Results 3,301-3,320 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Finance Bill 2008: Report Stage (Resumed) (5 Mar 2008)

Joan Burton: I move amendment No. 10: In page 17, between lines 29 and 30, to insert the following: 14.—Tax relief at source shall be available for environmental service charges.".

Finance Bill 2008: Report Stage (Resumed) (5 Mar 2008)

Joan Burton: I move amendment No. 13: In page 17, between lines 29 and 30, 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.". I recommended this amendment to the Minister previously. It follows from our general...

Finance Bill 2008: Report Stage (Resumed) (5 Mar 2008)

Joan Burton: I understand where the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance is coming from. However, providing child care has become such a complex jigsaw that it is very difficult to understand it fully. A whole series of issues need to be examined because of the anomalies in and unfairness of the system. A new system of charging for community-based child care facilities will be introduced by the Minister...

Finance Bill 2008: Report Stage (Resumed) (5 Mar 2008)

Joan Burton: I move amendment No. 14: In page 17, between lines 29 and 30, to insert the following: 14.—Where an employer provides training to an employee, or pays the training costs of an employee to a third party, the provision or payment shall not constitute a taxable benefit-in-kind.". I moved this amendment on Committee Stage and thank the Minister for responding to it. When employers provide...

Finance Bill 2008: Report Stage (Resumed) (5 Mar 2008)

Joan Burton: The flexibility offered by the amendment would greatly be improved if the Minister changed the period from six months to 12. However, I do not believe it is possible to amend it on the floor of the House. This issue was drawn to my attention by some of the workers and union officials associated with Drogheda Concentrates, the plant of Coca-Cola, which, unfortunately, is closing down....

Finance Bill 2008: Report Stage (Resumed) (5 Mar 2008)

Joan Burton: I am delighted the Tánaiste has tabled the amendment in response to the issues I raised, for which I thank him. Paragraph (iii) requires that the training must be "completed within 6 months of the termination of employment". It would be better if it could be completed within 12 months, to provide extra flexibility. Many workers, particularly those being made redundant by multinationals,...

Written Answers — Health Service Staff: Health Service Staff (5 Mar 2008)

Joan Burton: Question 124: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the assessments carried out on the number of extra general practitioners that will be needed to address population growth and other demands; if it is intended to increase the number of places in the GP training scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9292/08]

Written Answers — Health Service Budget: Health Service Budget (5 Mar 2008)

Joan Burton: Question 126: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the amount of the overall health budget that currently comes from health insurance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9291/08]

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (5 Mar 2008)

Joan Burton: Question 156: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the position where parents or others assist a first time buyer to acquire a house; if this can have implications for first-time buyer's relief; if so, under what conditions; and the checks the Revenue Commissioners carry out to check that FTB rules are adhered to. [9544/08]

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (5 Mar 2008)

Joan Burton: Question 204: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the important service (details supplied) in Dublin 15 to support families with children under five; her views on whether the maintenance of this service is important for the Dublin 15 area; the past commitments given to support this service with mainstream funding; if her attention has been further...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (5 Mar 2008)

Joan Burton: Question 285: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when she expects work to commence on the proposed extension to a school (detail supplied) in Dublin 15; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that the board of management has agreed to facilitate higher enrolment numbers on foot of promises made by her and her Department to provide urgently needed classrooms and other...

Order of Business (6 Mar 2008)

Joan Burton: I object to the debate on the Bill being guillotined at 1 p.m. Yesterday we debated a number of very important amendments. However, the Minister introduced an amendment at the last minute on Monday to allow for the provision of tax breaks for investors in hospice care. Hospice care in Ireland has traditionally been not-for-profit, voluntary and based on fund-raising and bequests. This is...

Order of Business (6 Mar 2008)

Joan Burton: ——it will now be privatised.

Order of Business (6 Mar 2008)

Joan Burton: In reply to the Tánaiste——

Order of Business (6 Mar 2008)

Joan Burton: ——this amendment only concerns investors or investment in private hospice development. That is the wording.

Order of Business (6 Mar 2008)

Joan Burton: I wish to comment on the same issue as that raised by Deputy Kenny.

Order of Business (6 Mar 2008)

Joan Burton: On the various reports into breast cancer services at Portlaoise, Harry S. Truman had a sign on his desk which said "The buck stops here". It appears that for the Government the buck stops anywhere other than on the desks of those who occupy the Front Bench. Will the Government facilitate a debate on a motion by means of which we might seek to identify who was responsible in respect of this...

Order of Business (6 Mar 2008)

Joan Burton: ——or to bringing into being a harm-reduction strategy in order to reduce the number of murders of women?

Finance Bill 2008: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stages (6 Mar 2008)

Joan Burton: I move amendment No. 23: In page 30, between lines 2 and 3, to insert the following: 23.—(1) Section 1041(1) of the Principal Act be amended by inserting the words "in respect of commercial property" in paragraph (a) after the words "Schedule D" and before the word ", or". (2) Section 1041(1) of the Principal Act to be amended by inserting the words "in respect of commercial property" in...

Finance Bill 2008: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stages (6 Mar 2008)

Joan Burton: I thank the Tánaiste for that reply. I very much concur with the thrust of his argument. The issue is to try not to create a liability for tenants who, through no fault of their own, become liable for a tax payment of which they, by and large in the ordinary course of business, would not be aware. I draw to the Tánaiste's attention my amendment No. 53, which I doubt we will reach, about...