Results 18,821-18,840 of 35,924 for speaker:Pearse Doherty

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Corporation Tax Receipts: Department of Finance and Revenue Commissioners (14 Jun 2017)

Pearse Doherty: I will ask my final question and then let in my colleagues. The point Mr. McCarthy is making is that the end justifies the means, as if to say: "Bugger the other rules and if we get to the point anyway, we will be okay and it does not matter that we have broken the rules on the way." I am not a big fan of the rules, but I just want to understand the position. For us, the expenditure...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Corporation Tax Receipts: Department of Finance and Revenue Commissioners (14 Jun 2017)

Pearse Doherty: And Mr. McCarthy will come back on the fiscal space.

Leaders' Questions (1 Jun 2017)

Pearse Doherty: Fine Gael has been in government.

Leaders' Questions (1 Jun 2017)

Pearse Doherty: There is a lot of tension in Fine Gael this weather. It will all be over next week, folks - just relax.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Motor Insurance Costs: Minister of State at the Department of Finance (1 Jun 2017)

Pearse Doherty: Cuirim fáilte roimhe an Aire Stáit roimh an coiste. The Minister of State says he hopes to have more clarity shortly about the timescale for Setanta but he has given no clarity for the hundreds of people who have been waiting years for their payments. Can he give any indication of when payments will be made to these individuals?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Motor Insurance Costs: Minister of State at the Department of Finance (1 Jun 2017)

Pearse Doherty: A total of 250 payments will issue shortly. What is the timescale for the other 1,400?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Motor Insurance Costs: Minister of State at the Department of Finance (1 Jun 2017)

Pearse Doherty: That would probably be next year for the second tranche.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Motor Insurance Costs: Minister of State at the Department of Finance (1 Jun 2017)

Pearse Doherty: Will all the claims that have been settled be paid out by the start of the summer? Will they be paid out during or by the end of July, for example?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Motor Insurance Costs: Minister of State at the Department of Finance (1 Jun 2017)

Pearse Doherty: Will people in my constituency whose cases have been settled for years receive their payments before July?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Motor Insurance Costs: Minister of State at the Department of Finance (1 Jun 2017)

Pearse Doherty: Does the Minister of State envisage that they will be paid out before the start of summer?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Motor Insurance Costs: Minister of State at the Department of Finance (1 Jun 2017)

Pearse Doherty: When we met representatives of the insurance industry privately, and when they came before this committee, they suggested that the Setanta case was a factor in driving up prices. What assurances have they given the Minister of State, now that they have won the Setanta case, that they will reduce prices for consumers who they fleeced in the past couple of years while this matter was going...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Motor Insurance Costs: Minister of State at the Department of Finance (1 Jun 2017)

Pearse Doherty: Did the CEO the Minister of State met give him a commitment that the judgment will result in a reduction in the premiums charged by his or her company?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Motor Insurance Costs: Minister of State at the Department of Finance (1 Jun 2017)

Pearse Doherty: That means the company could just make more profits. I presume, however, the Minister of State, who has direct responsibility here, having seen his constituents and citizens across the State fleeced by these companies, demanded or, at least, suggested that they reduce their premiums, particularly as this case was the main excuse they used for ramping up prices. Did he walk away from that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Motor Insurance Costs: Minister of State at the Department of Finance (1 Jun 2017)

Pearse Doherty: If it does not result in such a reduction, what is the Minister of State, who has responsibility in this area, going to do? Will he continue to allow insurance companies to do as they please on this issue? They ramped up insurance prices and told us face to face that this was the main driver because of the uncertainty, because they had to reserve-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Motor Insurance Costs: Minister of State at the Department of Finance (1 Jun 2017)

Pearse Doherty: They told me that it was one of the main drivers because they had to reserve money not just for Setanta but in respect of any similar situations in the future. They also suggested to this committee that it was one of the main drivers. Given that the uncertainty is gone and we have seen insurance premiums increase to extraordinary levels in the past three years, what action can or will the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Motor Insurance Costs: Minister of State at the Department of Finance (1 Jun 2017)

Pearse Doherty: Are there estimates in the Department regarding the percentage increases in recent years resulting from the uncertainty relating to Setanta?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Motor Insurance Costs: Minister of State at the Department of Finance (1 Jun 2017)

Pearse Doherty: Of the increases over the past three years of approximately 70%, was it 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 15% or 20%? Does the Minister of State have any idea of the percentage?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Motor Insurance Costs: Minister of State at the Department of Finance (1 Jun 2017)

Pearse Doherty: The point I am making is there is no way to measure that. I presume the Minister of State has not asked the CEOs if what they factored into the price increases to consumers was a result of this uncertainty. In regard to the Government proposal that the industry would still pay out 35% claims in regard to future Setanta-like situations, is the industry view that this is still creating...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Motor Insurance Costs: Minister of State at the Department of Finance (1 Jun 2017)

Pearse Doherty: My question was on whether the Government will give a commitment that all claimants to Setanta Insurance will receive 100% of their claim. In other words, if there is a 5% shortfall, will the Government lift the barrier in regard to the ICF legislation to allow for payment of the additional 5% and so on in order that these claimants will not be penalised, as will be the case for future...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Motor Insurance Costs: Minister of State at the Department of Finance (1 Jun 2017)

Pearse Doherty: The Government is effectively doing that because the 65% is an unknown liability from the Insurance Compensation Fund. That money is recouped through a levy. The Minister's report today in terms of an update is not great and warrants only a grade C or C+ because he has missed three of his targets so far.