Results 781-800 of 1,683 for speaker:Derek McDowell

Seanad: Finance Bill 2004 [[i]Certified Money Bill[/i]]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (24 Mar 2004)

Derek McDowell: It was particularly helpful in the context of the Finance Bill. I wonder if there has been a change of policy in the Department of Finance.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2004 [[i]Certified Money Bill[/i]]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (24 Mar 2004)

Derek McDowell: It was not one of our good ideas.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2004 [[i]Certified Money Bill[/i]]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (24 Mar 2004)

Derek McDowell: I was sceptical about it.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2004 [[i]Certified Money Bill[/i]]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (24 Mar 2004)

Derek McDowell: I have no interest in the horse industry, good, bad or indifferent but one thing I am sure of is that the Minister, despite what he has said about reviewing, assessing and collecting information on numbers and so on, has not the remotest intention of interfering with it. This will allow us to flog that particular horse for another couple of years at least. I suppose it suits all concerned. I...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2004 [[i]Certified Money Bill[/i]]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (24 Mar 2004)

Derek McDowell: The Minister is making the case for them. In some cases the Minister says they make sense and then says he will abolish them.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2004 [[i]Certified Money Bill[/i]]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (24 Mar 2004)

Derek McDowell: I am not a fan of the home carer's credit. However, I would be very interested to know the statistical background as to how many taxpayers actually claim the credit. The Minister will remember there was much hullabaloo at the introduction of individualisation and the subsequent introduction of this credit.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2004 [[i]Certified Money Bill[/i]]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (24 Mar 2004)

Derek McDowell: I wish to ask the Minister some general questions on income tax and, in particular, on the credits. I want to explore whether it is still his intention to remove the minimum wage from the income tax net. As I said, this is the most important remaining tax priority and something on which the Minister should have moved last year and should certainly move this year, even if it means having to...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2004 [[i]Certified Money Bill[/i]]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (24 Mar 2004)

Derek McDowell: I understand that Sustaining Progress has one more budget to run. Is there a specific commitment to do this in next year's budget? Must we wait for another three years, if the Government lasts that long?

Seanad: Finance Bill 2004 [[i]Certified Money Bill[/i]]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (24 Mar 2004)

Derek McDowell: That is clear.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2004 [[i]Certified Money Bill[/i]]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (24 Mar 2004)

Derek McDowell: I was never a fan of the original tax break in the Finance Bill 2002 which provides a potentially very break for people who are, generally speaking, well off in the first place. I understand the argument that their careers are relatively short but I am not sure there is any huge benefit to the public in encouraging them to stay resident in Ireland. We always suspected, with some...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2004 [[i]Certified Money Bill[/i]]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (24 Mar 2004)

Derek McDowell: There is some merit in what Senator Browne is saying. The principle is well established in the tax code that a tax credit which derives from a particular income or activity can, nonetheless, be set against income arising from a different activity. By any stretch of the imagination, therefore, it would not be a new principle to establish such a relief. The Minister raised the matter of GAA...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2004 [[i]Certified Money Bill[/i]]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (24 Mar 2004)

Derek McDowell: Many Dublin GAA fans lament the passing of Hill 16 but they are delighted that the planning authority has decided to allow it to be reconstructed as a terrace. I would be interested to know if there has been a specific proposal from the GAA to fund Hill 16, whether the Minister is considering this and whether he is favourably disposed towards it.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2004 [[i]Certified Money Bill[/i]]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (24 Mar 2004)

Derek McDowell: But the capital allowances are not.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2004 [[i]Certified Money Bill[/i]]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (24 Mar 2004)

Derek McDowell: What about Hill 16?

Seanad: Finance Bill 2004 [[i]Certified Money Bill[/i]]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (24 Mar 2004)

Derek McDowell: Would the Minister be well disposed towards such an application?

Seanad: Finance Bill 2004 [[i]Certified Money Bill[/i]]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (24 Mar 2004)

Derek McDowell: I wholeheartedly agree with Senator Browne on this recommendation, which I support strongly. There is nothing in the tax code which more disturbs and annoys ordinary taxpayers than what they see as an abuse of the residency rules. People who are manifestly Irish and who made their fortunes in the first instance in Ireland now live abroad purely for tax purposes. In essence, they are tax...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2004 [[i]Certified Money Bill[/i]]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (24 Mar 2004)

Derek McDowell: It makes perfect sense that we should encourage people — particularly men, as Dr. Henry knows because of her profession — to undergo medical examination regularly. Such examinations are provided by larger companies in particular. That is useful, and should not be subject to benefit in kind. I am interested in the Minister's reflections on how this provision is working out. Most of us...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2004 [[i]Certified Money Bill[/i]]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (24 Mar 2004)

Derek McDowell: This is a somewhat tortuous area that has caused difficulties over a number of years. The Minister will be aware that the main unions involved in the construction industry have made representations over time as to how the RCT system works. The Revenue Commissioners undertook a significant survey on how it was working and were looking to track down abuses and stamp them out. I presume that the...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2004 [[i]Certified Money Bill[/i]]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (24 Mar 2004)

Derek McDowell: I am surprised that there is not already some register of principal contractors in place, simply on an administrative basis.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2004 [[i]Certified Money Bill[/i]]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (24 Mar 2004)

Derek McDowell: I am at a loss to understand the alterations proposed in this section that deals with nursing homes. It reduces the qualifying number of residential units from 20 to ten.