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Seanad: Finance Bill 2011 (Certified Money Bill): Committee Stage (Resumed). (29 Jan 2011)

David Norris: This will be my last comment. The Minister of State broadly stated that no one's entire income will be taken. I challenged him repeatedly to point to a place in the legislation where this is made clear. Perhaps this is possible, either in this legislation or in other legislation. So far he has not done so. Perhaps he will. It is a debt. My colleagues are quite correct to raise the...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2011 (Certified Money Bill): Committee Stage (Resumed). (29 Jan 2011)

David Norris: Yes.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2011 (Certified Money Bill): Committee Stage (Resumed). (29 Jan 2011)

David Norris: Some of the issues raised by my colleagues are met in the opening lines of section 77 dealing with definitions. Some of my colleagues have asked what an agent and a professional body are. They are defined and tend to be in the area of auditing, accounting and taxation services. That has been answered, although not perhaps by the Minister. I am sure he would have drawn our attention to...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2011 (Certified Money Bill): Committee Stage (Resumed). (29 Jan 2011)

David Norris: C'est la guillotine.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2011 (Certified Money Bill): Report and Final Stages (29 Jan 2011)

David Norris: On a point of order, there is a reference on the list of Seanad recommendations to a printer's error in two of the recommendations. It is stated that a printer's error has resulted in incorrect line references. Does that have legal consequences for the Bill or does it require amendment? Do those numbers form part of the Bill as enacted and will it require an amendment to resolve the problem?

Seanad: Finance Bill 2011 (Certified Money Bill): Report and Final Stages (29 Jan 2011)

David Norris: Thank you.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2011 (Certified Money Bill): Report and Final Stages (29 Jan 2011)

David Norris: If my colleague allows I would be honoured to second it. It is very much in line with what I have said earlier. There are a series of anomalies. The charge will hit the poorest and most vulnerable sections in society most strongly. The PRSA business was raised earlier. I have been briefed about people who will be brought into the tax net even though they are at or under the level at...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2011 (Certified Money Bill): Report and Final Stages (29 Jan 2011)

David Norris: I would gladly yield my salary if it were for that purpose.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2011 (Certified Money Bill): Report and Final Stages (29 Jan 2011)

David Norris: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2011 (Certified Money Bill): Report and Final Stages (29 Jan 2011)

David Norris: I move recommendation No. 2: In page 7, between lines 27 and 28, to insert the following: "(a) whereby in every instance where "spouse" occurs in this Bill it shall be interpreted as including persons who are legally registered as civil partners;". This is an attempt to be helpful. It is dealing with the amendments that were consequent upon the passage of the Civil Partnership and Certain...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2011 (Certified Money Bill): Report and Final Stages (29 Jan 2011)

David Norris: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2011 (Certified Money Bill): Report and Final Stages (29 Jan 2011)

David Norris: I welcome very much what the Minister has said, his gracious manner of doing it and the significant additional information he has placed before the Oireachtas. For that reason, I believe it was worthwhile tabling the amendment. I have been here the entire day for recommendation after recommendation, as has the Minister. From my point of view, and some of my colleagues agree, in terms of...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2011 (Certified Money Bill): Report and Final Stages (29 Jan 2011)

David Norris: I am delighted we have done so. I am particularly heartened the Minister had an opportunity to make this contribution towards the end of his period in office as Minister for Finance. Regardless of whether I agree with them, I am delighted the stirring words of Senator Eoghan Harris echoed around this Chamber.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2011 (Certified Money Bill): Report and Final Stages (29 Jan 2011)

David Norris: It was a remarkable contribution and, while I did not agree with everything in it, my goodness, that kind of rhetoric is what we need in this House. I hope he will find an opportunity to stand, perhaps even in a constituency close to my own heart.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2011 (Certified Money Bill): Report and Final Stages (29 Jan 2011)

David Norris: I will. The Minister made generous reference to my advisers. Perhaps the inadequacy of the amendment would have indicated my adviser consisted of myself. I was only attempting to have this matter ventilated in the kind of way it has been and to see whether I could tease the Minister into making that kind of statement. I am very glad he did so. It raised some other issues with which I...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2011 (Certified Money Bill): Report and Final Stages (29 Jan 2011)

David Norris: I am dealing with this matter which was raised and dealt with in extenso. It relates to this very clear situation.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2011 (Certified Money Bill): Report and Final Stages (29 Jan 2011)

David Norris: Some 75 amendments were tabled, all with exactly the same wording. Vote after vote was called, with the facilitation, regrettably, of some of my colleagues. That could not possibly have added any intellectual growth to the argument. If that is not a filibuster, I do not know what is.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2011 (Certified Money Bill): Report and Final Stages (29 Jan 2011)

David Norris: I want to address another matter which comes directly from this, namely, the question of the constitutionality of this amendment and the word "spouse". My colleague is quite wrong in what he said about its constitutionality, and this can be easily demonstrated. If it were not so, it would not have been necessary for the former Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Deputy Mary Coughlan, to...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2011 (Certified Money Bill): Report and Final Stages (29 Jan 2011)

David Norris: I am very glad this matter has been raised. It would, perhaps, have had a slightly better chance if we had thought - we did, but it was too late before bringing the recommendation before the House - to insert the words "in addition to all other related Acts" in this Bill. However, I was glad that, even though the word "spouse" did not appear with the frequency that might have supported my...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2011 (Certified Money Bill): Report and Final Stages (29 Jan 2011)

David Norris: I support this important recommendation, one that has been well worked out in terms of openness, accountability, transparency and all the other buzz words used. People are entitled to know the amount of bonuses paid. It is desirable and in the public interest to have this information. I would have had a greater difficulty if there had been a broad brush attempt to restrict completely the...