in the company, those shares are taxable at their current market value. What is happening in many cases is that companies are giving shares,...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2008 (Certified Money Bill): Committee Stage. (13 Mar 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I will.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2008 (Certified Money Bill): Committee Stage. (13 Mar 2008)

Willie O'Dea: Getting the Revenue Commissioners involved in the area of health and safety is a step too far. There is a bewildering array of health and safety regulations and the Revenue has plenty to do. Moreover, it is not qualified to assess such issues because its expertise lies elsewhere.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2008 (Certified Money Bill): Committee Stage. (13 Mar 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I appreciate that point but there are requirements in place regarding the fulfilment of health and safety regulations. In most cases to which this amendment would be applicable, there is already a requirement for a health and safety certificate. In addition, many claimants for tax relief will have purchased the property involved from the developer and will have no responsibility or control...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2008 (Certified Money Bill): Committee Stage. (13 Mar 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I understand the thinking behind Senator Kelly's amendment. Where a tenant is paying rent to a foreign landlord, even if he or she is in receipt of rental allowance from the HSE, the law requires that the tenant must deduct tax at the standard rate from the rent paid against the liability the foreign landlord will ultimately have for tax. This imposes an onerous burden on tenants. I am not...

Order of Business (13 Mar 2008)

Willie O'Dea: We have had more of a chance than the Deputy.

Order of Business (13 Mar 2008)

Willie O'Dea: It could be worse. It could be the Deputy.

Order of Business (13 Mar 2008)

Willie O'Dea: What if Deputy Enda Kenny was in charge?

Seanad: Finance Bill 2008: Second Stage (12 Mar 2008)

Willie O'Dea: Who writes Senator Kelly's scripts?

Seanad: Finance Bill 2008: Second Stage (12 Mar 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I sincerely thank Senators for their comments and will try to address each of them as best I can. First, however, I want to outline to the House the economic context of the legislation. The Bill is being presented against the backdrop of more modest growth in the Irish economy. As is well known, this reflects the significant reduction in house-building activity we are currently going...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2008: Second Stage (12 Mar 2008)

Willie O'Dea: I will get the data on that and forward them to the Senator. I thank the Senators for the constructive debate we have had and I hope I have addressed some of the points raised by them. In accordance with Standing Order 131, I request the Cathaoirleach to direct the Clerk to make two minor corrections to the Bill which are of a formal or verbal nature. In section 24, page 32, line 7, the...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2008: Second Stage (12 Mar 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The Finance Bill 2008 contains the legislative proposals required to implement the tax changes announced by the Tánaiste in the budget last December. It also contains a range of other tax measures which will contribute significantly to underpinning growth in key sectors of the economy. The principal aims of this Bill are to support enterprise, innovation and employment, to advance...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2008: Second Stage (12 Mar 2008)

Willie O'Dea: Doctors should not be exempt either.

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (11 Mar 2008)

Willie O'Dea: All Defence Forces units deploying with EUFOR TCHAD/RCA are and will be equipped with extensive communications equipment which will include Very High Frequency, and High Frequency radio's, personal role radio, satellite phones and satellite communications for voice and data. They will also be equipped with global positioning systems (GPS). With regards to maps, in addition to having a supply...

Written Answers — Overseas Missions: Overseas Missions (11 Mar 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The Defence Forces, in association with the EUFOR TCHAD/RCA Operation Headquarters, Paris, has in place a logistics operational planning process for the deployment of Irish troops to Chad. As part of the Defence Forces Strategic Plan for the mission, the deployment of the full contingent of Ireland's troops will be by chartered flight. It will be a direct flight from Dublin to Chad and it...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Strength: Defence Forces Strength (11 Mar 2008)

Willie O'Dea: The White Paper on Defence of February 2000 set out a figure of 10,500 personnel for the Permanent Defence Force as the strength sufficient to meet all foreseeable military requirements for the period comprehended by the White Paper (i.e. up to 2010). This remains the position. It is my intention to maintain the established Government policy of ongoing recruitment to the Defence Forces....

Written Answers — Official Travel: Official Travel (11 Mar 2008)

Willie O'Dea: During the past couple of months I visited Sweden in relation the Nordic Battlegroup (NBG), Irish personnel serving with EUFOR TCHAD/RCA in the Operational Headquarters in Paris and with EUFOR in Bosnia and Herzegovina. On 7th November 2007, I visited Sweden to attend the Final Exercise (FINEX), carried out by the Nordic Battlegroup (NBG). The other members of the Nordic Battlegroup are...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (11 Mar 2008)

Willie O'Dea: A total of 24 people attended courses on stress management between 2005 and 2007. Two lunchtime briefing sessions on the issue of stress awareness were also held in 2007. A wide range of supports and services relating to stress management issues are available to staff on a confidential basis through the department's Employee Assistance Officer. This includes a dedicated web page that...