Results 20,541-20,560 of 35,894 for speaker:Pearse Doherty

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2016: Committee Stage (9 Nov 2016)

Pearse Doherty: Could the Minister give more detail on the report that will be presented? I presume the Minister has seen the report, which is being worked on by his Department and the ESRI. We are asking for a net wealth tax. Every year, we have this discussion on local property tax, CGT and CAT. The Minister is reducing the latter two. The local property tax is not a net wealth tax. Let us not rehash...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2016: Committee Stage (9 Nov 2016)

Pearse Doherty: I will withdraw the amendment with the option of re-introducing it on Report Stage, which probably will be after the publication of the work being done by the ESRI and the Department. I acknowledge it has been a step forward. I do not think it would have happened if it was not for myself and others continuing to put this on the political agenda. Hopefully there will be comprehensive data...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2016: Committee Stage (9 Nov 2016)

Pearse Doherty: No. Will the Chairman bear with me?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2016: Committee Stage (9 Nov 2016)

Pearse Doherty: Just on section 2-----

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2016: Committee Stage (9 Nov 2016)

Pearse Doherty: No, before we go onto section 3, I will speak on section 2. The Chairman has disposed of amendment No. 2 but section 2 is the section that reduces the universal social charge.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2016: Committee Stage (9 Nov 2016)

Pearse Doherty: I am opposed to section 2. I believe it is a mistake by Government. I acknowledge the reductions in the universal social charge are very small and that people, particularly low and middle-income earners, are feeling the pinch and have been for many years as a result of both this Government's policies and the previous Fianna Fáil Government's policies. There are better ways to relieve...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2016: Committee Stage (9 Nov 2016)

Pearse Doherty: The Minister mentioned that high marginal tax rates have an affect on employment yet there is no data to suggest that is the case. Indeed, the ESRI, which, I am sure the Minister will acknowledge, is a reputable body and does not have a political axe to grind, has stated before the Committee on Budgetary Oversight that this notion should be tested and made a follow-up point that sufficient...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2016: Committee Stage (9 Nov 2016)

Pearse Doherty: -----or we do not have enough money to house the homeless or to build the new houses that are needed to deal with the housing crisis.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2016: Committee Stage (9 Nov 2016)

Pearse Doherty: This is very relevant.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2016: Committee Stage (9 Nov 2016)

Pearse Doherty: With regard to the budget, it is the Minister's view that it is easy to decide we do not need €444 million of tax money this year, next year and every other year because our services are somehow fine. This would be somehow justifiable if we did not have a crisis in health, a crisis in housing and a crisis in homelessness, and if we did not have workers out on strike and balloting for...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2016: Committee Stage (9 Nov 2016)

Pearse Doherty: This is a very bad move. The Minister has presented as facts what are not facts. He has changed his argument to suit a political narrative and to suit some type of person in the Fine Gael headquarters who decided, "This is a good idea. Let us print up some election posters saying 'Abolish the USC', and the country is somehow going to be fine despite getting rid of €5.6 billion from...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2016: Committee Stage (9 Nov 2016)

Pearse Doherty: I would have appreciated if Deputy D'Arcy had addressed the motion in full. If he wanted to give full information for accuracy, and I have made this point in the Dáil Chamber, what it actually called for was the abolition of the USC and the reinstatement of the health levy and the income levy. The point I made earlier is that when the previous Government of Fianna Fáil introduced...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2016: Committee Stage (9 Nov 2016)

Pearse Doherty: I will respond to that without looking to lengthen the debate, as I want to get into it. This is a very substantial issue and it is very clear from the Government's replies that it is coming under some pressure to justify why it is getting rid of €462 million of our tax base, given the crises we have in this area. I stand over the motion we put before the Dáil. To suggest the...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2016: Committee Stage (9 Nov 2016)

Pearse Doherty: Yes, the Minister said that as well.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2016: Committee Stage (9 Nov 2016)

Pearse Doherty: It would be interesting for the committee to hear whether the Minister's view is the same now as it was. Previously, the Minister informed these Houses as follows: "I should point out that it was never intended that the USC would be a temporary measure." Is that still the Minister's view or has he changed his view? The Minister is entitled to change it.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2016: Committee Stage (9 Nov 2016)

Pearse Doherty: I answered that. The Minister will not answer my simple question.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2016: Committee Stage (9 Nov 2016)

Pearse Doherty: I did. I said I would stand over it. You will not stand over your statement-----

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2016: Committee Stage (9 Nov 2016)

Pearse Doherty: I am asking the Minister whether he will stand over his comments.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2016: Committee Stage (9 Nov 2016)

Pearse Doherty: He has avoided the answer.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2016: Committee Stage (9 Nov 2016)

Pearse Doherty: The Minister did not answer it. It is a simple question. Does the Minister stand over the comments he made in informing the Houses?