Results 9,181-9,200 of 36,192 for speaker:Pearse Doherty
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Nov 2014)
Pearse Doherty: It is an interesting debate to open and I am sure the Chairman will not allow us pursue it.
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Nov 2014)
Pearse Doherty: The Minister used an unfortunate argument. The only reason we cannot do this is that Europe will not allow us to do so. Many men and women fought in 1916 to have a republic on the island of Ireland. I agree with the Minister that tax sovereignty is a cornerstone of that. However, Europe will not allow us in commemorating those people to have those commemorations exempt from VAT.
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Nov 2014)
Pearse Doherty: The Minister is digging for the Boston Tea Party.
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Nov 2014)
Pearse Doherty: Can the Minister put on record the number of people who are paying the domicile levy at this point?
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Nov 2014)
Pearse Doherty: Given that the amendment allows for the Office of the Revenue Commissioners to write to those whom they believe are subject to the levy, how many letters does the Minister expect the office to issue after this section is enacted?
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Nov 2014)
Pearse Doherty: There were 12 in the last year for which we have figures. The section allows the Revenue Commissioners, in circumstances where they believe somebody is liable for the domicile levy, to write to that individual and give him or her 30 days in which to make a full and true return, with the payment of the levy. Presumably, it is included because Revenue believes there may be a list of people...
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Nov 2014)
Pearse Doherty: I am opposed to this section, and I raised the following point on Second Stage. In section 79 the new subsection (2A)(a) to be inserted refers to someone who comes forward and says he or she has been involved in a tax avoidance transaction, and as a result of doing that before 30 June 2015, the surcharge under existing legislation would not apply and the interest that person would have to...
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Nov 2014)
Pearse Doherty: The point is that the Revenue Commissioners do not have to take proceedings against them at all. The person comes to them and owns up. What is due now is 100% interest and 100% surcharge, but the Minister is saying today that the 100% surcharge is gone and 20% of the interest due is also gone for people involved in deliberate tax avoidance measures. That is not the way to deal with this....
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Nov 2014)
Pearse Doherty: I did not say they were involved in illegal activity or evading tax. I said they were involved in deliberate tax avoidance transactions. Tax avoidance transactions may be legal but they can also be illegal. This will apply only where the Revenue Commissioners believe under section 811 that a surcharge applies. Therefore, it was putting money beyond the reach of the Revenue Commissioners...
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Nov 2014)
Pearse Doherty: What of the surcharge?
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Nov 2014)
Pearse Doherty: The surcharge is the large one.
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Nov 2014)
Pearse Doherty: My opposition to this section has been noted over Second and Committee Stages. It is terrible what the Government is doing, particularly given Revenue's involvement in the non-principal private residence, NPPR, charge and the lack of flexibility shown to people who genuinely did not know. That said and to move this discussion along, how many individuals is it estimated could avail of this...
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Nov 2014)
Pearse Doherty: Revenue is collecting it. The second home tax was-----
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Nov 2014)
Pearse Doherty: My apologies. Regarding the quantum of individuals whom the Department believes may apply under this section, are we discussing single digits, double digits or treble digits? What is the estimate? We are doing a bit of crystal ball gazing.
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Nov 2014)
Pearse Doherty: Amendment No. 95 has been put down as a marker. Our party is committed to abolishing the local property tax and reintroducing the non-principal private resident charge at a rate of €400 per annum. It is a statement of our intent. This is something that we believe should be done. I do not expect the Government to agree to it but it has been tabled. I will also speak to Deputy Boyd...
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Nov 2014)
Pearse Doherty: I revert to the position in County Donegal regarding the problem of mica within the defective blocks. The Minister has outlined the options that have been pursued and so on, some of which have been exhausted. The Minister stated the Department is open to looking at the data and all that, which I am sure will happen without delay. However, my question is in respect of local property tax....
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Nov 2014)
Pearse Doherty: On the valuation, the problem is there is no band that includes zero. The band goes from zero to €100,000.
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Nov 2014)
Pearse Doherty: Some of these properties would be unsellable because they would not have a sale value. If they contain defective blocks, they literally are unsafe and will not last. Who in their right minds would buy them?
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Nov 2014)
Pearse Doherty: I understand and appreciate that.
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Nov 2014)
Pearse Doherty: Yes, and I am impressed that the Minister anticipated this was an issue I would raise, given I only thought about it myself a few minutes ago.