Results 20,541-20,560 of 26,293 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Seanad: Finance Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Dec 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: Briefly, I have certain reservations on the recommendation tabled on the effective rates. There are many valid reasons the rate might be lower than the standard rate. This probably will be my only opportunity to make this point but in respect of the €2.47 billion in additional tax revenues up to the end of October, I note that more than 80% of it was made up of corporation tax...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Dec 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I am.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Dec 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I would like to draw the Minister of State's attention to a situation that has come to light in regard to VAT exempted education activities. I will probably table a recommendation on Report Stage to try to address this issue. A number of education facilities, particularly conference and retreat centres, that provide accommodation on a bed and breakfast basis, have been recently informed by...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Dec 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Minister of State.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Dec 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I move recommendation No. 6:In page 95, line 33, to delete " "€280,000" " and substitute " "€300,000" ". This amendment relates to the capital acquisitions tax inheritance threshold, which the Government has set at €280,000. Most of us would be of the view that this is still too low. I am not presuming that the threshold can be raised overnight to an appropriate level...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Dec 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I appreciate the Minister of State's response but I propose to press the recommendation.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Dec 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: Tacaíonn mise agus mo pháirtí leis an moladh seo freisin. I agree with Senator Kathryn Reilly on this recommendation. Fianna Fáil submitted an identical recommendation which is included in this proposal which makes sense. Not to repeat what Senator Kathryn Reilly said, promises were made previously about providing for transparency in the tax system. The Fine Gael...

Seanad: Finance (Local Property Tax) (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2015: Second Stage (8 Dec 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Minister for outlining the provisions of the Bill. I am particularly disappointed the House has only been given one and a half hours to debate all Stages of this Bill. We have tabled amendments to it, as has Sinn Féin, to improve it but we will probably will not have the time to consider them. I sincerely regret taking all Stages of this Bill today as there is a good deal...

Seanad: Finance (Local Property Tax) (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2015: Second Stage (8 Dec 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: Apartment and home owners across the country pay €1,600 or €1,800, or €2,000 and more in management fees but they do not derive direct services from the local authority. They pay for their light and insurance and they pay into sinking funds for their estates. My Bill was defeated in the other House and, therefore, could not be introduced here because it was a cost on...

Seanad: Finance (Local Property Tax) (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2015: Second Stage (8 Dec 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: We have spent a great deal of time debating how the LPT could be improved but we have gotten nowhere with this legislation bar the freezing of the revaluation. Fianna Fáil has made specific commitments on the issues I have outlined, which will form part of our manifesto to improve the tax. We will support the Bill but the Government could have done much better with the exemptions.

Seanad: Finance (Local Property Tax) (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2015: Second Stage (8 Dec 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: Tá brón orm. I was not allowed to share time.

Seanad: Finance (Local Property Tax) (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2015: Second Stage (8 Dec 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: The Minister for Finance, Deputy Noonan, brought that in as a last-minute amendment.

Seanad: Finance (Local Property Tax) (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2015: Second Stage (8 Dec 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: The Minister of State is lucky Senator Norris is not here.

Seanad: Finance (Local Property Tax) (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Dec 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I move amendment No. 4:In page 3, between lines 17 and 18, to insert the following:“5.The Principal Act is amended by the insertion of the following new section 8A:“8A.A residential property shall not for the purposes of this Act, be regarded as a relevant residential property in a case where the property—(1) is occupied by a liable person as his or her sole or main...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages (8 Dec 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I move amendment No. 1:In page 16, after line 35, to insert the following: “26. The Pensions Act 1990 is amended by inserting a new section 48A as follows:“48A.An appeals mechanism for pension scheme members shall be put in place where trustees have decided upon reduced benefits for members, and such appeals mechanism shall ensure that any category of such pension scheme...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages (8 Dec 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: Yes I do. Amendment No. 1 would put in place an appeals mechanism for pension scheme members where trustees have decided upon reduced benefits for members, and such appeals mechanism could ensure that any category of such pension scheme members have not been unfairly treated in any restructuring arrangement. At present, as Members are aware, deferred and retired members in particular...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages (8 Dec 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I would not say that.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages (8 Dec 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: He is the expert.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages (8 Dec 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I wish to respond to the comments made by the Minister of State. I appreciate his response and its bona fides. However, the reality of the situation is that we have living proof of what has happened to specific groups of pension scheme members. They have been disproportionately cut yet had no recourse. In many instances, particularly with larger companies, while the trustees belong to a...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages (8 Dec 2015)

Darragh O'Brien: I move amendment No. 2:In page 16, after line 35, to insert the following: "26. The State Airports (Shannon Group) Act 2014 is amended by inserting a new section 34A as follows:"34A.The IAS Scheme shall not be allowed to close its pension scheme except where the scheme has reached a minimum 90 per cent funding standard.".".