Results 6,001-6,020 of 7,404 for speaker:Mick Wallace

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Regulations (22 Mar 2018)

Mick Wallace: 34. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his views on the number of contracts awarded without competitive procurement as outlined in the latest annual 40/2002 circular; his plans to address this non-competitive procurement; if each Department and office has created a central register of all contracts which records key data including whether or not a competitive process was...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Contracts Data (22 Mar 2018)

Mick Wallace: 40. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if his Department will consider publishing on a yearly basis all submissions received under circular 40/2002 which requires Departments and certain State bodies to prepare and submit an annual statement regarding contracts awarded that exceed €25,000 in value, exclusive of VAT, without a competitive process; and if he will make...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Criminal Justice (Corruption Offences) Bill 2017: Committee Stage (22 Mar 2018)

Mick Wallace: I welcome the Minister's change of position. He is no longer a lock them up and throw away the key merchant. He probably realises that prison does not work, so he is to be commended on his position.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Criminal Justice (Corruption Offences) Bill 2017: Committee Stage (22 Mar 2018)

Mick Wallace: Yes. Is it okay for us to say we have mentioned it in order that we will have the right to table an amendment on it on Report Stage?

Death of former Ceann Comhairle: Expressions of Sympathy (27 Mar 2018)

Mick Wallace: On behalf of Independents 4 Change, I extend our condolences to the family of Seán Treacy. I did not know him but if I had met him while he was alive, I certainly would have extended my sympathy to him for having spent 36 years in this place.

Death of former Ceann Comhairle: Expressions of Sympathy (27 Mar 2018)

Mick Wallace: It seems to be for Deputy Howlin. He was 93 years of age and so he got a good spin out of it. My own mother is 93 also. No matter at what age people die or how long they live, we miss them when they go. All the best.

Leaders' Questions (27 Mar 2018)

Mick Wallace: The Attorney General's attack on the justice committee last Friday night was not one of his finer moments. It is wholly inappropriate of the Attorney General to make comments on the policy direction of the Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017. That is not his role. His role is to advise Government on the legalities of the Bill only. It is not his place to speak publicly about his...

Leaders' Questions (27 Mar 2018)

Mick Wallace: I have no doubt it is difficult to be on top of every issue but Deputy Ó Caoláin is the Chair of the justice committee. The Government's Bill did not did not have the Presidents of the Circuit and District Courts on the commission; we have tried to put them on it. The Taoiseach did not address any of the issues I raised in respect of the role of the Attorney General. His comments...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: NAMA Operations (27 Mar 2018)

Mick Wallace: 62. To ask the Minister for Finance his views on the NAMA policy, agreed in March 2015, of deleting emails of staff one year after they have left the agency; if he has had discussions with officials in his Department or with the NAMA board regarding this ongoing policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14033/18]

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: NAMA Operations (27 Mar 2018)

Mick Wallace: This question relates to NAMA's email policy, which allows it to delete all emails of staff one year after they have left the agency. This policy was applied retrospectively and, coincidentally, came into effect one month before NAMA was to become subject to freedom of information. I wrote to the Minister about this matter on 8 February and his response was that he would look into it. I...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: NAMA Operations (27 Mar 2018)

Mick Wallace: The truth is that NAMA can delete what it likes and that is what it is doing. The policy of deleting staff emails 12 months after they have left the agency is not in line with the approach of any similar organisation in the public sector. No other State agency has this policy. According to the National Management Treasury Agency, NTMA, NAMA's parent agency, it has no set timeframe...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: NAMA Operations (27 Mar 2018)

Mick Wallace: NAMA's approach to the control and retention of data borders on the criminal. There have been two cases in the past month in this regard. In one case, NAMA has been heavily criticised for its approach to data and information held within the agency. The Data Protection Commissioner found that NAMA was in breach of its obligations under data protection law in its response to a request for...

Other Questions: Vacant Sites (27 Mar 2018)

Mick Wallace: 67. To ask the Minister for Finance his plans to introduce a tax on land, specifically vacant land, which could be used for residential purposes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13939/18]

Other Questions: Vacant Sites (27 Mar 2018)

Mick Wallace: I was afraid Deputy Pearse Doherty was going to go again. This question relates to the introduction of a tax on vacant land. The vacant site register is not catching those who are landbanking due to the many holes in the vacant site levy. Will the Minister consider introducing a proper tax on land? Ever since the Kenny report, as far back as 1974, successive Governments have refused to do...

Other Questions: Vacant Sites (27 Mar 2018)

Mick Wallace: The vacant site levy is a farce. The Minister increasing it from 3% to 7% will still not catch the people who are avoiding it. A 0% rate of levy applies if the outstanding amount of the site loan is greater than the market value. When the outstanding amount of the loan is between 75% and 100% of the market value, a reduced rate of 0.75% applies. Where the outstanding amount of the site...

Other Questions: Vacant Sites (27 Mar 2018)

Mick Wallace: Only recently, the managing director of Hines, a fairly serious player in development in Ireland today, said that there is no question, when house prices go up 14%, that people sitting on that land are rubbing their hands, wondering why they would sell or build now because they will make another 14% next year. He says that there should be a land tax, plain and simple. If one has undeveloped...

Topical Issue Debate: Shannon Airport Facilities (27 Mar 2018)

Mick Wallace: I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this matter. Last week was the 15th anniversary of the invasion of Iraq. On 20 March 2003, Dáil Éireann approved a Government motion authorising the use of Shannon Airport for the US-led invasion and occupation of Iraq. With that motion, put forward by the then Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, Ireland declared itself party to an illegal and...

Topical Issue Debate: Shannon Airport Facilities (27 Mar 2018)

Mick Wallace: If we were genuinely concerned about the humanitarian problems and conditions in these countries, we would not allow aircraft to land in Shannon to go on there and wreak havoc on these peoples. The Minister of State says that one of the conditions on military aircraft to land are that the aircraft must be unarmed, carries no arms, ammunition or explosives and it must not engage in...

Government Response to Salisbury Attack: Statements (27 Mar 2018)

Mick Wallace: The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade said the UK Government has concluded that the Russian state was highly likely to be behind the attempted murders. We are not going by somebody else's evidence in our decision-making. They do not even have any. They say it is highly likely. When was anybody ever convicted for being highly likely of being guilty? I do not...

Service by the Defence Forces with the United Nations in 2016: Motion (27 Mar 2018)

Mick Wallace: Let him on.