Results 1,001-1,020 of 6,295 for speaker:Michael D'Arcy

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: School Accommodation (6 Mar 2013)

Michael D'Arcy: I am trying to obtain information in respect of a premises that is going to be available in Gorey, County Wexford. I refer to the premises at which first and second year students from Creagh College post-primary school are currently located. The premises in question was built as temporary accommodation - it includes 16 classrooms - with a view to being converted to primary school...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: School Accommodation (6 Mar 2013)

Michael D'Arcy: So the politburo is alive and well. I intend no criticism of the Minister of State, but the reply he has just provided is farcical. No Minister should come before the House with a reply of that nature. The Minister's one-page script contains a one-line reference to the question I posed. That is not good enough and it reflects was Fianna Fáil did when it was in government. It is not good...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: School Accommodation (6 Mar 2013)

Michael D'Arcy: The line in the script which relates to the question I posed states: "The design of the building lends itself to conversion to a permanent primary school...". In addition, it also indicates that the accommodation could be relocated elsewhere. This is the most farcical thing I have ever heard. Is the Minister of State seriously indicating that the building can be dismantled and transported...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: School Accommodation (6 Mar 2013)

Michael D'Arcy: I wish to make a point.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: School Accommodation (6 Mar 2013)

Michael D'Arcy: I must make a point. The bottom line is that the board of management has asked the Department of Education and Skills about this matter on numerous occasions but has received no reply. The response seems to be that there is no response. I am requesting such a response.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2013 (Certified Money Bill): Second Stage (20 Mar 2013)

Michael D'Arcy: There is a Fianna Fáil cumann in Japan.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2013 (Certified Money Bill): Second Stage (20 Mar 2013)

Michael D'Arcy: I welcome the Minister of State to conclude the debate on the Finance Bill 2013 between today and tomorrow. It is the crucial legislation in raising revenue for the State. On Senator Marc MacSharry's points on the 2008 Irish bailout package, Cyprus's deal was deemed so unacceptable that there was not one single vote in its parliament in favour of the package. That should have happened here...

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Mar 2013)

Michael D'Arcy: I am concerned about the inadequacy of replies given on Adjournment debates. I wrote to the Committee on Procedure and Privileges on this matter, expressing the view that if there is an inadequate response the Leader and the Cathaoirleach should ask the senior Minister in the relevant Department to come before the person who tabled the matter on the Adjournment. If the Departments continue...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2013 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages (21 Mar 2013)

Michael D'Arcy: A point of information that should be put on the record also is that Senator MacSharry appears to be selectively ignoring the third level grant aid of ¤336 million from the State to people who are entitled to grant aid. For Senator MacSharry's information, 60% of students do not pay registration fees. It comes out of that ¤336 million.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2013 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages (21 Mar 2013)

Michael D'Arcy: The Minister should examine this amendment. I am interested in hearing his reply but my common-sense analysis of what Senator MacSharry has said is that this should be reviewed.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2013 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages (21 Mar 2013)

Michael D'Arcy: Does the Minister have a figure for 2012? I understand the point about it being open-ended but a registered physiotherapist will not bring people back for treatment if it is not required, no more than a GP would send someone for physiotherapy if it was not required. I ask the Minister to examine this because in doing so it would be helpful for Members on all sides of the House.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2013 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages (21 Mar 2013)

Michael D'Arcy: Regarding the broader context of farm partnerships, the single farm payment is also considered in this. This means two farmers in partnership are disallowed from setting their payments aside when merging their farming units. It needs to be examined to ensure more flexibility so single farm payments will be guaranteed until 2020. This is an issue that could be in the next Finance Bill.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2013 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages (21 Mar 2013)

Michael D'Arcy: There is some sense in what Senator Barrett has said but equally we cannot ignore the fact that there are 51,000 people employed in the sector. I am wondering aloud. Can more be done to benefit the sector in the overall scheme rather than being targeted at an individual hotel or business? What if we had greater joined-up thinking? To paraphrase the line from the Kevin Costner film "Field...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2013 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages (21 Mar 2013)

Michael D'Arcy: I agree with much of what has been said, but disagree with some points made. Senator Barrett makes a valid point that the days of providing tax incentives to do something that is unsustainable, just because we would like nice old houses to be retained, is questionable at a time when we are bringing forward tax increases of the order of ¤44 billion for this calendar year, having risen from...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2013 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages (21 Mar 2013)

Michael D'Arcy: Senator MacSharry has just chosen to ignore everything the Minister said. It is unfair. We come in here and have fairly good debates. The Senator has chosen to ignore the specific line that this is available to any airport. He has managed to assume the position that the west is getting done over. It is not, because it is available to the west if it chooses to take it up.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2013 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages (21 Mar 2013)

Michael D'Arcy: The Senator is choosing to ignore-----

Seanad: Finance Bill 2013 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages (21 Mar 2013)

Michael D'Arcy: Without the benefit of this, someone who had the property or business to transfer would have to pay large duties and debts. Instead of investing in the future and expanding the business, he would have to pay money to the State. That would lead to a downward spiral rather than the tax break for the younger farmer. That is the primary reason this has been in place for a long time and why the...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2013 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages (21 Mar 2013)

Michael D'Arcy: We pay for Senators as well.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2013 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages (21 Mar 2013)

Michael D'Arcy: I disagree with the Senator. It is good that higher rates of tax will apply to higher volumes of alcohol. The same applies to smoking. There is the argument that we should ensure, if does more damage, that it will cost more. It is a prohibitive way of trying to prevent people from doing damage to themselves, even though they choose to do it. I do not agree with the Senator, but it is a...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2013 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages (21 Mar 2013)

Michael D'Arcy: From this Chamber to the wealthiest and the poorest, people drink and smoke. It is welcome that one will pay a higher rate of tax on alcohol products.