Results 2,221-2,240 of 11,785 for speaker:Niall Collins

Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Report Stage (6 Nov 2012)

Niall Collins: May I comment on these amendments?

Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Report Stage (6 Nov 2012)

Niall Collins: Thank you, Chairman. This legislation allows for the establishment of a personal insolvency regime which will, possibly alone along among all State-backed schemes, include no independent appeals function. It is weaker for this omission which means that where a creditor refuses a debtor's request to come to an arrangement, the latter has no resort. Where an application for a medical card,...

Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Report Stage (6 Nov 2012)

Niall Collins: I am anxious to make that point for the record.

Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Report Stage (6 Nov 2012)

Niall Collins: We discussed this issue on Committee Stage. We remain of the view that the €20,000 limit is too low and are seeking, in amendment No. 11, to increase it to €50,000. When one adds up all of the small liabilities that a person might have, including credit card debt, car loans, credit union loans and so on, in the vast majority of cases they will come to an amount potentially far...

Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Report Stage (6 Nov 2012)

Niall Collins: I wish to seek clarification on this limit of €20,000. We will probably have the same discussion when we come to the limit of €3 million for personal insolvency arrangements. Apart from MABS and the experience in the North of Ireland, what else has informed the Minister's thinking in arriving at the figure of €20,000? That is what we are trying to elicit. It would be...

Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Report Stage (Resumed) (6 Nov 2012)

Niall Collins: Amendment No. 14 seeks to increase from €60 or less to €150 or less the amount of disposable income which a person may have at the end of the month in order to qualify for a debt relief notice. The amount involved is very small. We are now getting into the arbitrary debate around what level one should set a monetary amount. However, €60 is very little. As I stated on...

Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Report Stage (Resumed) (6 Nov 2012)

Niall Collins: I move amendment No. 14:In page 26, line 9, to delete “€60” and substitute “€150”.

Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Report Stage (Resumed) (6 Nov 2012)

Niall Collins: I move amendment No. 24:In page 27, between lines 17 and 18, to insert the following:"(iv) assets necessary for the maintenance or education of any children of the debtor who are aged 18 years or under,".This amendment seeks to provide, in the calculation of a person's assets, for any materials relating to the education of his or her dependants under the age of 18. We discussed this issue in...

Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Report Stage (Resumed) (6 Nov 2012)

Niall Collins: I will withdraw my amendment on the basis that it is covered by the Minister's proposals.

Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Report Stage (Resumed) (6 Nov 2012)

Niall Collins: I move amendment No. 25:In page 27, between lines 28 and 29, to insert the following:"(ii) one item of jewellery of ceremonial significance of a value not to exceed such amount as may be determined by the Minister by regulation,".We had an interesting exchange on this issue on Committee Stage. At the time, the Minister pointed out that we did not have a value placed on items of jewellery. We...

Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Report Stage (Resumed) (6 Nov 2012)

Niall Collins: That was the Minister's fault.

Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Report Stage (Resumed) (6 Nov 2012)

Niall Collins: The Minister is well aware that there is currently a huge trade in precious metals through the cash-for-gold outlets and various pop-up shops that are creeping into towns and villages all over the place. They are accepting precious items for cash, so that will also feed into this. I am not trying to be populist, but it is a question of treating people with respect and dignity. It is not...

Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Report Stage (Resumed) (6 Nov 2012)

Niall Collins: We are deferring to the Minister's wisdom.

Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Report Stage (Resumed) (6 Nov 2012)

Niall Collins: If the Minister is happy to accept a limit of €500-----

Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Report Stage (Resumed) (6 Nov 2012)

Niall Collins: I am. Is the Minister?

Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Report Stage (Resumed) (6 Nov 2012)

Niall Collins: I accept what the Minister is saying and everyone must acknowledge he has come a long way since the Committee Stage debate. Deputy Donnelly's proposal is acceptable to me and as Fianna Fáil's press officer is off-duty at present, the Minister is okay in that regard. However, I ask the Minister to give consideration to this matter because it pertains to people's respect and dignity. I...

Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Report Stage (Resumed) (6 Nov 2012)

Niall Collins: I move amendment No. 26:In page 27, to delete line 32 and substitute the following:“(I) is appropriate to the needs of the debtor or the debtor’s family,”.Again, this pertains to the value of the motor vehicle in the context of valuing people's assets. The amendment proposes that the vehicle should be viewed as appropriate to the needs of the debtor and the debtor's family....

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Common Agricultural Policy (6 Nov 2012)

Niall Collins: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the proposals that have been published by the EU Commission in relation to pillar 2 of the common agricultural policy; if proposals have not been published the dates on which he expects to publish same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48256/12]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes Penalties (6 Nov 2012)

Niall Collins: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers that were penalised under the single farm payment scheme and disadvantaged area scheme in 2011; the total financial amount of the penalties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48257/12]

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Unemployment Statistics (6 Nov 2012)

Niall Collins: To ask the Taoiseach if he will confirm the latest unemployment figures in respect of those signing on at the Tallaght Social Protection Office, Dublin 24; if he will also provide the comparison with the similar month for the past two years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48510/12]