Results 581-600 of 2,156 for speaker:Tom Parlon

Seanad: Finance Bill 2005 [Certified Money Bill]: Second Stage. (22 Mar 2005)

Tom Parlon: That does not stand up. The data indicates that in 2004 Ireland had the lowest average tax rate among EU member states surveyed and the third lowest in the OECD for a single person on the average industrial wage. Furthermore, for the average industrial worker who is married with two children, with a carer in the home, Ireland has the lowest average tax rate in the entire OECD when cash...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2005 [Certified Money Bill]: Second Stage. (22 Mar 2005)

Tom Parlon: If Senator Browne wants some direction as to——

Seanad: Finance Bill 2005 [Certified Money Bill]: Second Stage. (22 Mar 2005)

Tom Parlon: If Senator Browne wants to know where he might find an apartment in Dublin for less than €317,500, I would be delighted to offer him some advice. Such second-hand houses are available in the property pages of any newspaper. This provision has been genuinely effective in helping buyers take their first step on the property ladder. The issue of roll-over relief was also raised, particularly...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2005 [Certified Money Bill]: Second Stage. (22 Mar 2005)

Tom Parlon: The Senator will not find a tax rate anywhere in Europe lower than 21%. It is logical to tax capital gains where they are realised and this change brings capital gains tax in line with other areas.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2005 [Certified Money Bill]: Second Stage. (22 Mar 2005)

Tom Parlon: Reference was also made to the Government doing nothing with regard to capping relief on taxes. A major review of tax schemes was announced in the budget and this review will be completed in time for the inclusion of appropriate proposals in the 2006 budget. The review will evaluate the impact and operation of such schemes, including their economic and social benefits for the different...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2005 [Certified Money Bill]: Second Stage. (22 Mar 2005)

Tom Parlon: There is no policy of deliberately over-collecting tax. Revenue administers the law fairly and reasonably and consistently seeks to collect no more than the correct amount of tax. There is no crock of gold in unclaimed repayments for PAYE taxpayers as has been suggested in some quarters. For the 2003 tax year, 287, 258 PAYE taxpayers, which represents 17% of the total PAYE taxpayer base of...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2005 [Certified Money Bill]: Second Stage. (22 Mar 2005)

Tom Parlon: That is an issue I will take up with the Department. I am not familiar with it. With those comments I thank Senators who contributed to the debate.

Written Answers — Flood Relief: Flood Relief (23 Mar 2005)

Tom Parlon: The Deputy will be aware that the Office of Public Works commissioned consultants in 2002 to carry out feasibility studies to assess flood risk and to develop flood alleviation schemes in the towns of Mallow and Fermoy in County Cork. Engineering reports were completed in late 2003 for both areas. Public information days were held in the spring of 2004 where the proposed works and the phased...

Written Answers — Flood Relief: Flood Relief (23 Mar 2005)

Tom Parlon: The humanitarian aid scheme approved by the Government following the serious flooding which affected various locations around the country in late October 2004 was for the relief of hardship arising from the flooding of people's homes. The cases to which the Deputy refers are among a small number of outstanding cases, which are the subject of ongoing consultation with the Irish Red Cross Society.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2005 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (23 Mar 2005)

Tom Parlon: This recommendation proposes to insert a new section into the Bill. The purpose of the new section is to provide that tax reliefs will lapse automatically five years after being enacted unless they are renewed. The recommendation also provides that before renewing any relief, the Minister for Finance would produce a report to both Houses that contains the numbers of people who have availed of...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2005 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (23 Mar 2005)

Tom Parlon: I highlighted that for the year 2001——

Seanad: Finance Bill 2005 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (23 Mar 2005)

Tom Parlon: That is reviewed by the Department of Finance and the Government in advance of each budget. Steps have been taken to strengthen the system of costing tax reliefs and to improve the information available, having regard to the need to maintain as much simplicity as is practical in the tax return system. These changes involved legislation in the Finance Acts 2003 and 2004. As the Senator is...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2005 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (23 Mar 2005)

Tom Parlon: This recommendation relates to section 473 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997, which grants relief for rent paid by individuals in private rented accommodation. At present, the level of rent qualifying for relief is dependent on one's marital status and age, either under or over 55 years. The Bill proposes to increase the limits on which rent relief can be claimed as follows — from...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2005 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (23 Mar 2005)

Tom Parlon: The estimated cost of Senator Phelan's recommendation is €21.6 million.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2005 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (23 Mar 2005)

Tom Parlon: That is in addition to the €5.2 million for the changes already in the Bill. An identical amendment was discussed in the Dáil. In the course of the debate, Deputy Bruton indicated that the purpose of his amendment was to introduce equity of relief between mortgage interest relief and tax relief on rents. I assume that Senator Phelan's recommendation has the same motivation. Mortgage...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2005 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (23 Mar 2005)

Tom Parlon: Section 7 provides for a change in the method used to calculate the value of the use of land for benefit-in-kind purposes. At present, the value of the benefit in kind is determined as being 5% of the land's market value. While this may be satisfactory in the case of land for normal use, it can give unreasonably high values for land with development potential. In future, benefit in kind will...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2005 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (23 Mar 2005)

Tom Parlon: The amendment inserts a new definition in subsection 1 to provide that, for the purposes of benefit-in-kind charges, premises includes lands. The taxable value of lands will be calculated in the same manner as premises, that is, on the rent that it might reasonably be expect to attain on letting from year to year. At present, the taxable value of lands is calculated at 5% of its market value....

Seanad: Finance Bill 2005 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (23 Mar 2005)

Tom Parlon: There is an enormous amount of detail in the Bill, which is why there are so many officials from the Department of Finance and the Revenue Commissioners in the House today. The conditions for exemption are very tightly drawn. Obviously, there is a need for expenditure on security for employees. This was exemplified recently in one of the biggest heists in Dublin, where the employees of a...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2005 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (23 Mar 2005)

Tom Parlon: This section refers to the provision of security services. If someone feels that his or her personal security is at risk from subversives or criminals because of the sensitivity of his or her job, the cost of protection will not be taxed as a benefit in kind. This covers everything including uniforms, individuals, security devices, CCTVs or whatever else is involved.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2005 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (23 Mar 2005)

Tom Parlon: Yes. Until now the provision of special home security to an employee, connected with his or her job, would have been chargeable.