Results 3,661-3,680 of 25,732 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Dec 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: That might be why there are so many foxes running around.

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Dec 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: The Senator must be joking.

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Dec 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: Carry on.

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Dec 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: Stephen Collins wrote about that.

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Dec 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: The amendment was seconded by Senator Ó Domhnaill.

Seanad: Credit Reporting Bill 2012: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: I welcome the Minister and thank him for his detailed explanation of the Bill which is an important step forward in improving the current arrangements for the recording of consumer credit information. We will support the Bill in the Seanad, as we did in the Dáil. When will the new regime be up and running once the Bill is passed? There have been some reports that it will be as late as...

Seanad: Credit Reporting Bill 2012: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: Absolutely. There is quite a lot to it. With regard to errors, I welcome the fact that if somebody - usually the lending institution - makes a change to a record, the individual must be advised of that. I assume the advice must be in writing. That has not happened up to now and most people would have no idea what information is held with the credit bureau on their behalf or the type of...

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: Yes, the Government just robs people's pensions instead. It is a great move for under-funded pension schemes.

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit ar ais go dti an Teach. I thank the Minister of State for his detailed explanation of the legislation, which copperfastens and reinforces a terribly unfair and savage budget. However, I welcome a number of provisions such as the abolition of the travel tax and the home improvements credit. More should have been done about providing early access...

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: It is an absolute fact that the Government is penalising people in making provision for their health and that of their families through a reduction of tax relief and a further increase in stamp duty. On budget day the Minister, Deputy Michael Noonan, stated this would only affect a small proportion of gold-plated private health insurance policies.

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: He did.

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: Absolute rubbish.

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: I was there. Did he say "gold-plated" or not?

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: I am sure that in Tallaght over the course of the next year, when the Minister of State is out and about in his constituency and the greater Dublin region, he will meet many people who have been hit with very sizable increases in private health insurance. Many of them are aged 50 years or older and they do not necessarily have the ability to move providers. The Government will now push many...

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: Yes; it was introduced for a period. Not only has it been extended, but any use of language-----

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: It is. There has been use of really cute language and the Government has managed to talk about the private pension levy without saying "0.75%". There has been mention of an additional 0.15% stamp duty levy on pension fund assets in 2014 and 2015, but the existing 0.6% levy will cease at the end of 2014. There seems to be a really good spin doctor in the Department of Finance who is able to...

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: In most cases.

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: It is unfortunate that the Department of Finance did not see fit to respond to correspondence from families outlining the position. I agree that the area needed to be reformed and this was put forward on the day almost as an anti-fraud measure. Family units may split from time to time and with this measure, effectively, the principle of shared parenting has gone out the window. I will...

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: Exactly. It would allow the credit to be shared. Will the Government think about this? This measure will have a massive impact, particularly on those in the average industrial wage bracket of between €30,000 and €40,000, as a €1,600 tax credit is significant. We all know that there are additional costs for parents looking after kids in different homes, where a...

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: Sometimes I surprise myself.