Results 1,341-1,360 of 1,683 for speaker:Derek McDowell

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

Derek McDowell: We were commenting earlier on the ingenious nature through which the Cathaoirleach has ruled all my recommendations out of order. I do not propose to spend any more time on it.

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

Derek McDowell: What is the total number of taxpayers claiming tax relief on trade union subscriptions?

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

Derek McDowell: If one is claiming relief for interest on borrowings, one must be registered under the residential tenancies legislation. Assuming a taxpayer makes a claim on his or her annual return, is there a cross-check by the Revenue to see if the individual is registered with the Private Residential Tenancies Board?

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

Derek McDowell: Do the Revenue Commissioners cross-check the presented certification?

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

Derek McDowell: While I do not wish to argue about it, I must say that I am somewhat frustrated. The amendments I proposed sought to restrict the amount of tax relief available to a small number of people who have large pension funds by reducing the amount of the standard pension that would be available as part of an ARF. The amendments I proposed sought specifically to reduce the €5 million threshold to...

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

Derek McDowell: I thank the Minister for his response and do not wish to dispute further the figures he has produced. Will the Minister comment on the finding in his Department's review that essentially, these approved retirement funds, the ARFs, were not being used to produce an income flow, that only 6% of all ARFs in existence had been disturbed, in terms of distributions taken from them, and that most...

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

Derek McDowell: They are using the funds to buy assets which they are then enjoying. There is some restriction on that now.

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

Derek McDowell: I made positive remarks about this section on Second Stage and repeat them today. It is a well worked-out section. However, I am trying to figure out how it will work in terms of the capital allowances. My understanding is that only those who have historically built-up capital allowances from before we introduced the cap would be in a position to exceed half their income, based on the sort of...

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

Derek McDowell: Perhaps that is too jaundiced a view. I understand where Senator Henry and the other university Senators are coming from and the view they express.

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

Derek McDowell: I was watching the school children who were in the Visitors Gallery a few minutes ago and wondered what they were thinking. I am not sure they all had the presence of mind to appreciate that they were witnessing a seminal contribution from Senator Mansergh on the issue of equine sex. Certainly, the blank faces that were to be seen indicated they did not. There is no point covering this ground...

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

Derek McDowell: The report suggested that it did not make much difference in the greyhound industry.

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

Derek McDowell: Perish the thought.

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

Derek McDowell: Has the Minister been on to the Commission with a reply to the scheme?

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

Derek McDowell: The next ten sections or so deal with the termination dates of the various schemes. We are beyond the point at which some of the expenditure has been incurred, so I presume we have an idea about the number of new schemes that are likely to be sanctioned before the end of the scheme.

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

Derek McDowell: I am looking at the next ten sections. I do not expect the Minister to give this information if he does not have it, but how many schemes are likely to qualify between now and the end of the termination date?

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

Derek McDowell: I meant new projects rather than new schemes.

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

Derek McDowell: It is a relatively small number of projects.

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

Derek McDowell: This is the——

Seanad: Registration of Deeds and Title Bill 2004 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages. (27 Apr 2006)

Derek McDowell: This group of amendments is related to the insertion of two new sections relating to ground rents in the Bill. They are amendments Nos. 51 and 52. The purpose of these new sections is to deal with problems that have arisen under current ground rents legislation. By way of background, I should tell the House that section 8 of the Landlord and Tenant (Ground Rents)(No. 2) Act of 1978 contains...

Seanad: Registration of Deeds and Title Bill 2004 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages. (27 Apr 2006)

Derek McDowell: These amendments are drafting and technical amendments which should not bother the House.