Results 3,761-3,780 of 36,066 for speaker:Pearse Doherty

Leaders' Questions (28 Nov 2012)

Pearse Doherty: First, this is not an allowance. Ministers must write to the Revenue Commissioners to ask that their income tax bill be written down by an amount that can be up to €6,500 in unvouched expenses.

Leaders' Questions (28 Nov 2012)

Pearse Doherty: I will outline what it includes.

Leaders' Questions (28 Nov 2012)

Pearse Doherty: This is my question. If a Minister decides to buy a house in Dublin, all of the mortgage interest will be written off against his or her income tax bill. His or her solicitor's fees will be written off against his or her income tax bill.

Leaders' Questions (28 Nov 2012)

Pearse Doherty: His or her auctioneer's fees will be written off against his or her income tax bill. No one knows whether the Taoiseach is one of the 13 Ministers who have availed of this tax break. How many Ministers have availed of the €3,500 deduction for the purposes of having their laundry done because they stay in a hotel or guesthouse? The people deserve clarity and openness.

Leaders' Questions (28 Nov 2012)

Pearse Doherty: All of the expenses paid to Deputies are published on the Oireachtas website. At this point no one knows the 13 Ministers who are reducing their income tax bill by this scheme which the Taoiseach when in opposition promised to abolish when the other gang was availing of it.

Leaders' Questions (28 Nov 2012)

Pearse Doherty: No Deputy is allowed to reduce his or her income tax bill.

Leaders' Questions (28 Nov 2012)

Pearse Doherty: Perhaps the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Brendan Howlin, is availing of it.

Leaders' Questions (28 Nov 2012)

Pearse Doherty: Hands up those who are availing of it.

Order of Business (28 Nov 2012)

Pearse Doherty: It is not agreed. It is unlikely all of the time provided for Report Stage of the Credit Union Bill 2012 will be required as the Minister engaged fairly on it on Committee Stage, when he indicated he would be bringing forward additional amendments on Report Stage. The practice of imposing a guillotine is wrong and should be stopped. There is no need to provide for a guillotine in respect...

Order of Business (28 Nov 2012)

Pearse Doherty: I ask the Taoiseach to clarify the position regarding the property tax. He mentioned previously that the legislation would be published on budget day. Is that still the case? I also ask him to update us on the health amendment Bill, which proposes to provide free GP services. When is it likely to be published and debated in the Dáil? The programme for Government committed to...

Order of Business (28 Nov 2012)

Pearse Doherty: I seek clarification because the Taoiseach said previously that the property tax Bill would be published on budget day. Is that now off the agenda? Will the legislation be published next week?

Credit Union Bill 2012: Report Stage (28 Nov 2012)

Pearse Doherty: I want to acknowledge what I feel was a very constructive engagement on Committee Stage last week. As was clear from that, the Minister understands the concerns of the credit union movement and Members. I look forward to seeing the progress reports the Minister will give us on his own amendments on foot of the issues we raised last week. I also look forward to seeing these amendments taken...

Credit Union Bill 2012: Report Stage (28 Nov 2012)

Pearse Doherty: Just for the record, in view of the Minister's comments, I was prepared to withdraw amendment No. 2.

Credit Union Bill 2012: Report Stage (28 Nov 2012)

Pearse Doherty: I move amendment No. 6:In page 9, between lines 33 and 34, to insert the following:“7.—The Principal Act is amended by inserting the following subsection after section 6(5):“(6) Nothing in this Act shall prevent a credit union from lending to a State guaranteed project which is in keeping with the objects for which credit unions are formed as stated in this...

Credit Union Bill 2012: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stages (28 Nov 2012)

Pearse Doherty: I have nothing to add on the amendment. I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Hayes, and hope the Minister for Finance provided him with a note to the effect that he is very open to all of the amendments in this group. The Minister engaged very well on Committee Stage and I hope that engagement continues.

Credit Union Bill 2012: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stages (28 Nov 2012)

Pearse Doherty: While I appreciate the indication from the Minister of State that he will consider the wording of section 12, I do not see why the amendment I tabled on behalf of Sinn Féin cannot be taken in order to provide clarity in this area. There may be nothing to restrict lending and I am willing to withdraw my amendment if this is what the Minister wants to achieve but I seek to include...

Credit Union Bill 2012: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stages (28 Nov 2012)

Pearse Doherty: I would like to make a final point on the issue of social lending. The Minister of State has indicated that he will examine the wording of section 12. I would like him to include in the section a specific reference to the fact that guaranteed State-backed projects can be invested in.

Credit Union Bill 2012: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stages (28 Nov 2012)

Pearse Doherty: It is something we should encourage. There have been discussions on the banks in this House previously. I will stay focused on the legislation at hand. We have had a constructive engagement on it. This House has previously discussed the question of burden-sharing with banks including Anglo Irish Bank. It has been argued that some credit unions have made their investments in the form of...

Credit Union Bill 2012: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stages (28 Nov 2012)

Pearse Doherty: I move amendment No. 7:In page 9, between lines 33 and 34, to insert the following:"7.—The Principal Act is amended by the insertion of the following new section after section 26:"26A.—(1) A credit union may, once the approval of the Bank has been secured and the necessary capacity and infrastructure put in place, promote, invest in, loan to, and/or contract with a credit union...

Credit Union Bill 2012: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stages (28 Nov 2012)

Pearse Doherty: We need to be careful that we are not mixing things up. We know there are additional services that credit unions can provide. These have to be approved by the AGM and so forth, and the credit union would then apply to the Central Bank. If it is approved and has the capacity to provide the additional services, it can provide them. We also know the position with regard to shared services at...