Results 2,121-2,140 of 4,178 for speaker:Paul Gavan

Seanad: Finance Bill 2020: Report and Final Stages (16 Dec 2020)

Paul Gavan: I second the recommendation.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2020: Report and Final Stages (16 Dec 2020)

Paul Gavan: I listened very carefully to the lengthy debate last week on this recommendation and Senator Mullen has a point. It was a real pity that the Minister of State rejected every request last week for a report on how we might better align our financial plans for the future. Just like the request we made last week, this request has merit. I think, or at least I hope, no Member would be...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2020: Report and Final Stages (16 Dec 2020)

Paul Gavan: Hear, hear.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Introduction of Statutory Sick Pay: Discussion (16 Dec 2020)

Paul Gavan: I thank both witnesses for the information. I want to quote a couple of workers to put this whole issue into context. Denise, who works in a midland's nursing home said: ... not having sick pay is brutal and unfair when you are out sick and unable to attend work. Having had cancer myself, I understand the need for workplace sick pay. You just cannot afford to be out sick and there is no...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Introduction of Statutory Sick Pay: Discussion (16 Dec 2020)

Paul Gavan: That paints a very stark picture with two out of three workers having no coverage. I thank Mr. McDonnell for his presentation and I want to take up on the last point that Deputy O'Reilly raised with Ms King. Would he accept that the idea of making people wait before they get an illness benefit has to end?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Introduction of Statutory Sick Pay: Discussion (16 Dec 2020)

Paul Gavan: I want to move on because I was struck by the line in Mr. McDonnell's statement that we need to have an adult conversation about how we fund them. I was slightly puzzled by the line that if we want higher personal benefits, we must be willing to pay for them via employee PRSI. Was that a typo? Did Mr. McDonnell mean to say employer?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Introduction of Statutory Sick Pay: Discussion (16 Dec 2020)

Paul Gavan: It is serious, and I will tell Mr McDonnell why. The Economic and Social Research Institute, ESRI, produced an excellent report last month on tax rates, and one thing that is very clear is that PRSI tax rates for employers in Europe average at 18% as opposed to 11% here. That is not just a gap; that is a huge gaping chasm. Is Mr. McDonnell seriously saying that employers cannot afford to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Introduction of Statutory Sick Pay: Discussion (16 Dec 2020)

Paul Gavan: Let us hone in on this Mr. McDonnell. I am conscious of my time.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Introduction of Statutory Sick Pay: Discussion (16 Dec 2020)

Paul Gavan: What makes Ireland so different? Why should we not insist that employers pay their fair share, particularly in the system suggested by ICTU, which is a double payment system initially by employers and then taken up by the State?

Seanad: Finance Bill 2020: Committee Stage (11 Dec 2020)

Paul Gavan: I welcome the Minister of State. I agree with my two colleagues who have spoken on this issue. Our view of it is simple; it is well dodgy and does not stand up. Senator Higgins makes a very good point. Perhaps the Government is gambling on the fact that ordinary working people do not have the means to challenge this but, constitutionally, it really does not stack up. To be clear, section...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2020: Committee Stage (11 Dec 2020)

Paul Gavan: The Minister of State gave a lengthy explanation but he did not answer the questions that were posed respectfully by the three of us. At the risk of repeating myself, this payment was quite correctly introduced as an urgent needs payment. Under the Finance Act 2018, an urgent needs payment is exempt from income tax. Saying that the Government said it would be taxable does not matter. What...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2020: Committee Stage (11 Dec 2020)

Paul Gavan: That was never suggested.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2020: Committee Stage (11 Dec 2020)

Paul Gavan: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2020: Committee Stage (11 Dec 2020)

Paul Gavan: We are opposing this section. Section 7 amends section 477C(5A) of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 to extend the enhanced help to buy relief. The help-to-buy scheme provides income tax relief to assist first-time buyers with obtaining the deposit required to purchase or build their first home. The enhanced help-to-buy relief is set to expire on 31 December 2020 and this section provides...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2020: Committee Stage (11 Dec 2020)

Paul Gavan: Not really. I think we will agree to disagree on this matter at this point.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2020: Committee Stage (11 Dec 2020)

Paul Gavan: Briefly, I wish to voice my support on this matter. I am always fascinated by the fact that the one thing that neither of the conservative parties opposite ever concede to do is to try to measure the wealth in this country. Every opportunity is taken to avoid doing that. As Senator Higgins has so eloquently pointed out, there has been a huge gain in wealth for the wealthiest, the top 1% in...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2020: Committee Stage (11 Dec 2020)

Paul Gavan: I move recommendation No. 5: In page 11, after line 34, to insert the following: “Report on operation of income tax relief for cross-border workers 11.The Minister shall, within six months of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before both Houses of the Oireachtas a report on the operation of income tax relief for cross-border workers under section 825A of the Taxes...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2020: Committee Stage (11 Dec 2020)

Paul Gavan: I thank the Minister of State for the extensive answer. It is good to hear cross-party support on this issue. We should look at it on Report Stage. If the six months is the issue, we can look at when we can get a report done. However, there seems to be consensus that we need a report on this issue. I would like to get a commitment from the Minister of State on the production of that...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2020: Committee Stage (11 Dec 2020)

Paul Gavan: I move recommendation No. 6: In page 11, after line 34, to insert the following: “Report on income tax relief 11.The Minister shall, within six months of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before both Houses of the Oireachtas a report on an income tax relief equivalent in value to 8.3 per cent of annual rent to all private rental tenants not already in receipt of any State...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2020: Committee Stage (11 Dec 2020)

Paul Gavan: The contradiction is on the Minister of State's side. He is saying that if we effectively give money to developers via the help to buy scheme, it will not cause inflation, but it will with renters.We will not get agreement on this, but we are asking for a report to examine what the consequences could be. What is the harm in that? What is the Minister of State afraid the report might elicit?