Results 9,921-9,940 of 24,567 for speaker:Róisín Shortall

Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) (4 Dec 2013)

Róisín Shortall: The Minister of State has been somewhat economical with the truth in his comments on the programme for Government. As he stated, the programme for Government states: As part of our fiscal strategy the new Government will: ... "Maintain the current rates of income tax together with bands and credits." Theoretically, the Minister of State is retaining the credit even if he is taking it from...

Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) (4 Dec 2013)

Róisín Shortall: If the Minister of State accepts the principle of shared parenting, there should be a shared arrangement. I endorse the points made by Deputy Boyd Barrett. We are all too familiar with separated fathers who are living in tiny bedsits or one-bedroom flats who do not have the opportunity to have their children living with them because of the serious housing crisis. The Minister of State is...

Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) (4 Dec 2013)

Róisín Shortall: That is exactly what the Minister of State is doing in taking €2,500 from a particular group.

Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) (4 Dec 2013)

Róisín Shortall: On a point of order-----

Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) (4 Dec 2013)

Róisín Shortall: -----that is not in line with replies that have been given to parliamentary questions on this matter.

Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) (4 Dec 2013)

Róisín Shortall: I support the thrust of the amendments. This measure demonstrates that, where the Government's health policy is concerned, the left hand does not know what the right hand is doing. On the one hand, the official health policy is that we are to move towards a system of universal health insurance. That will be exceptionally difficult to achieve without any change being made. However, when...

Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) (4 Dec 2013)

Róisín Shortall: The majority of people who have health insurance will be faced with increased costs as a result of this measure, and then there will be an inevitable increase in the cost of premiums, meaning that many families will be faced with a bill of between €200 and €300 in additional costs for their health insurance. That makes it less affordable and means that more and more people will...

Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) (5 Dec 2013)

Róisín Shortall: I strongly support Deputy Broughan’s amendment. The Government’s pension levy underlines the complete disarray in its pensions policy. Two promises were clearly made by the Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael Noonan, last year. First, he promised to tackle the very unfair pension tax relief on high-end pensions. Pension tax relief costs the taxpayer €2.5 billion a...

Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (5 Dec 2013)

Róisín Shortall: I have raised the issue of the failure to fulfil the promises made relating to the SFT, especially as these are directly related to the increase in the levy. That is the whole point. The Government incurred a shortfall of €130 million as a result of not doing what it had promised to do in respect of high-end pensions and it made up that shortfall by increasing the levy on persons...

Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (5 Dec 2013)

Róisín Shortall: Will the Minister of State confirm that there is no intention to extend it further?

Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (5 Dec 2013)

Róisín Shortall: We were previously informed that the levy would be brought to an end in 2014. However, that will not now be the case.

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (5 Dec 2013)

Róisín Shortall: At the outset, I must say that it is very disappointing that this legislation is being rushed in this manner, without allowing adequate time for consultation with those who will be most affected by it or indeed, without allowing time for Members of this House to give the proposed legislation adequate consideration. It is no way to do business. Any respect due to this House is being...

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (5 Dec 2013)

Róisín Shortall: Today the Unite trade union made it very clear that what is being proposed here is wholly inadequate. It is most regrettable that the Minister did not agree to meet the group of parliamentarians who are working with the Waterford Crystal workers or with their union representatives to discuss this legislation. The Minister seems to be trying to head off any ruling from the High Court in this...

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (5 Dec 2013)

Róisín Shortall: -----in the Robins case.

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (5 Dec 2013)

Róisín Shortall: If I may be allowed to finish. The Minister's actions are in stark contrast to what the UK Government did in respect of the Robins case.

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (5 Dec 2013)

Róisín Shortall: What the Government is proposing here is not----

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (5 Dec 2013)

Róisín Shortall: ----by any means a solution to the situation in which Waterford Crystal workers find themselves, or indeed, other workers who are facing a similar situation.

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (5 Dec 2013)

Róisín Shortall: The point I made was that the actions of the Minister are in stark contrast to what the British Government did in the Robins case.

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Property Taxation Administration (5 Dec 2013)

Róisín Shortall: 70. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will provide a response to the issues raised in correspondence (details supplied) regarding the local property tax. [52410/13]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Property Taxation Administration (5 Dec 2013)

Róisín Shortall: 71. To ask the Minister for Finance the reason a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9 received a local property tax letter addressed to their deceased spouse for a property their spouse did not own; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52413/13]