Results 24,381-24,400 of 27,080 for speaker:Richard Boyd Barrett

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Taxi Licences (8 Nov 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 23. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when a person (details supplied) will receive their SPSV licence, given that they applied over seven months ago, with no information on its status being communicated to them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48843/23]

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (7 Nov 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: It is a gross understatement to say it is inadequate. What the Minister is proposing is a pathetic drop in the ocean compared to the rents and rent increases people are enduring. There is an extraordinary contrast between the landlord's tax break the Minister has given and the renter's tax credit increase. According to the Minister’s tax policy changes book, he has given almost...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (7 Nov 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I would like clarification on the rationale for this. If I remember the budget speech, it was to the effect that the Minister wanted to mitigate the impact of the changes arising from the OECD BEPS process and the increase in the nominal rate of corporate tax from 12.5% to 15%. I find it extraordinary that the Government dug in against any increases on 12.5% for years despite the...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (7 Nov 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: The group that got the increase, which is far less than they asked for and which would leave them still below the living wage, comprises a small minority of PhD researchers. The Minister should know this. The vast majority of PhD researchers are not in receipt of the stipends the Minister refers to and will not benefit. There is no additional money for even that group in the budget. They...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (7 Nov 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Yes, tax expenditure for research and development. This is public money that we are spending. It is a tax expenditure. As of 2021, it was €753 million. I would like to know what is the most recent figure. I know corporate tax receipts and so on come in later and figures are a bit behind. I would like to know the latest expenditure on research. That is a huge sum of money, at...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (7 Nov 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Why-----

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (7 Nov 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: What is the proportion of the spending?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (7 Nov 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I do not have a problem with small and medium enterprises getting money from the €753 million but I have a big problem with companies that are posting staggering profits getting it. Can the Minister tell us, not the number of companies that benefit, but what proportion goes to certain companies? We know that much of our corporate tax revenue comes from a small number of companies....

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (7 Nov 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Will the Minister repeat the point? Is it €553 million of €753 million?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (7 Nov 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Of which there are 200.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (7 Nov 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: So 200 companies get €559 million.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (7 Nov 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I am sure they get a tax break on that as well.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (7 Nov 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: It did not surprise me.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (7 Nov 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: The issue has been well aired and I am glad I asked the questions, but I do not agree with this measure. I did not know the exact figures, but I speculated that it was overwhelmingly going to the most profitable companies. That has turned out to be the case. The vast majority of the credit is going-----

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (7 Nov 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I will come to that point. It is a fair point.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (7 Nov 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: We do.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (7 Nov 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I thank Deputy English for his-----

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (7 Nov 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Absolutely.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (7 Nov 2023)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Yes, but these points are being made, so for the record, I want to see more money being put into research and development. I do not want to see more money being put into the pockets of those 200 companies because they have enough. I will make the point, when we consider all of this in the round, that there should be a general acceptance that our economy, and economic and industrial model is...