Results 4,221-4,240 of 45,510 for speaker:Simon Harris

National Asset Management Agency: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (21 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: Deputies should let the Comptroller and Auditor General carry out his review and show their trust and faith in the independence and the competence of his office. We will all accept the outcome of his review.

National Asset Management Agency: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (21 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: It has been acknowledged, interestingly, by those calling for a commission of investigation that there is no allegation of wrongdoing directed against NAMA. Deputy Kelleher read out a very impressive list of investigations but I am sure that he will acknowledge that none of them is investigating NAMA - not one is investigating NAMA. I also recognise that Deputy Wallace has brought his...

National Asset Management Agency: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (21 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: There are a number of allegations surrounding fixers fees but Deputies must let the investigations take their course and allow the Comptroller and Auditor General to do his job. What exactly would this commission investigate if Deputies concede that there is no allegation of wrongdoing against NAMA?

National Asset Management Agency: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (21 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: Deputy Wallace was perhaps the most honest in admitting that his motivation is to halt Project Arrow. I accept his honesty in that regard but the question must be asked as to who benefits from such a move. I cannot address all the matters raised across this debate, so I will focus on the issues that relate to the motion being discussed. However, I wish to close the debate by clarifying a...

National Asset Management Agency: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (21 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: -----or from any payment by NAMA and that these allegations are being investigated by the UK National Crime Agency.

National Asset Management Agency: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (21 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: Why are Deputies calling for an investigation into NAMA? I cannot see what role or jurisdiction a commission of investigation would have regarding these allegations.

National Asset Management Agency: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (21 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: The minute of the 7 October 2013 Northern Ireland advisory committee meeting, published by NAMA, has been championed as some sort of contradiction of the fact that the committee did not have access to confidential information. I encourage Deputies to read this minute. Discussions at that meeting were of a general and strategic nature and were entirely appropriate for that forum. One of the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Prevention Measures (21 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: According to the Environmental Protection Agency the environmental impact of using tyres in flood defence works is still unknown. The Office of Public Works does not use tyres on its flood defence schemes and until the evidence supporting the flood defence benefits outweigh the environmental issues, the OPW is not considering their use for future flood defence schemes.

Leaders' Questions (22 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: Fianna Fáil is either supporting the commuters or it is not.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Relief Schemes (22 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: The works proposed for the Collins Avenue East area of Dublin 5 are to be included in Phase 2 of flood relief works for the area of the city which are being progressed by Dublin City Council (DCC). The Council, in the first instance, is best placed to provide information on how these works will be progressed. I am advised that Phase 1 of the flood relief works in Donnycarney which...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Relief Schemes (22 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: As indicated in my reply to the Deputy's previous Questions on this subject, a Feasibility Study to examine the options to address the flooding problem at the location referred to is being undertaken by the Office of Public Works (OPW). This Study is a separate Study to the South Western Catchment-based Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Study. Due to resource limitations and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Office of Public Works Properties (22 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: I would like to thank the Deputy for bringing this issue to the attention of my Office. The Office of Public Works South West Regional Office will look into this matter directly and assess the situation. I hope to revert to the Deputy once that assessment has been carried out.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Office of Public Works Expenditure (22 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: The information sought by the Deputy is currently being collated. A detailed response will issue to the Deputy directly.

Management Fees (Local Property Tax) Relief Bill 2015: Second Stage [Private Members] (23 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Sean Fleming for initiating this Bill and providing an opportunity to debate the local property tax. The objective of the local property tax is to broaden the domestic tax base and to replace some of the revenue from transaction-based taxes with an annual recurring property tax. We know only too well how, in the past, transaction-based taxes proved to be an unstable source...

Management Fees (Local Property Tax) Relief Bill 2015: Second Stage [Private Members] (23 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: It is important that its position be maintained, as research and experience internationally consistently show that taxes on immovable property are among the taxes that are least detrimental to growth. In the course of introducing this Bill on First Stage, Deputy Sean Fleming indicated that approximately 177,000 homeowners were affected by management fees. Now, he claims there are 200,000...

Management Fees (Local Property Tax) Relief Bill 2015: Second Stage [Private Members] (23 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: It is a lot of money.

Management Fees (Local Property Tax) Relief Bill 2015: Second Stage [Private Members] (23 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: I thank all the Members who have contributed to this debate. As I stated earlier, the Government cannot support the Bill, and I have outlined why we are not in a position to do so. The introduction of the local property tax in 2013 was the largest extension of self-assessment in the history of the State, with more than 1.3 million taxpayers obliged to file LPT returns and pay the tax in...

Management Fees (Local Property Tax) Relief Bill 2015: Second Stage [Private Members] (23 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: It is not false. It is a statement of fact. He agreed with me on RTE television. Deputy Stanley can look back at it. Sinn Féin is also in favour of having a corporation tax of nearly 40% here, while it is 20% in Northern Ireland.

Management Fees (Local Property Tax) Relief Bill 2015: Second Stage [Private Members] (23 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: It simply does not make sense. I do not understand the Deputy's point about Fine Gael councillors being allowed to express their opinions as to what is best for their communities, as did Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin councillors. While Deputy Stanley's party might favour a central control type of structure, in my party we put forward candidates and let them get elected for their...

Management Fees (Local Property Tax) Relief Bill 2015: Second Stage [Private Members] (23 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: I am not sure whether Sinn Féin's policy on the abolition of property tax extends to Northern Ireland, where the tax is much higher. The party leadership is happy to pay a higher rate of property tax to the Government of the United Kingdom but does not wish to pay one to the Government of the Republic of Ireland to fund services at a local level. Dr. Thornhill's report provides a very...