Results 2,281-2,300 of 4,178 for speaker:Paul Gavan

Seanad: Financial Provisions (Covid-19) (No. 2) Bill 2020: Second Stage (30 Jul 2020)

Paul Gavan: It is nice to see the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach in the Chair. The Minister of State is very welcome. I will have to start by responding to my colleague, Senator D’Arcy. There is no problem with back-and-forth with the Senator but I ask him to try at least to be factual. There are many aspects of this Bill that we are on record as supporting. To characterise us-----

Seanad: Financial Provisions (Covid-19) (No. 2) Bill 2020: Second Stage (30 Jul 2020)

Paul Gavan: I will explain that, because I agree with her. The Senator however, needs to stick to his facts. To say that we rejected every aspect of this Bill, which he did-----

Seanad: Financial Provisions (Covid-19) (No. 2) Bill 2020: Second Stage (30 Jul 2020)

Paul Gavan: You did.

Seanad: Financial Provisions (Covid-19) (No. 2) Bill 2020: Second Stage (30 Jul 2020)

Paul Gavan: You did and you were very clear. I know that it has been a bad week for Fine Gael and indeed Fianna Fáil.

Seanad: Financial Provisions (Covid-19) (No. 2) Bill 2020: Second Stage (30 Jul 2020)

Paul Gavan: I am saying that it has been a bad week for Fine Gael.

Seanad: Financial Provisions (Covid-19) (No. 2) Bill 2020: Second Stage (30 Jul 2020)

Paul Gavan: I know that the Cathaoirleach will give me some extra time, for which I thank him. On this Bill, we welcome the warehousing of tax liabilities, the reduction of interest rates applying to tax debt, and corporate tax loss relief in these circumstances, but I will highlight a few concerns we have around the Bill. The temporary VAT rate reduction from 23% to 21% is of course supported by us....

Seanad: Financial Provisions (Covid-19) (No. 2) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (30 Jul 2020)

Paul Gavan: I move recommendation No. 3: In page 14, between lines 25 and 26, to insert the following: “(22) The Minister may make an order under paragraphs (a), (b) or (c) of subsection (21) that pertains to a certain class or sector of business of employers.”. I am a little disappointed that the previous recommendations were ruled out of order because it is common sense to extend...

Seanad: Financial Provisions (Covid-19) (No. 2) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (30 Jul 2020)

Paul Gavan: I wish to put on the record that we are proposing a recommendation to allow the Minister to alter either the rates of the subsidies paid to employers in respect of certain classes of employees or the reduction in turnover necessary for an employer of a certain class of businesses, such as those in the hospitality or tourism sectors, to qualify. We know that businesses are really on the point...

Seanad: Financial Provisions (Covid-19) (No. 2) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (30 Jul 2020)

Paul Gavan: I put on record Sinn Féin's support for this recommendation. It is a pity that whenever the issue of collective bargaining comes, up all we ever hear from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael is "Well, yes, but now is not the right time". It was not the right time in the past four years of Fine Gael Government, supported by Fianna Fáil. It is not the right time today. I suppose it...

Seanad: Financial Provisions (Covid-19) (No. 2) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (30 Jul 2020)

Paul Gavan: I accept Senator Casey's bona fides and I have no doubt that he is a good employer. I am delighted that he acknowledges the value of the JLC system when it was in place. To be clear, I never said that workers do not have any rights. I noted something that is factually correct, namely, that this State is one of only two countries in Europe which do not have collective bargaining rights. In...

Seanad: Financial Provisions (Covid-19) (No. 2) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (30 Jul 2020)

Paul Gavan: It is still surprising that there are Deputies on the conservative side who really do not understand the struggles of workers in the private sector and how hard it is to get justice at work. I refer to low-paid workers, contract cleaners and people working in nursing homes for a flat fee on 24-hour shifts across seven days who can work any 12 hours in those 24 hours and get paid as little as...

Seanad: Financial Provisions (Covid-19) (No. 2) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (30 Jul 2020)

Paul Gavan: That is because they are so poorly paid.

Seanad: Financial Provisions (Covid-19) (No. 2) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (30 Jul 2020)

Paul Gavan: I oppose section 8. I will be brief because we have discussed this at length on Second Stage. This section is bad politics. The policies here are going to drive up the price of housing. We have seen a previous Parliamentary Budget Office report on the help-to-buy scheme. It is a poor scheme and disproportionately benefits higher income earners and is not what we need. The last thing we...

Seanad: Financial Provisions (Covid-19) (No. 2) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (30 Jul 2020)

Paul Gavan: I move recommendation No. 9: In page 48, between lines 8 and 9, to insert the following: "(b) In section 46(1)(ca) by substituting "paragraphs 3(1) to (3), 7, 8, 11, 12, 13(3) and 13B(1) to (3)" for "paragraphs 7(a), 7A and 12", and". This topic has had a good airing. We welcome the reduction in VAT but we are pointing to the fact there has not been a corresponding decrease in VAT at...

Seanad: Financial Provisions (Covid-19) (No. 2) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (30 Jul 2020)

Paul Gavan: I move recommendation No. 11: 11. In page 48, between lines 12 and 13, to insert the following: “Report on impact of reduction of VAT on motor vehicles and certain fuels 13. The Minister shall, within 5 months of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before Dáil Éireann a report on the impact of the reduction of VAT from 23 to 21 per cent, provided for under paragraphs...

Seanad: Financial Provisions (Covid-19) (No. 2) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (30 Jul 2020)

Paul Gavan: That is a reasonable suggestion. I accept that.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (29 Jul 2020)

Paul Gavan: Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach. I wish to raise the issue of the pandemic unemployment payments and call for a debate on the Covid-19 payments. This has been such an unmitigated disaster for the Government. It must be very embarrassing. I support entirely what Senator Higgins has said. How we can possibly deal with this law today, now that we know there are so many holes in...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Covid-19) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (29 Jul 2020)

Paul Gavan: The Minister is very welcome. I wish her well in her role. She has a tough job ahead. I will just add a couple of points to what has already been said. I was watching the debate but, to be honest, I was not intending to speak. I was genuinely hoping that my colleague, Senator McCallion, would not be the only person to speak up for the people in the North of this country. I really hoped...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Covid-19) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (29 Jul 2020)

Paul Gavan: I take the Cathaoirleach's point. I am not singling out any individual. I am just saying that I would expect the Green Party to make a statement on this Bill.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Covid-19) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (29 Jul 2020)

Paul Gavan: In that case, I apologise. We intend to hold this Government and its three constituent parties to account at every stage. I wish the Minister well and I look forward to hearing her responses.