Results 17,581-17,600 of 27,019 for speaker:Michael Noonan
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (18 Nov 2014)
Michael Noonan: This amendment is in order.
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (18 Nov 2014)
Michael Noonan: The first point I want to make is that the logic of the points made by the Deputy suggests he believes in a model in society where everybody gets paid more or less the same. He seems to believe that if there are variations in wages and salaries in the labour market, the function of the Government should be to equalise everybody. I do not share that viewpoint, which has been put forward...
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (18 Nov 2014)
Michael Noonan: They pay a little less than €25,000. A person whose gross pay is €70,000 has €45,000 after all personal taxes have been deducted. Such people usually live in private houses that they have bought with mortgages, which means they have to make mortgage payments on top of paying their taxes. Those referred to by the Deputy as very well-off quickly come down to being the...
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (18 Nov 2014)
Michael Noonan: I would be pleased if I could make my reply without interruption.
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (18 Nov 2014)
Michael Noonan: Recent ESRI research has shown that inequality in Ireland has decreased since the advent of the downturn as the Government has sought to protect the most vulnerable sectors of society from the full impact of the downturn. Core social welfare payments have not been cut at all. Personal taxes have not been increased. Personal taxes have been reduced in this budget. This is to our credit,...
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (18 Nov 2014)
Michael Noonan: The ESRI switch model was used to come up with the figure of 15,000. This information can be accessed by the Deputy. I am sure he has accessed it already. I did not suggest in any way that low-paid workers worked less hard than middle income people. As a matter of fact I said that I wanted to use the approach to reductions-----
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (18 Nov 2014)
Michael Noonan: I know the Sinn Féin tactic. Do not try to put-----
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (18 Nov 2014)
Michael Noonan: Do not try to put words in my mouth.
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (18 Nov 2014)
Michael Noonan: The Deputy has made an allegation and he should let me reply.
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (18 Nov 2014)
Michael Noonan: Deputy Doherty made an allegation about my frame of mind and about my attitude to workers.
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (18 Nov 2014)
Michael Noonan: I know that when the Deputy cannot win the argument, he fights the man. It is called argumentum ad hominem.
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (18 Nov 2014)
Michael Noonan: Play the man, not the ball.
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (18 Nov 2014)
Michael Noonan: The Deputy will not allow me to reply to the suggestion he is making.
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (18 Nov 2014)
Michael Noonan: He is shouting me down.
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (18 Nov 2014)
Michael Noonan: I am not making any charge at the Deputy.
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (18 Nov 2014)
Michael Noonan: If the Deputy will let me speak, he might calm down. I know he has had a bad month but we have all had difficult times in politics.
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (18 Nov 2014)
Michael Noonan: At the start of my explanation of the general policy approach of the Government to personal taxation, I spoke about relieving USC payments on low-paid workers. I said this was a defective policy instrument whereas income tax was not, because people earning below €16,500 pay no income tax so I cannot give them tax relief through reducing income tax. People marginally above or even a...
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (18 Nov 2014)
Michael Noonan: If I said that, I did not mean to. Is that all right?
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (18 Nov 2014)
Michael Noonan: You would not let me in.
- Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (18 Nov 2014)
Michael Noonan: I am doing that as well.