Results 601-620 of 2,156 for speaker:Tom Parlon

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

Tom Parlon: I agree with the speakers on the significance of the problem. The recommendation is essentially a system of tax allowances at the standard rate of income tax for those paying for child care services. The allowance proposed is limited to the amount actually paid in the year, or to €7,000, whichever is less. If the taxpayer has insufficient income to use up all the allowance, the excess is...

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

Tom Parlon: The Senator will not have to hold it too long because there will be a major announcement next Tuesday when there will be the first official sod-turning in Sligo for the Department of Social and Family Affairs. There will be a continuous roll-out after that to which the Senator can look forward. Taken together, these represent substantial measures to assist with the cost of child care. I...

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

Tom Parlon: What about the 279% increase in child benefit?

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

Tom Parlon: As Senator Mansergh said, €1.9 billion is a very substantial contribution to child care costs. A combination of issues puts extra pressure on the area. There is practically full employment in this country and people spend a large section of their time commuting. Senator Phelan raised the issue, which I suspect is an urban myth, about the group in Kerry which made an application for the...

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

Tom Parlon: I am surprised to hear that and do not believe that can be the case.

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

Tom Parlon: The Senator should name the group because there is no point throwing a comment. The criteria are very strict. It is the responsibility of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy McDowell, and he wants to ensure value for money on behalf of himself, his own Department and the Government. The reason that will happen is that groups will be ready to go. A group was recently...

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

Tom Parlon: If I understand the Senator's recommendation correctly, he is proposing that the Minister for Finance take power to make regulations to provide that where payments made to State and other bodies qualify for income tax relief, the service providers would make this information available to Revenue Commissioners in order that such information could then be used by them to deal with potential...

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

Tom Parlon: The Mullingar accord again.

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

Tom Parlon: This recommendation seeks to amend the provision of a new section being inserted in the Taxes Consolidation Act which imposes a statutory obligation on an individual wishing to claim a tax relief for a particular year to keep all such records as are necessary to prove the claim. The particular provision which the Senator seeks to amend requires taxpayers to keep those records for six years...

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

Tom Parlon: I am quite familiar with the biofuel business and with a particular project in the south east, which is the Senator's area. The responsibility for the promotion of biofuels falls within the remit of the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources. However, it is accepted that excise relief is an option in encouraging the promotion of biofuels as an alternative fuel. It may not...

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

Tom Parlon: I am aware Ireland is not unique in this regard. Every other country which has adopted the biofuels scheme and which is foregoing excise duty has been required to obtain approval from the EU Commission regarding State aid. The Senator referred to sugar beet as a possible biofuel. Sugar beet was designed for the production of sugar. Oilseed rape is the subject of the proposed project in this...

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

Tom Parlon: The recommendation proposes a change to the definition of "qualifying hospital" in the tax Acts so as to introduce a new scheme of capital allowances for psychiatric hospitals based on the existing scheme that exists for private hospitals. When the scheme for capital allowances for the construction of private hospitals was introduced in 2001, the question of including psychiatric services...

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

Tom Parlon: The review will be out before the next budget. There will be ongoing announcements several weeks prior to that.

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

Tom Parlon: I am sure it will leak its way out before the budget. The Senators may know about it before even I do.

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

Tom Parlon: Some 167 properties are covered by the scheme. However, I do not know if it has been updated. I will seek to make the booklet available to Senator Mansergh and he will be able to make a judgment on it. Some high profile houses have been withdrawn from the scheme for particular reasons. The relief is contingent on there being reasonable access for the public to the building or garden. To...

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

Tom Parlon: However, it is significant.

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

Tom Parlon: The Senator spoke about the State putting its hand in people's pockets. It amounts to the same thing.

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

Tom Parlon: Senator Mansergh inquired about the updated booklet. I have been provided with it and it pertains to 2004. Having opened it at random, I notice that a certain establishment, namely, Doheny and Nesbitt's——

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

Tom Parlon: It might be of interest to the House to note the visiting times.

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

Tom Parlon: It is open all year except on Christmas Day, St. Stephen's Day and Good Friday.