Results 941-960 of 3,241 for speaker:Brian Ó Domhnaill

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Dec 2011)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: It is not yet 24 hours since the budget was announced and already the Government has done a U-turn. There will be many more U-turns because people will not stand for some of the cuts being imposed on them. Teacher numbers are being cut in second level schools, while rural areas, including farmers, face a multitude of cuts. The cost of school transport has increased and rural Garda stations...

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Dec 2011)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: I second the amendment proposed by Senator Leyden and propose my own amendment to the Order of Business, namely, that the Minister for Education and Skills attend the House and explain how secondary school guidance teachers will be in a position to provide guidance to pupils if their posts are subsumed into classroom teaching roles. For example, in the case of a school in my local area which...

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Dec 2011)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: Yes.

Seanad: Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (7 Dec 2011)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: I move amendment No. 2: In page 6, subsection (2), between lines 2 and 3, to insert the following: "(f) homes purchased under the Affordable Housing scheme; (g) homes on which stamp duty has been paid from January 1st 2004 up unto December 31st 2011; (h) homes purchased through the Shared Ownership Scheme.". The amendment relates to the definitions set out in section 2. Its purpose is to...

Seanad: Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (7 Dec 2011)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: If the Minister is willing to accept these amendments to the exemptions from the charge, we will withdraw them and resubmit them on Report Stage. In the event we do not get a favourable outcome, we will have to press the amendment.

Seanad: Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (7 Dec 2011)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: We welcome the exemption of shared ownership properties. We will, however, be resubmitting the amendments on Report Stage.

Seanad: Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (7 Dec 2011)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: On the general context of the Bill, the €100, to which Senator Leyden referred correctly, would appear to be unfair. I accept it relates more to section 3, which we will come to in a moment. It is inequitable for a person in a bed-sit in west Donegal to be charged €100 the same as those in mansions in any part of country valued at far in excess of €1 million. That was acknowledged,...

Seanad: Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (7 Dec 2011)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: I know that.

Seanad: Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (7 Dec 2011)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: I move amendment No. 3: In page 6, subsection (2), line 28, to delete paragraph (a) and substitute the following: "(a) €100, and shall not exceed €100 without an amendment to this Act,". This relates to the €100 charge that is being imposed by the Minister and the subsequent powers under regulation to amend the charge, but let us look at the fee of €100 before we discuss the amendment...

Seanad: Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (7 Dec 2011)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: That is not what I said.

Seanad: Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (7 Dec 2011)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: I fully appreciate what the Minister said ins an freagra a thug sé, go háirithe i dtaca leis an dóigh a bhreathnódh an t-Aire Comhshaol, Pobal and Rialtas Áitiúil ar an táille €100 agus a intinn a dhéanamh suas maidir leis an táille a árdú, ag déanamh tagairt don phraghasinnéacs tomhaltóirí, CPI. We cannot accept the position of the Minister of State, unfortunately, and we...

Seanad: Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (7 Dec 2011)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: That was on the holiday homes.

Seanad: Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (7 Dec 2011)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: It is a totally different matter.

Seanad: Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (7 Dec 2011)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: I acknowledge what was said regarding the 2009 Act and second or holiday homes. These properties were purchased for investment purposes and often they were rented out. One cannot compare the second home levy to the household charge because the latter will affect every family in this country. We cannot support legislation that empowers the Minister to increase the charge by way of...

Seanad: Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (7 Dec 2011)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: I fully appreciate the context of this motion. I agree with the Sinn Féin Senators that legislation which has a financially negative impact on households should be poverty proofed. All legislation should be poverty proofed and perhaps that has happened in this situation. I am not sure, but I doubt that the Department of Social Protection has poverty proofed this Bill. Last night the...

Seanad: Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 - Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Dec 2011)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: I move amendment No. 12: In page 8, subsection (4)(b), line 17, after "estate" to insert the following: ",or (c) the year in which the liability falls if, on that date, he or she is the holder of a medical card issued by the Health Service Executive, or (d) the year in which the liability falls if, on that date, he or she is in receipt of any of the following payments from the Department of...

Seanad: Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 - Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Dec 2011)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: The amendment has not been discussed.

Seanad: Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 - Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Dec 2011)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: It was grouped with Sinn Féin's amendment No. 10. However, that amendment was withdrawn in favour of this one.

Seanad: Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 - Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Dec 2011)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: I have no choice but to do so.

Seanad: Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 - Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Dec 2011)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: Yes, we will withdraw the amendment.