Results 1,581-1,600 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Finance Bill 2006: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (7 Mar 2006)

Richard Bruton: If the commission was here the members would not be arguing along the lines the Minister is arguing. The Minister congratulated himself for being the first to put a cap on pensions. That is true but most of the huge explosion in the cost of pensions has occurred under his Government, with the huge increase in pension relief provided, allowing from what was 15% of income to rise to 30% of...

Finance Bill 2006: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (7 Mar 2006)

Richard Bruton: I admire the Minister's selective quotation from history. He did not even quote, but assumed the record would back up anything he says. When the record is examined it will show a different picture. The late Jim Mitchell, who stood here for Fine Gael before me, was a strong supporter of that and advocated that the pension contribution be increased to 1.5%.

Finance Bill 2006: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (7 Mar 2006)

Richard Bruton: The National Pension Reserve Fund has set aside money to do what the Minister accuses the Opposition of advocating, namely putting money from the fund into bankable infrastructure projects. The Minister and his colleagues have not been able to propose any project that could draw down that money. This is a failure to implement a positive suggestion from the Opposition. It has yet to be implemented.

Finance Bill 2006: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (7 Mar 2006)

Richard Bruton: Since it has occurred the Minister has made changes to remove the conflict of interest, which arose as a result of the——

Finance Bill 2006: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (7 Mar 2006)

Richard Bruton: The Minister loves to talk people down but does not like to hear the truth.

Finance Bill 2006: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (7 Mar 2006)

Richard Bruton: The Minister's predecessor established the National Development Finance Agency to advise on and negotiate PPPs. It was to advise both sides, and the resulting conflict of interest was rightly highlighted. To the Minister's credit he removed the conflict by changing the way the NDFA operates. The conflict of interest signalled was of sufficient significance for the Minister to make changes. I...

Finance Bill 2006: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (7 Mar 2006)

Richard Bruton: The Minister is distorting the record and trying to deflect from a genuine debate on the equity of pension provision.

Finance Bill 2006: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (7 Mar 2006)

Richard Bruton: Any fair observer, even the Minister, must notice that there is great inequity in this. Much of that inequity was recreated by his predecessor and the Minister is, in effect, sticking his head in the sand if he does not recognise that. It was he who made the great leap forward that has created the vehicle that exists which is being used to the extent it is. One cheer is warranted for starting...

Finance Bill 2006: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (7 Mar 2006)

Richard Bruton: I move amendment No. 11: In page 10, line 6, column (1), to delete "€32,000" and substitute "€34,000". The truth is that this Government said, on taking office for the second time, that the key target it had for tax was to reduce the proportion of people paying at the top rate to 20%. That is now 32% and is way ahead of what was proposed. The Minister has let down 246,000 taxpayers who...

Finance Bill 2006: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (7 Mar 2006)

Richard Bruton: I will not delay because Members would like to debate other amendments. When the Minister made this commitment, he knew that the standard rating had been introduced. Tax credits were in place. It is not something that was unknown to the Minister and his Government colleagues when he made this commitment. Seeking a fool's pardon now because it was much more difficult to achieve that he thought...

Finance Bill 2006: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (7 Mar 2006)

Richard Bruton: I support the amendment though I do not altogether share the belief that landlords and renting are bad. The real problem is that we have taken an extraordinary attitude to renting. For years we had no proper regulation. The Private Residential Tenancies Board was a good idea but is not working. It has teething problems and needs to get its act together. This amendment will help force the pace...

Written Answers — Great Southern Hotels Group: Great Southern Hotels Group (7 Mar 2006)

Richard Bruton: Question 131: To ask the Minister for Transport his proposals in relation to the future of the Great Southern Hotels chain; when these proposals will be given effect; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9099/06]

Written Answers — Traffic Management: Traffic Management (7 Mar 2006)

Richard Bruton: Question 139: To ask the Minister for Transport when the recommendations-initiatives proposed by the Clare Street initiative will be published; when the group last met and will next meet; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9098/06]

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (7 Mar 2006)

Richard Bruton: Question 371: To ask the Minister for Transport if he foresees obstacles to utilising some of the proceeds of shares in Aer Lingus to supplement the deficit in the pensions of retired aviation workers. [8996/06]

Written Answers — Assisted Human Reproduction: Assisted Human Reproduction (7 Mar 2006)

Richard Bruton: Question 254: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her policy on human embryo research; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9358/06]

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (7 Mar 2006)

Richard Bruton: Question 269: To ask the Minister for Finance the number of taxpayers who have paid tax at the top rate in each year over the past ten years; the percentage of this group as a percentage of the total number of eligible taxpayers in each year in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8934/06]

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (7 Mar 2006)

Richard Bruton: Question 275: To ask the Minister for Finance the basis of the estimate of the cost of leaving the existing remittance basis of tax at €100 million; his estimate of the number of companies availing of this system and the number of individual taxpayers involved; and the way in which his estimate of the cost of this concession has grown over the past five years. [9250/06]

Written Answers — State Assets: State Assets (7 Mar 2006)

Richard Bruton: Question 370: To ask the Minister for Transport his plans to publish a policy evaluation on the question of the sale of shares in Aer Lingus; and if the Government has appointed advisers to examine the issues independently of the advice being obtained by the management and board of the company. [8995/06]

Written Answers — Commissions of Investigation: Commissions of Investigation (7 Mar 2006)

Richard Bruton: Question 462: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he has examined the evidence presented in the RTÉ"Prime Time" programme on the likely cause and route of the fire in the Stardust, Artane on 14 February 1981; if he will appoint an independent legal officer to examine this evidence and other evidence assembled by the families of victims; and if he will meet with the...

Written Answers — Nuclear Plants: Nuclear Plants (8 Mar 2006)

Richard Bruton: Question 112: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his views on the recent formal warning issued by the European Commission to British Nuclear Group Sellafield, formerly known as BNFL, that its accounting and reporting procedures in place at Sellafield do not meet EURATOM standards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9480/06]