Results 221-240 of 34,415 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2025: Committee Stage (5 Nov 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: I acknowledge the growing interest that there is in this policy area. Deputy Nash has requested to have a report on proposals to amend the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 to facilitate the establishment of a greater number of employee share ownership trusts and their smooth and efficient functioning. As Deputies may be aware, an independent review of share-based remuneration carried out by...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2025: Committee Stage (5 Nov 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: I take the Deputy's points. This is something I can see the growing interest in. Deputy Nash's colleague, Deputy Lawlor, has approached me about it and indicated the interest that he and others have in it. I can see the role it could play. I can see how we are relatively underdeveloped versus the UK. I am aware of the other ownership structures that exist elsewhere within Europe. My...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2025: Committee Stage (5 Nov 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: On the procedural point, that is a decision made by the Bills Office.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2025: Committee Stage (5 Nov 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: We give a view but the Deputy gives a view too. We do not make the decision.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2025: Committee Stage (5 Nov 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: We did give that advice-----

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2025: Committee Stage (5 Nov 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: -----but we do not make the decision.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2025: Committee Stage (5 Nov 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: Our view is that it is not consistent with a discussion of the Finance Bill.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2025: Committee Stage (5 Nov 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: The Finance Bill is about tax measures. We do not decide; we give a view, and I am being open about it here. I have underlined the rationale for it. The Finance Bill is about tax. That is why.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2025: Committee Stage (5 Nov 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: I am happy to have a general debate with the Deputy on any matter, as I demonstrate by my willingness to be here at any point. The Chair may or may not facilitate that but-----

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2025: Committee Stage (5 Nov 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: Hold on. The Deputy asked me a question and I am answering it.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2025: Committee Stage (5 Nov 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: The Finance Bill is about tax measures. That is why we gave the view in relation to it but the decision is made by the Bills Office. I am happy, at the discretion of the Chairperson, to have a debate with the Deputy on any policy matter.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2025: Committee Stage (5 Nov 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: I disagree with the Deputy. I have been a Member of the Houses and attended committees of the Oireachtas for as long as the Deputy. He knows there is ample opportunity to raise policy matters under the section of the Bill. The amendment that the Deputy brought forward, in our view, is not about taxation policy. That is why we gave the recommendation we did. I do not accept the idea that...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2025: Committee Stage (5 Nov 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: No, I was very careful in what I said. I said the Finance Bill contained tax measures. Amendments that should be brought forward in relation to it should be about taxation. There are a million ways in which the Deputy could rephrase his amendment to have it consistent with the Standing Orders of the House, and whether he chooses to do that is a matter for himself. If the Deputy wants to...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2025: Committee Stage (5 Nov 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: And I will equally defend robustly the rationale that we are bringing forward for doing it and making the case for it. It is entirely appropriate for the Department to make the point that, as the Finance Bill is about tax measures, an amendment in relation to the Finance Bill should be about a specific tax measure. As I look at the Deputy's amendment again, it does not make reference to a...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2025: Committee Stage (5 Nov 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: Of course. It deals with the point that the Deputy has just made about the kinds of expenses to which this provision will apply. Section 5 amends section 204B of the Taxes Consolidation Act to provide for an exemption from income tax for compensation payments made to an eligible living donor of a kidney or lobe of a liver. This amendment updates the reference to the relevant legislation to...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2025: Committee Stage (5 Nov 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: Yes, that is correct. There are a number of conditions that are laid down by the Department of Health with regard to the operation of the scheme and if it meets those conditions, the Deputy is correct. The intention of it overall is to minimise the financial disincentives for potential living donors. It is on foot of a scheme that was put on statutory footing with the introduction of the...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2025: Committee Stage (5 Nov 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: I think it refers to the replacement of section 204B of the taxes Act. Actually, hold on. This refers to the updating of the 2024 Act that, in turn, refers to a statutory instrument, so it is the other way round.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2025: Committee Stage (5 Nov 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: That is correct.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2025: Committee Stage (5 Nov 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: This is just a consequence of the way the Department of Health has handled the matter.