Results 1,501-1,520 of 1,714 for speaker:John Dardis

Seanad: Budget Statement 2006: Motion (6 Dec 2006)

John Dardis: They received more than €70 per month.

Seanad: Budget Statement 2006: Motion (6 Dec 2006)

John Dardis: Someone is trying to send a message to the Senator.

Seanad: Budget Statement 2006: Motion (6 Dec 2006)

John Dardis: They have not much to hold on to.

Seanad: Budget Statement 2006: Motion (6 Dec 2006)

John Dardis: Reluctantly.

Seanad: Budget Statement 2006: Motion (6 Dec 2006)

John Dardis: Not all of them.

Seanad: Budget Statement 2006: Motion (6 Dec 2006)

John Dardis: Would the Senator like to spend €1 billion of his own money?

Seanad: Budget Statement 2006: Motion (6 Dec 2006)

John Dardis: What place is the Senator talking about?

Seanad: Budget Statement 2006: Motion (6 Dec 2006)

John Dardis: Is it Daingean Uí Chúis?

Seanad: Budget Statement 2006: Motion (6 Dec 2006)

John Dardis: I join with other speakers in welcoming the Minister of State to the House. I also welcome the budget. Senator O'Toole may have spent too much time in the bookmakers or with the three-card-trick merchants when he was growing up in Dingle.

Seanad: Budget Statement 2006: Motion (6 Dec 2006)

John Dardis: It has led him to some flights of fancy.

Seanad: Budget Statement 2006: Motion (6 Dec 2006)

John Dardis: No.

Seanad: Budget Statement 2006: Motion (6 Dec 2006)

John Dardis: I will not indulge the Senator so that he can leave now. He will have to wait and hear what I have to say.

Seanad: Budget Statement 2006: Motion (6 Dec 2006)

John Dardis: Much detail has been discussed and we have gone through many of the individual figures which have been dealt with both by Senator Mansergh and the Minister of State. I would like to take the wider view, which is a simple one into which the budget fits entirely. If investment and work are rewarded, resources are produced which provide the capacity to look after those who are most in need in...

Seanad: Budget Statement 2006: Motion (6 Dec 2006)

John Dardis: It is important to remember how far we have come — we are now talking about spending billions of euro. If the Estimates include a growth rate of 5%, we are looking at inflation in the order of 3%, and one brings in a budget figure of 11.5% in current spending that will contribute very much to inflation. The budget is pretty neutral. It is fair to claim, as the Minister of State has done,...

Seanad: Budget Statement 2006: Motion (6 Dec 2006)

John Dardis: As I said, I do not want to judge it just yet. I will get there in a moment. The budget is quite prudent. Compliance is a major issue for businesses that must fill in the books and deal with red tape. I am not talking about not paying their taxes, which is a different matter. If one read The Wall Street Journal yesterday, it was very noticeable what was said there about this country.

Seanad: Budget Statement 2006: Motion (6 Dec 2006)

John Dardis: The newspaper was quoting from an international analysis of all the countries involved and Ireland is fourth in the international league. That is why we have investment here because people are confident that they can invest without being suffocated by red tape. It is particularly important and it is being done here to ensure that small businesses at the lower end of the scale do not have to...

Seanad: Budget Statement 2006: Motion (6 Dec 2006)

John Dardis: It is entirely reasonable and the Minister has done that.

Seanad: Budget Statement 2006: Motion (6 Dec 2006)

John Dardis: If I were examining the budget beforehand and was worried about inflation, I would be looking for splurge but where is it? I do not see any splurge. I believe it was Oscar Wilde who said he could give into everything except temptation. The Minister is an unusual political animal. He is to be congratulated on resisting the temptation to throw money in all directions.

Seanad: Budget Statement 2006: Motion (6 Dec 2006)

John Dardis: I am sure the Acting Chairman will protect me from unwarranted attacks from the other side. I am one of those who asked what impact providing stamp duty relief for first-time buyers would have on house prices.

Seanad: Budget Statement 2006: Motion (6 Dec 2006)

John Dardis: The Minister will confirm that I raised the question at a meeting in Malahide. The problem is that those seeking to buy a new house have a certain amount of money to pay for the house and pay the stamp duty owing. When they place a bid they subtract the stamp duty they would incur, leaving the amount they are willing to pay.