Results 5,241-5,260 of 12,637 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Order of Business (Resumed) (9 Jun 2011)

Willie O'Dea: When will it be published?

Order of Business (Resumed) (9 Jun 2011)

Willie O'Dea: It is central to the Government's policy.

Order of Business (Resumed) (9 Jun 2011)

Willie O'Dea: What about the second question?

Order of Business (Resumed) (9 Jun 2011)

Willie O'Dea: There is no rush to help distressed mortgageholders.

Order of Business (Resumed) (9 Jun 2011)

Willie O'Dea: When will the Government implement the commitments?

Order of Business (Resumed) (9 Jun 2011)

Willie O'Dea: I cannot wait.

Order of Business (Resumed) (9 Jun 2011)

Willie O'Dea: This is the new politics.

Finance (No. 2) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Jun 2011)

Willie O'Dea: I would not recognise the Minister for Finance if he engaged in anything other than "a full and frank discussion". I would like to pick up on the question asked by Deputy Michael McGrath. The programme for Government includes a fairly specific commitment that income tax rates will not be interfered with and that income tax bands or credits will not be narrowed or reduced. The indications...

Finance (No. 2) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Jun 2011)

Willie O'Dea: Yes.

Finance (No. 2) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Jun 2011)

Willie O'Dea: Absolutely. I welcome it.

Finance (No. 2) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Jun 2011)

Willie O'Dea: If the Minister had decided, within the terms of the appropriate European legislation, to reduce the VAT on fuel to 12%, how much would that have added to the cost of the VAT reduction on an annual basis? In view of the pervasive problem of fuel poverty in this country, if it is possible to reduce the 13.5% rate on fuel then serious consideration should be given to it. It is easy to hide...

Finance (No. 2) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Jun 2011)

Willie O'Dea: To clarify, is the Minister stating that were the VAT rate on fuel to be reduced to 12%, it would then be necessary to reduce all other items within the 13.5% range, even though it obviously has been possible previously to reduce some items to a rate of 9%?

Finance (No. 2) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Jun 2011)

Willie O'Dea: It is a promise rather than a commitment.

Finance (No. 2) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Jun 2011)

Willie O'Dea: I am totally bemused. I sat on the opposite benches for several years since the banking crisis came upon us and listened to Deputy Joan Burton on this side of the House mentioning certain names ten or 50 times a day, including Seanie FitzPatrick and everybody else and now we are being chided by the Labour Party for having the temerity to mention Seanie FitzPatrick and Michael Fingleton in...

Finance (No. 2) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Jun 2011)

Willie O'Dea: It is an extraordinary volte-face, to say the least. I do not fully comprehend the Minister's logic in his defence of exempting ARFs from the scope of the levy. This is the first time we are imposing a levy on pension funds. The imputed or actual tax on ARFs exists; it is a fact of life. That is only right because we are dealing with some of the wealthiest people in the country who, as...

Finance (No. 2) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Jun 2011)

Willie O'Dea: This will be lost on the public because as the Minister will appreciate, in politics perception is about 99% of what matters and the truth is sometimes a troublesome trespasser. I am sure the public will see this in a very bad light. On a technical point, from my recollection of the section dealing with ARFs, is it the case that the imputed income only kicks in when somebody has reached the...

Finance (No. 2) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Jun 2011)

Willie O'Dea: 2012.

Finance (No. 2) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Jun 2011)

Willie O'Dea: Will the Minister clarify the point about the imputed draw-down not kicking in if someone is under 60 years of age?

Finance (No. 2) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Jun 2011)

Willie O'Dea: I wish to comment on something the Minister said. He explained that the jobs initiative had to be revenue neutral and that to get the money to fund the jobs initiative he has targeted the pensions industry. The reality is that he did not target the pensions industry, he targeted pensioners and those who have saved. The point Deputies Ross and Michael McGrath have made is precisely that the...

Finance (No. 2) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Jun 2011)

Willie O'Dea: The Minister also made the point that much of this money is invested abroad. All I can say is that with approximately 80% of defined benefit schemes under water at present it is just as well it is invested abroad. Anyway, the Government can change the rules. The trustees are bound by a specific set of rules relating to where they can invest. It is not a question of people being...