Results 5,781-5,800 of 25,844 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Seanad: Finance Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Dec 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I move recommendation No. 6:In page 95, line 33, to delete " "€280,000" " and substitute " "€300,000" ". This amendment relates to the capital acquisitions tax inheritance threshold, which the Government has set at €280,000. Most of us would be of the view that this is still too low. I am not presuming that the threshold can be raised overnight to an appropriate level...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Dec 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I appreciate the Minister of State's response but I propose to press the recommendation.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Dec 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: Tacaíonn mise agus mo pháirtí leis an moladh seo freisin. I agree with Senator Kathryn Reilly on this recommendation. Fianna Fáil submitted an identical recommendation which is included in this proposal which makes sense. Not to repeat what Senator Kathryn Reilly said, promises were made previously about providing for transparency in the tax system. The Fine Gael...

Seanad: Courts Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (11 Dec 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: All the red wine.

Seanad: Courts Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (11 Dec 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: Well done.

Seanad: Courts Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (11 Dec 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I support my colleague, Senator Wilson, in respect of the amendment he has tabled and have a question for the Minister of State on foot of his statement here. Is there a particular timeframe the Department has set by way of a review of this retirement age and of keeping it to 65? It unquestionably is anomalous when one has one cohort of judges who must retire at 65 and then apply for a late...

Seanad: Courts Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (11 Dec 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I support the position outlined by my party colleague, Senator Diarmuid Wilson. The Minister of State spoke about deferring the decision on this matter, which does not make sense, especially as he has admitted that there appears to be no good reason to preclude a District Court judge from appointment to a higher court. He referred twice to a commitment in the agreed programme for...

Seanad: Courts Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (11 Dec 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: That is highly unlikely.

Seanad: Courts Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (11 Dec 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I can hear Senator David Norris.

Seanad: Courts Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (11 Dec 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: This is a courts Bill which deals with appointments. There is no logical reason not to accept the amendment as it would improve the legislation. There is time left in the legislative programme to allow an amended Bill to pass through the Dáil. This is a simple, straightforward amendment and there is no reason to put off addressing the issue until a full, ongoing review has been...

Seanad: Courts Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (11 Dec 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Minister of State for that response. At what stage is the review? It must be advanced somewhat if there is an end date early in 2016. Early 2016, to me, means the end of April, at the latest. How far advanced is the review and what will happen when it is completed? Will it be presented to the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality? Where will we go from there?

Seanad: Finance (Tax Appeals) Bill 2015: Second Stage (16 Dec 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Minister of State for outlining the provisions of this Bill. The single fact that will shock people is the Revenue Commissioners sometimes get things wrong. In response to a question tabled by Fianna Fáil's finance spokesperson in the Dáil, Deputy Michael McGrath, it was revealed that in approximately 26% of cases, appeals were decided in favour of the taxpayer. This...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Jan 2016)

Darragh O'Brien: I wish everybody a happy new year, the best of luck in terms of their work over the next few weeks and varying degrees of success in that regard. I raise with the Leader the issue of the rate of pay for new Garda recruits, which issue the Leader has also raised in the past. According to a recently published report, the starting salary for a garda is €23,171 per annum. The comparable...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Jan 2016)

Darragh O'Brien: I would hate for a report to be produced based on incorrect evidence. I ask the Leader to raise the matter with the Minister of State, Deputy Harris.

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Jan 2016)

Darragh O'Brien: The Senator has gone a fair bit over.

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Jan 2016)

Darragh O'Brien: He will not face the electorate. He is running away.

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Jan 2016)

Darragh O'Brien: A comment from the Independent Senator, on behalf of the Government.

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Jan 2016)

Darragh O'Brien: We are saying there is a fairer and better way.

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Jan 2016)

Darragh O'Brien: The Leader is giving incorrect information on the floor of the House.

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Jan 2016)

Darragh O'Brien: Pontius Pilate.