Results 981-1,000 of 7,082 for speaker:John Paul Phelan

Seanad: Finance Bill 2006 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (29 Mar 2006)

John Paul Phelan: I wish to raise this issue——

Seanad: Finance Bill 2006 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (29 Mar 2006)

John Paul Phelan: The issue I wish to raise has been raised on a number of occasions by different Senators. It is a commitment given by the Tánaiste, who was the then Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, regarding the closure of the Comerama factory in Castlecomer, County Kilkenny, three years ago. At that time, the Minister gave a clear commitment to Members of both Houses——

Seanad: Finance Bill 2006 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (29 Mar 2006)

John Paul Phelan: It has. In fact, it is covered by section 1. The Minister gave a clear commitment at the meeting that the terms of the Redundancy Payments Act 2003 would be extended to include the 169 workers who lost their jobs in Castlecomer in December 2003.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2006 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (29 Mar 2006)

John Paul Phelan: It has been raised on the Adjournment on several occasions and has been raised previously on the Finance Bill. I daresay it will be raised again in the future.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2006 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (29 Mar 2006)

John Paul Phelan: I am using this opportunity to raise it again. The commitment was clearly given by the Tánaiste and she reneged on it——

Seanad: Finance Bill 2006 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (29 Mar 2006)

John Paul Phelan: ——despite the efforts of many elected representatives in my constituency. It was obviously a significant loss for the town of Castlecomer but this particular issue——

Seanad: Finance Bill 2006 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (29 Mar 2006)

John Paul Phelan: The Leas-Chathaoirleach will be interested in this issue.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2006 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (29 Mar 2006)

John Paul Phelan: The workers in Castlecomer took their redundancy in December 2003 because they were given a commitment by the Tánaiste that they would be covered by the terms of the new Bill. They could have continued in business until 1 January if they had known that they would not be covered by that Bill. They were deliberately conned by the Tánaiste in this regard and we have tried every avenue to...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2006 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (29 Mar 2006)

John Paul Phelan: It has local political flavour for the people who lost their jobs.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2006 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (29 Mar 2006)

John Paul Phelan: The workers in Castlecomer gave exemplary service as well.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2006 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (29 Mar 2006)

John Paul Phelan: No.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2006 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (29 Mar 2006)

John Paul Phelan: I move recommendation No. 7: In page 10, line 6, column (1), to delete "€32,000" and substitute "€34,000". The Government's key priority in its programme for Government was to reduce the proportion of the workforce paying tax at the top rate to 20%. The Minister referred to this yesterday on Second Stage. Roughly 33% of the workforce currently pays tax at the top rate. Recommendations...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2006 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (29 Mar 2006)

John Paul Phelan: The Minister has missed the point. I complimented him in the House on the evening of the budget and his efforts to remove those on the minimum wage from the tax net should be applauded. When he made a similar change in this regard in the previous budget, my colleagues and I pointed out it would only take effect for a number of months until the national minimum wage was increased but he...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2006 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (29 Mar 2006)

John Paul Phelan: That is not what I was saying.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2006 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (29 Mar 2006)

John Paul Phelan: Not at all.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2006 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (29 Mar 2006)

John Paul Phelan: They are guide prices.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2006 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (29 Mar 2006)

John Paul Phelan: No.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2006 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (29 Mar 2006)

John Paul Phelan: I move recommendation No. 12: In page 19, before section 14, to insert the following new section: "14.—The Principal Act is amended in section 462— (a) in subsection (1), by the deletion of paragraph (b), and (b) in subsection (2), by inserting the words 'unless in the latter case, one or other does not have a taxable income' after the word 'wife' at the end of the subsection.".

Seanad: Finance Bill 2006 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (29 Mar 2006)

John Paul Phelan: I move recommendation No. 13: In page 19, before section 14, to insert the following new section: "14.—The Principal Act is amended in section 469— (a) in subsection (1), in the definition of 'health care', by deleting the words 'but does not respect of include routine ophthalmic treatment or routine dental treatment', and (b) in subsection (2), by the deletion of that subsection and...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2006 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages. (29 Mar 2006)

John Paul Phelan: Yes.