Results 3,381-3,400 of 45,510 for speaker:Simon Harris

Seanad: Finance Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (11 Dec 2014)

Simon Harris: The discussion we had on this on Committee Stage was highly technical, but it was important to put that detail on the record of the House. Senators’ concerns about this aspect of private pension provision will be brought to the Minister’s attention directly. In yesterday's debate, I explained the background and rationale for the differential treatment of employer contributions...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (11 Dec 2014)

Simon Harris: I thank Senator Darragh O'Brien for moving this recommendation because it gives me an opportunity to respond to the situation relating to the home carer's tax credit. The system of individualisation has been in the tax code since 1999 and is obviously an integral part of the overall system. When first announced, the stated purpose of individualisation was essentially to ease the burden on...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (11 Dec 2014)

Simon Harris: As I was saying, in tandem with individualisation, a home carer allowance was introduced to compensate couples where one spouse stays at home to care for children or other qualifying individuals. Individualisation was progressed to some extent in later years but was never completed. The result is that we now have a hybrid system with the standard rate band being partially transferable...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (11 Dec 2014)

Simon Harris: I would be delighted to do that because while I agree with much of the Senator's analysis of the economic situation, I do not agree that we should be legislating in the Finance Bill to put in a series of reports. I want to be supportive of many of the points the Senator is raising, and I will be in a moment, but in terms of the reason I am not accepting the amendment, and I have taken this...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (11 Dec 2014)

Simon Harris: I do not wish to have a debate on reform and everything else because we have to get through the Finance Bill by 2 p.m. I could provide statistics until the cows came home. I was responding to the substance and principle of the recommendation. The Senator wants the House to legislate within the Finance Bill for the preparation of a report and it is my responsibility to respond to her...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (11 Dec 2014)

Simon Harris: A one percentage point decrease in income tax rates-----

Seanad: Finance Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (11 Dec 2014)

Simon Harris: At the 41% rate, the cost would be €164 million in 2015 and €234 million in a full year. An increase of €1,000 in the standard rate band would cost €160 million in the first year and €21 million in a full year. I am more than happy to provide the House with information that it is possible to give. I am not in disagreement with the Senator. I disagree...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (11 Dec 2014)

Simon Harris: I thank Senators Darragh O'Brien and Averil Power for the recommendation. It is an issue that was discussed extensively in the Dáil where the Senators' colleague, Deputy Michael McGrath, raised it. We had a lengthy debate on Report Stage in the Dáil also. The bottom line is that this is an issue which the Minister for Finance has asked the Office of the Attorney General to...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (11 Dec 2014)

Simon Harris: Senator Quinn and I had a good exchange on this yesterday. I understand the purpose of what he is trying to do and I tried to alleviate any concerns that there would be other such employees or former employees of universities other than NUI Galway. Certainly, the Revenue Commissioners have made exploratory inquiries with all other relevant universities and they have found no other employee...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (11 Dec 2014)

Simon Harris: I thank Senator O'Brien and Senator White for the recommendation. Although I am sure people are aware of the current rates and structures of the alcohol licensing regime, the Minister for Finance is eager that we briefly outline the current licensing system and the steps the Government proposes to take to tackle the misuse of alcohol, and that this be put on the record of the Seanad. The...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (11 Dec 2014)

Simon Harris: Yes.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (11 Dec 2014)

Simon Harris: I thank Senator O'Brien. This is trickier than it seems at first because of the factors the Senator has outlined with respect to EU law. Nicotine replacement patches are subject to the 23% standard rate of VAT, while other nicotine products such as nicotine inhalers, tablets and chewing gum are categorised as oral medicines and thereby qualify for the zero rate of VAT. Nicotine replacement...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (11 Dec 2014)

Simon Harris: I thank Senator Darragh O'Brien for this series of recommendations. Recommendation No. 15 seeks to give broad discretion to the Minister on when properties should be revalued for LPT purposes. As the local property tax is a new tax, the Government wishes to provide certainty for homeowners. For this reason, valuation periods of three years were introduced, with the exception of the first...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Risk Insurance Cover (16 Dec 2014)

Simon Harris: In March 2014, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Insurance Ireland, the representative body for the insurance industry in Ireland, and the Office of Public Works. This Memorandum sets out principles of how the two organisations will work together to ensure that appropriate and relevant information on completed OPW flood defence schemes is provided to insurers to facilitate, to...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Office of Public Works Projects (16 Dec 2014)

Simon Harris: The following are the OPW managed projects that have availed of the Per Cent for Art Scheme in County Waterford since 1997: 1997 PRAI, (Property Registration Authority) Cork Road, Waterford Commission amount: €7,617 Artist: Killian Schurmann 2003 Waterford Government Offices, The Glen, Waterford Commission amount: €60,000 Artist: Joy Gerrard 2003/2004 Tramore...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Coastal Protection (16 Dec 2014)

Simon Harris: The position in relation to this matter remains as outlined in my reply to the Deputy's Question of 18thNovember, 2014. Under the (Coastal Protection Act, 1963) Kerry County Council may apply for funding for coastal protection works at Kilshannig. A proposal for substantial strengthening works would require detailed planning and feasibility studies and technical analysis to be carried out...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Funding (16 Dec 2014)

Simon Harris: The Government Decision of 11th February 2014 allocated total funding of up to €69.5 million for clean-up, repair and restoration works in relation to public infrastructure that was damaged in the period 13th December 2013 to 6th January 2014. Of this sum of €69.5 million, up to €19.6 million was allocated for repair of existing coastal protection and flood defences based...

Appropriation Bill 2014: Second Stage (18 Dec 2014)

Simon Harris: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." The Appropriation Bill 2014 is an essential element of financial housekeeping that, as Deputies are aware, must be concluded by the Dáil this year. The Bill serves two primary purposes. First, the Appropriation Bill is necessary to authorise in law all of the expenditure that has been undertaken in 2014 on the basis of the Estimates...

Appropriation Bill 2014: Second Stage (18 Dec 2014)

Simon Harris: I do not get the connection with the Bill.

Appropriation Bill 2014: Second Stage (18 Dec 2014)

Simon Harris: I have a lot to get through in five minutes and I am not sure where to start. I found a lot of Deputy Fleming's contribution quite disingenuous. There is no new policy in this Bill. The Deputy is around this House a lot longer than I am and he knows the Appropriation Bill gives technical effect to issues that have been debated to the Nth degree in this House and have been voted on and...