Results 19,861-19,880 of 35,925 for speaker:Pearse Doherty

Establishment of a Commission of Inquiry into the National Asset Management Agency: Statements (1 Feb 2017)

Pearse Doherty: The quote continues: It is alleged that PIMCO discovered that payment of a fixer fee of £15 million was requested, to be paid if PIMCO was successful. PIMCO reported this to NAMA and withdrew from the process. According to the response to a Sinn Féin freedom of information request, the Minister for Finance, Deputy Noonan, [was aware of that but did absolutely nothing to prevent...

Establishment of a Commission of Inquiry into the National Asset Management Agency: Statements (1 Feb 2017)

Pearse Doherty: In a few months' time, it will have been three years since I asked the Minister a parliamentary question on the sale of Project Eagle. When I asked him about the process and bidders - the Minister might read the transcript, given that he is leaving the Chamber - he told me before the sale was concluded that everything was okay. We now see that everything was not okay. Indeed, a deeply...

Establishment of a Commission of Inquiry into the National Asset Management Agency: Statements (1 Feb 2017)

Pearse Doherty: Which position does Fianna Fáil support today? Does it want a commission of investigation or is it reverting to its position of March-June 2016? Deputy McGrath's colleague endorsed both positions but I do not know how their party can have it both ways. Either Fianna Fáil wants a commission established - and rightly so, given the statement at the time that there would be an...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: EU State Aid Rules - Investigation into Preferential Tax Rulings: European Commissioner for Competition (31 Jan 2017)

Pearse Doherty: Can I pick up on that last point? It was used by some to ridicule the judgment. The common phrase used was that we cannot be the tax collector for the rest of the world. In her 130-page report, the Commissioner cited two different member states - Italy was one and another which was not mentioned - which had already established that for a short time Apple’s profits were taxable in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: EU State Aid Rules - Investigation into Preferential Tax Rulings: European Commissioner for Competition (31 Jan 2017)

Pearse Doherty: If we cut through the technicalities in the report, it seems hard not to arrive at the conclusion that the Commission does not believe this was simply a misunderstanding or a misapplication of procedure by the relevant authorities in Ireland. Does the Commission believe that this was a deliberate attempt by the Irish authorities to provide a tax advantage to this particular company in Ireland?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: EU State Aid Rules - Investigation into Preferential Tax Rulings: European Commissioner for Competition (31 Jan 2017)

Pearse Doherty: I appreciate that. With regard to the selectivity, the witness looked at other advanced opinions from this State. How many in total were examined? Can the witness give an estimate?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: EU State Aid Rules - Investigation into Preferential Tax Rulings: European Commissioner for Competition (31 Jan 2017)

Pearse Doherty: With regard to other tax rulings that the Commission has looked at, the report stated there was no profit allocation study for the original tax rulings in 1991 and 2007. There was no profit allocation study or transfer pricing report associated with those tax rulings. Is that the same for other similar tax rulings the Commission has looked at?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: EU State Aid Rules - Investigation into Preferential Tax Rulings: European Commissioner for Competition (31 Jan 2017)

Pearse Doherty: There was a reference in the report to when Apple began to negotiate its tax liability in 1990. The Apple adviser said there was no scientific basis to the estimate of $30 million to $40 million, which would be the taxable base. In the Commission's examination of the further minutes, was any scientific basis ever provided to underpin that figure?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: EU State Aid Rules - Investigation into Preferential Tax Rulings: European Commissioner for Competition (31 Jan 2017)

Pearse Doherty: The risk and control.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: EU State Aid Rules - Investigation into Preferential Tax Rulings: European Commissioner for Competition (31 Jan 2017)

Pearse Doherty: In making the judgment the Commission made, the witness was obviously conscious - I am sure it did not sway her opinion - that this was the largest company on the globe and that there would likely be an automatic appeal to come from it. What checks did the Commission take to ensure it was on sound legal footing? Does the European Court of Justice, ECJ, judgment in the Santander case bolster...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: EU State Aid Rules - Investigation into Preferential Tax Rulings: European Commissioner for Competition (31 Jan 2017)

Pearse Doherty: The €13 billion or so must be recalculated by the Irish authorities so that they can arrive at a figure and very helpfully, the Commission has given an estimate of what that figure is. Revenue will have to recalculate it and must calculate the interest. There have been reports, for example, that the interest may be €1.5 billion. Others have calculated that it should be in the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Corporate Governance (31 Jan 2017)

Pearse Doherty: 119. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of issues raised in the Office of Director of Corporate Enforcement's 2010 paper, Submission on White Collar Crime, that have been dealt with by the Government; the relevant piece of legislation or regulation they were addressed in; her plans to implement the remaining recommendations; and if she will make a statement on the matter....

Written Answers — Department of Finance: VAT Rate Application (31 Jan 2017)

Pearse Doherty: 125. To ask the Minister for Finance if the Revenue Commissioners or his Department has examined whether the recent ECJ ruling on VAT on the M50 toll will have any effect on any other applications of VAT; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3961/17]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Insurance Costs (31 Jan 2017)

Pearse Doherty: 139. To ask the Minister for Finance the policy and legislative steps he is taking to ensure the cost of insurance is not prohibitively expensive for businesses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4514/17]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Provision (31 Jan 2017)

Pearse Doherty: 233. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the total number of course places for tourism and hospitality related training courses, including course title, based in County Donegal which were available to candidates for 2015 and 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4418/17]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Provision (31 Jan 2017)

Pearse Doherty: 234. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the total number of course places per county for tourism and hospitality related training courses, including course title, which were available to candidates for 2015 and 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4419/17]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Provision (31 Jan 2017)

Pearse Doherty: 235. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the total funding allocated to County Donegal-based training facilities for the provision of tourism and hospitality related training courses and programmes for 2015 and 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4420/17]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Provision (31 Jan 2017)

Pearse Doherty: 236. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the total funding allocated to all institutions and training facilities for the provision of tourism and hospitality related training courses and programmes for 2015 and 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4421/17]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Provision (31 Jan 2017)

Pearse Doherty: 237. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the role which his Department plays in the development of tourism and hospitality skills and training policy; the extent to which co-operation exists with other Departments, agencies, bodies and other stakeholders in policy development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4422/17]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Defibrillators in Schools Provision (31 Jan 2017)

Pearse Doherty: 192. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if consideration will be given to a request from a school (details supplied) in County Donegal for the provision of a defibrillator; the funding options and appropriate channels through which such a device may be applied for and sought; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4115/17]