Results 11,861-11,880 of 35,756 for speaker:Pearse Doherty

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (5 Nov 2019)

Pearse Doherty: What degree of support does the Minister want to give them when he is giving individuals a cheque for €20,000 who do not need it to buy a house? What does he want them to do with that money? Does he want to be able to go for a couple of foreign holidays? He is taking that money from other services. It is money that he could put into hospital trolleys, autism services or other areas...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (5 Nov 2019)

Pearse Doherty: The point is that the Minister argued for individuals who do not need the scheme to purchase their property because their loan-to-value ratio is below 85%. He also stated that he does not disregard the fact that this would support other issues. What other support do these people need? Some 41% of people who claim this tax relief do not need it. Why are we giving it to them? What further...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (5 Nov 2019)

Pearse Doherty: Is that even for people who do not need it and who are able to get a mortgage to purchase their house off their own back? Does the Minister still believe that we should give this support to them?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (5 Nov 2019)

Pearse Doherty: Will the Minister explain why we should give a €20,000 cheque to 41% of these claimants who do not need the money in the first place? What is the rationale? They do not need this money to purchase their home; they are able to do it on their own two feet. Why is the State providing them with €20,000?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (5 Nov 2019)

Pearse Doherty: They do not need any level of financial support.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (5 Nov 2019)

Pearse Doherty: That is ridiculous. There is no evidence to suggest that two different metrics are connected. I will read from the Parliamentary Budget Office, PBO, examination in respect of this. It states: In 2018, at least 56% of HTB claims were above the average house price (€286,931). This poses some risk as schemes which stimulate demand for more expensive properties could put inflationary...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (5 Nov 2019)

Pearse Doherty: The Minister should also quote the conclusion of that report, which clearly states: "This suggests that the scheme did not fulfil its original aims in an efficient manner as the scheme supported a significant number of transactions that would have taken place without the scheme." That is the conclusion of the PBO. We can all read selectively if we want and while I do not dispute what the...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (5 Nov 2019)

Pearse Doherty: I move amendment No. 12: In page 20, between lines 24 and 25, to insert the following: “Report on tapering out income tax credits 17. The Minister shall, within 6 months of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before Dáil Éireann a report on tapering out income tax credits for incomes between €100,000 and €140,000 at a rate of 2.5 per cent for each...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (5 Nov 2019)

Pearse Doherty: I move amendment No. 13: In page 20, between lines 24 and 25, to insert the following: “Report on income levy on high incomes 17. The Minister shall, within 6 months of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before Dáil Éireann a report on the introduction of a high income levy of 5 per cent on high incomes in excess of €140,000.”. I withdraw it but...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (5 Nov 2019)

Pearse Doherty: I move amendment No. 14: In page 20, between lines 24 and 25, to insert the following: “Report on maintaining Mortgage Interest Rate Relief 17. The Minister shall, within 6 months of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before Dáil Éireann a report on maintaining the current Mortgage Interest Rate Relief until such time as mortgage interest rates are equivalent to...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (5 Nov 2019)

Pearse Doherty: I move amendment No. 15: In page 20, between lines 24 and 25, to insert the following: “Report on re-introduction of Trade Union Tax Relief 17. The Minister shall, within 6 months of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before Dáil Éireann a report on the reintroduction of the Trade Union Tax Relief.”. This tax relief probably comes down to the way...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (5 Nov 2019)

Pearse Doherty: I know.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (5 Nov 2019)

Pearse Doherty: The timing of the election next year will determine that there will be no changes for a while. It is a valid point. On a serious point, I welcome what the Minister said. Obviously, the intention of this amendment is to ensure a report is produced. The Minister has agreed to produce that report. Therefore, I will withdraw the amendment. I hope that we would receive this report in...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (5 Nov 2019)

Pearse Doherty: I understand we are to take a break.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (5 Nov 2019)

Pearse Doherty: We are due to finish at 6 p.m.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (5 Nov 2019)

Pearse Doherty: It is now after 6 p.m.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (5 Nov 2019)

Pearse Doherty: No.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (5 Nov 2019)

Pearse Doherty: I move amendment No. 16: In page 20, between lines 24 and 25, to insert the following: “Report on income tax relief 17.The Minister shall, within 6 months of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before Dáil Éireann a report on an income tax relief equivalent in value to one month’s rent of an individual available to all renters not already in receipt of any...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (5 Nov 2019)

Pearse Doherty: If the Minister accepts all my positions, those reasons disappear. The Minister made a point about rent increases going right up to the RPZ caps but I said that there is no point in bringing in a measure such as this unless a rent freeze is also introduced. It is of little comfort for those who are paying an average of €1,713 per month in Dublin, or in excess of €2,000 in some...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (5 Nov 2019)

Pearse Doherty: There is no point talking about the 4% cap because rents are increasing at a rate of 7% annually even in RPZs. This has been discussed on numerous occasions at various committees and in the Dáil by myself and others with regard to the ways around the 4%. This committee relies on verifiable statistics. Rents are increasing at 7% annually. The Minister argued that a temporary rent...