Results 2,521-2,540 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Finance Bill 2007: Report Stage (Resumed). (7 Mar 2007)

Joan Burton: The Minister's minimum wage has become the maximum for many workers.

Finance Bill 2007: Report Stage (Resumed). (7 Mar 2007)

Joan Burton: The unemployment rate was 18% when we entered office.

Finance Bill 2007: Report Stage (Resumed). (7 Mar 2007)

Joan Burton: The Government's minimum wage constitutes the maximum for too many families. That is what is wrong with it.

Finance Bill 2007: Report Stage (Resumed). (7 Mar 2007)

Joan Burton: I refer to €9 an hour.

Finance Bill 2007: Report Stage (Resumed). (7 Mar 2007)

Joan Burton: I move amendment No. 13: In page 21, between lines 1 and 2, to insert the following: "14.—The Minister for Finance may by regulations provide that the tax relief for childminding shall be available to persons who have care of children in accordance with conditions prescribed by such regulations, irrespective of the number of such children.". I raised this issue with the Minister on...

Finance Bill 2007: Report Stage (Resumed). (7 Mar 2007)

Joan Burton: Yes. I know the Minister was disappointed at the take-up.

Finance Bill 2007: Report Stage (Resumed). (7 Mar 2007)

Joan Burton: This measure would improve it.

Finance Bill 2007: Report Stage (Resumed). (7 Mar 2007)

Joan Burton: I had asked the Minister to give consideration to the Labour Party amendment in light of the discussion we had.

Finance Bill 2007: Report Stage (Resumed). (7 Mar 2007)

Joan Burton: I move amendment No. 16: In page 21, between lines 1 and 2, to insert the following: "14.—Where an employer provides a childcare facility directly to an employee, or pays the childcare costs of an employee to a third party, the provision or payment shall not constitute a taxable benefit in kind.". Will the Minister outline his response to this amendment?

Finance Bill 2007: Report Stage (Resumed). (7 Mar 2007)

Joan Burton: I thank the Minister for his reply. I am not sure whether he appreciates that there are two different scenarios for employees. Those who work for large companies or in the public sector often have quite attractive arrangements available to them on foot of employer-supplied child care provision. While not all employees may want workplace crèches or crèches associated with the workplace,...

Finance Bill 2007: Report Stage (Resumed). (7 Mar 2007)

Joan Burton: I am disappointed with the attitude taken by the Minister and surprised he is not more familiar with the burden parents carry in terms of child care costs. It is increasingly the reality for young couples that both parents have to work in order to pay their mortgage. The cost of child care is prohibitive and the availability of places is limited, particular for people at the low wage end of...

Finance Bill 2007: Report Stage (Resumed). (7 Mar 2007)

Joan Burton: I move amendment No. 17: In page 21, between lines 1 and 2, to insert the following: "14.—The provisions of the Principal Act regarding travel benefit in kind shall be extended to make provision for disregarding the benefit of monthly and quarterly tickets provided by an employer.". The purpose of this amendment is to make it as easy as possible for employees to use public transport. The...

Finance Bill 2007: Report Stage (Resumed). (7 Mar 2007)

Joan Burton: According to the Minister, unless integrated ticketing is introduced, there will not be scope for flexibility within the system, particularly in the greater Dublin region. I do not know how long the integrated ticketing project will take but the different parties to it seem to be locked in mortal combat. CIE and Dublin Bus are proceeding with their own scheme. A sum of €40 million has...

Finance Bill 2007: Report Stage (Resumed). (7 Mar 2007)

Joan Burton: The Minister must have been surprised to receive several hundred applications from people with very large individual pension funds. I refer to the small self-administered pension funds referred to as being small because they apply to an individual, not because they are small in size. However, hundreds exceeded the Minister's €5 million limit. If I recall the figures, he told Members that...

Finance Bill 2007: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (7 Mar 2007)

Joan Burton: To help Deputies, could the Minister supply the House with the current figures for all of the pension funds under the small self-administered pension schemes as discussed on Committee Stage? Regarding exemption certificates, could the Minister supply the House with the figures in bands of €5 million? The €1 million to €5 million band would be the relevant one because of the...

Finance Bill 2007: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (7 Mar 2007)

Joan Burton: Deputy Bruton's point was that if some of the benefits received by the very wealthy through the Minister and his predecessor's schemes were made available to people on lower incomes through attractive schemes, we might start to see a higher level of desired pension provision.

Finance Bill 2007: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (7 Mar 2007)

Joan Burton: Restrictions on the amount of the capital sums, as regards BES, came as a surprise. One of the problems for small to medium sized business, SMEs, is the lack of capitalisation. I do not know whether it is a matter of the capital a company will get or whether the Minister is more attracted by the personal tax relief for investors, but I was struck by the fact that he included recycling under...

Written Answers — Commemorative Events: Commemorative Events (7 Mar 2007)

Joan Burton: Question 136: To ask the Minister for Defence the progress made on preparing for the Easter Rising Commemoration in 2007. [8764/07]

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (7 Mar 2007)

Joan Burton: Question 227: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the fact that people in receipt of contributory pensions who were due an extra days payment in January 2007 due to changes in the system of payments have received this payment at the 2006 rate instead of at the 2007 rate; if his Department will make arrangements for recipients to receive the...

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (7 Mar 2007)

Joan Burton: Question 278: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to the fact that there is a waiting list of 60 applicants for a first year place in a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15 for the school year starting in September 2007; the measures she is taking to provide the additional second level places that are required in the area; if a decision has been...