Results 6,221-6,240 of 18,729 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Written Answers — Violence Against Women: Violence Against Women (7 Dec 2005)

Michael McDowell: While a comprehensive range of civil and criminal justice measures are in place to tackle violence against women, the operation of the law in this area is kept under ongoing review. The Domestic Violence Acts 1996 and 2002 provide for the protection of a spouse and any children or other dependent persons, and of persons in other domestic relationships, whose safety or welfare requires it...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (7 Dec 2005)

Michael McDowell: I informed the Deputy in response to Question No. 377 on 29 November that processing of the application for a certificate of naturalisation of the person concerned was almost finalised. This is still the position. If the person concerned wishes to travel outside of the State prior to her application being finalised, she can travel on her current passport and apply, in advance of her departure...

Written Answers — Prisoner Transfers: Prisoner Transfers (7 Dec 2005)

Michael McDowell: I refer the Deputy to the replies by my colleague, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, to Questions Nos. 167 and 263 of 30 November and 6 December 2005, respectively. I also refer to the confirmation given last week by US Secretary of State Rice to my colleague, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, of the assurances that had previously been received from the US authorities, namely, that prisoners...

Written Answers — Deportation Orders: Deportation Orders (7 Dec 2005)

Michael McDowell: A deportation order was signed in respect of the first person concerned on 13 December 2004 and the second person concerned on 18 November 2005. On examination of further representations received in regard to these cases, I have now decided as an exceptional measure to revoke their deportation orders and grant them temporary leave to remain for a period of 12 months with their cases being...

Written Answers — Registration of Title: Registration of Title (7 Dec 2005)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Registrar of Titles that a reply issued directly to the Deputy, as indicated in my response to the parliamentary question referred to. That reply indicated that the application in question would be expedited. I understand that since then a query has issued to the lodging solicitor on 28 November and that the application cannot proceed until this query has been...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (7 Dec 2005)

Michael McDowell: An application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to by the Deputy was received in the citizenship section of my Department on 16 January 2004. The Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended, provides that the Minister may, in his absolute discretion, grant an application for a certificate of naturalisation provided certain statutory conditions are...

Written Answers — Northern Ireland Issues: Northern Ireland Issues (7 Dec 2005)

Michael McDowell: I have made inquiries with the Remembrance Commission and I have been informed that, within the terms of the scheme of remembrance, acknowledgement and assistance for victims of the conflict in Northern Ireland, there is no restriction on the amount that may be claimed for current, ongoing and unmet medical expenses pertaining to injuries received as a result of the conflict. The only...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (7 Dec 2005)

Michael McDowell: The detailed allocation of Garda resources is a matter for the Garda Commissioner. I sought the views of the Commissioner regarding the matter raised and I will communicate further with the Deputy when the information is to hand.

Financial Resolution No. 5: General (Resumed). (8 Dec 2005)

Michael McDowell: Ba mhaith liom mo chuid ama a roinnt leis an Aire Iompair. The announcement of the new and expanded provision for child care services, including the new child care programme, in budget 2006 is a major and welcome landmark in the Government's policy on child services and the important issue of child care. As Minister with responsibility in recent years for the development of Ireland's child...

Financial Resolution No. 5: General (Resumed). (8 Dec 2005)

Michael McDowell: Yes, more people are working. That is a very good point. The reason so many people were unemployed when Fine Gael and Labour were in office on the last occasion is because there was a high tax on work.

Financial Resolution No. 5: General (Resumed). (8 Dec 2005)

Michael McDowell: When the Government was elected in 1997, the rate of tax on capital gains was 40%.

Financial Resolution No. 5: General (Resumed). (8 Dec 2005)

Michael McDowell: Capital gains tax is now 20% and yet the State's yield from capital taxation has exploded from £168 million in the glorious days of the rainbow coalition to a budgeted €2.025 billion next year. Lower rates have again produced higher yields. I remember a Labour Party spokesman describing the plan of the former Minister, Mr. McCreevy, to reduce the rate of capital gains tax from 40% to 20%...

Financial Resolution No. 5: General (Resumed). (8 Dec 2005)

Michael McDowell: Because it was the last time when we were in a position to see the colour of the Opposition's money and how it can ruin an economy. Some will say that yesterday's budget was more of a Fianna Fáil budget than a Progressive Democrats one. They will point to all the increased State spending as being a Fianna Fáil goal rather than a Progressive Democrats one. I could not disagree more. It never...

Financial Resolution No. 5: General (Resumed). (8 Dec 2005)

Michael McDowell: It is our goal to strengthen our economy so as to increase the opportunities people have to develop themselves to their full potential. Yesterday's spending increases are ones the Progressive Democrats fully stand over. They represent the fruits of a low tax, high yield economic strategy.

Financial Resolution No. 5: General (Resumed). (8 Dec 2005)

Michael McDowell: From the late 1970s to the mid-1980s this country tried the opposite approach to that which the Government is following. That mistaken policy produced the disastrous combination of high spending, high tax rates, high unemployment, low tax yields and a budget deficit spiralling out of control.

Financial Resolution No. 5: General (Resumed). (8 Dec 2005)

Michael McDowell: It was only the political arrival of the Progressive Democrats and the national threat of bankruptcy that led Ireland to abandon that failed policy. The result since then has been an endorsement of our economic logic and our political philosophy. However, not everyone sees it that way. The Labour Party, for instance, cannot get rid of its reflexive instinct to meddle, muddle and increase...

Financial Resolution No. 5: General (Resumed). (8 Dec 2005)

Michael McDowell: The Labour Party wants to go beyond what we have done. It wants a wealth tax. Deputy Rabbitte stated in The Irish Times on 24 February 2003: "You can't simply say we will impose what are still pretty hefty taxes on work and no taxes on wealth". A single person on the average industrial wage will pay just 16% of his or her income in income tax next year compared to 28% when the parties...

Financial Resolution No. 5: General (Resumed). (8 Dec 2005)

Michael McDowell: I am finishing. The Green Party mentioned today that it wants to introduce taxes on fuel, a site value tax, new pollution levies and increase capital gains tax.

Financial Resolution No. 5: General (Resumed). (8 Dec 2005)

Michael McDowell: The choice is very simple. We can go forward and build a new Ireland on the policies that have made this country successful or go back down the cul-de-sac of social and economic failure which is well populated by the Members on the benches opposite.

Financial Resolution No. 5: General (Resumed). (8 Dec 2005)

Michael McDowell: Would somebody throw the Deputy some meat?