Results 10,201-10,220 of 12,388 for speaker:Paul Murphy

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Future Funding of Domestic Water Services: Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government and Mr. Séamas Ó Tuathail, SC (25 Jan 2017)

Paul Murphy: I thank Ms Graham. My next question is on the next protection that provides a further safeguard and was introduced in 2014. First, the legislation says the Houses of the Oireachtas must pass a resolution. Second, it refers to the majority of members in a plebiscite. Third, the Minister would have to initiate legislation. Is it the case that the requirement for a plebiscite can be removed...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Future Funding of Domestic Water Services: Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government and Mr. Séamas Ó Tuathail, SC (25 Jan 2017)

Paul Murphy: So that can simply be removed. I thank Ms Graham. What is the value of the share capital in Irish Water?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Future Funding of Domestic Water Services: Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government and Mr. Séamas Ó Tuathail, SC (25 Jan 2017)

Paul Murphy: Is the share capital worth €1 million?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Future Funding of Domestic Water Services: Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government and Mr. Séamas Ó Tuathail, SC (25 Jan 2017)

Paul Murphy: Yes. The share capital is worth €1 million. Are the underlying assets worth many multiples of that sum?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Future Funding of Domestic Water Services: Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government and Mr. Séamas Ó Tuathail, SC (25 Jan 2017)

Paul Murphy: Is that the case at the moment?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Future Funding of Domestic Water Services: Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government and Mr. Séamas Ó Tuathail, SC (25 Jan 2017)

Paul Murphy: Yes. Are they worth many multiples of €1 million?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Future Funding of Domestic Water Services: Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government and Mr. Séamas Ó Tuathail, SC (25 Jan 2017)

Paul Murphy: Can Ms Graham confirm the value of the share capital owned by Ervia? As far as I know, it is worth 1 cent.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Future Funding of Domestic Water Services: Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government and Mr. Séamas Ó Tuathail, SC (25 Jan 2017)

Paul Murphy: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Future Funding of Domestic Water Services: Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government and Mr. Séamas Ó Tuathail, SC (25 Jan 2017)

Paul Murphy: I have a final question and perhaps other members can follow up this matter. The Department has claimed that it is not possible for Irish Water, as things currently stand, to dispose of assets, transfer them or borrow against them in such a way that the assets held by Irish Water would be reduced. Is that correct?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Future Funding of Domestic Water Services: Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government and Mr. Séamas Ó Tuathail, SC (25 Jan 2017)

Paul Murphy: That seems contrary to the memorandum and constitution of Irish Water.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Future Funding of Domestic Water Services: Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government and Mr. Séamas Ó Tuathail, SC (25 Jan 2017)

Paul Murphy: It seems to me that there are multiple articles within the constitution of Irish Water that enable it to transfer, with ministerial permission but I will leave it there for the moment.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East Peace Process (25 Jan 2017)

Paul Murphy: 56. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on his recent attendance at the international Middle East peace conference; his views on the position being taken by President Trump in relation to the rights of the Palestinian people and in particular his intention to move the embassy of the United States to Jerusalem; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3055/17]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (25 Jan 2017)

Paul Murphy: 59. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on representations that he has made to international bodies regarding the persecution of the Rohingya population in Myanmar; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3056/17]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ministerial Meetings (25 Jan 2017)

Paul Murphy: 73. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has contacted the President of the United States of America, Mr Donald Trump; his views on the policies of his administration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3053/17]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Extradition Arrangements (25 Jan 2017)

Paul Murphy: 78. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the potential extradition of a person (details supplied) to the United States of America, in view of comments made by President Trump regarding the case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3054/17]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: EU Corporate Taxation and Investment and Growth Strategies: Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs (24 Jan 2017)

Paul Murphy: First, I do not agree with the majority position in the committee or the position of the Parliament. Our group, the Anti-Austerity Alliance-People Before Profit, voted against it in the Parliament because we think tax avoidance is one of the major scandals of our age. It is a major contributory factor to the inequality which sees eight people in the world own the same as the bottom 50% and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: EU Corporate Taxation and Investment and Growth Strategies: Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs (24 Jan 2017)

Paul Murphy: I will be concrete as to the reason I believe the Irish Government would be concerned about the CCCTB. In terms of those who play the game of the mismatches between tax systems, would lawyers, corporate lawyers and accountancy firms not lose out? They are a major element in this, and they have political weight. Is it the case that those corporate lawyers and accountants who are engaged in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: EU Corporate Taxation and Investment and Growth Strategies: Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs (24 Jan 2017)

Paul Murphy: The Commissioner spoke at a corporate tax event today the title of which was Ireland Vs The World. That gives one a sense of how sections of the elite in Ireland see this question of tax competition.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: EU Corporate Taxation and Investment and Growth Strategies: Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs (24 Jan 2017)

Paul Murphy: Would the Commissioner agree that in terms of the model of tax competition, and this goes beyond the question of the CCCTB, which the Irish Government at times advocates - it is part of what is described as an industrial policy but in reality it is a policy of tax competition - the space for that policy is dramatically restrained by two events, namely, the prospect of a so-called bargain...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: EU Corporate Taxation and Investment and Growth Strategies: Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs (24 Jan 2017)

Paul Murphy: The apportionment of one third of profits by reference to sales is irrational. It leads to an element of double counting because the countries already get a benefit from VAT and it clearly benefits the bigger economies with no justification because it does not relate to value being added - real production that leads to profits. What is the justification for one third going to sales?