Results 2,561-2,580 of 2,725 for speaker:Noel Coonan

Seanad: Land Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (20 Oct 2004)

Noel Coonan: The farmers whom we want to help the most are those most in need of such help. The category of farmers affected by the provisions of this amendment is in dire need. These farmers need help in order to stay on the land and to maintain the fabric of rural Ireland by keeping their families on the land. I want this Bill to be successful as it includes many good provisions. If the Minister for...

Seanad: Land Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (20 Oct 2004)

Noel Coonan: I move amendment No. 2: In page 4, between lines 10 and 11, to insert the following: "(2) Within 10 days of the commencement of this section, the Minister, following consultation with the Minister for Finance shall lay a Report before both Houses of the Oireachtas indicating the grounds in favour of reducing the percentage payable in subsection (1) to 50%.".

Seanad: Land Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (20 Oct 2004)

Noel Coonan: There is a precedent for this amendment in that previous proposed legislation by a former Minister for Agriculture and Food allowed for a 50% write-off of annuities. We all want to make the Bill more attractive. The Government is putting forward a lesser proposal than on the previous occasion, which did not prove successful and was not taken up by the desired amount of farmers. The Bill...

Seanad: Land Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (20 Oct 2004)

Noel Coonan: In the context of today's land values, the Senator's comments are amazing. Much of the land has decreased significantly in value and many farms have been withdrawn from sale in the past 12 months because nobody wants to buy them. Unless one is a big business person, looking for a holiday home or wants to get into farming as a pastime——

Seanad: Land Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (20 Oct 2004)

Noel Coonan: I did not interrupt the Senator so he should allow me the floor.

Seanad: Land Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (20 Oct 2004)

Noel Coonan: I am amazed when I hear what people such as the Minister and Senator Callanan say about this matter. They are far removed from the reality of what is happening in agriculture with the ordinary farmer. The land is worth nothing to the ordinary farmer if he is to continue as a farmer. He farms the land and its value is handed down from one generation to another. To the majority of farmers I...

Seanad: Land Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (20 Oct 2004)

Noel Coonan: I second the amendment.

Seanad: Land Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Oct 2004)

Noel Coonan: I move amendment No. 1: In page 3, subsection (1), between lines 9 and 10, to insert the following definition: "'Land Purchase Acts' means the Land Purchase Acts as defined by the Land Law (Commission) Act 1923, together with any subsequent Act which provides that it is to be construed as one with the Land Purchase Acts;" I welcome the Minister to the House. This is the only amendment you are...

Seanad: Land Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Oct 2004)

Noel Coonan: The Bill does not define what we are discussing now and, as the Minister rightly said, we were talking about the old Land Act, changes that occurred in the past and changes that are likely to happen in the future. My amendment simply proposes to define clearly what the Minister is about to do.

Seanad: Land Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Oct 2004)

Noel Coonan: It is like the old saying, doctors differ and patients die. It is the same with legal advice. This is our legal advice and we believe the definition should be included. Legal people will differ as well.

Seanad: Land Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Oct 2004)

Noel Coonan: I move amendment No. 6: In page 4, subsection (3), line 17, after "discharged," to insert "such date being not later than 31 January 2006". In her Second Stage speech the Minister clearly indicated that she wanted to move this legislation within six months. It will probably take two or three months to go through the Houses and she is allowing only a six-month timeframe thereafter within which...

Seanad: Land Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Oct 2004)

Noel Coonan: The Minister has clarified the point somewhat but she needs to do more work on it. Next year, under the new system, the farmers will not have been paid by the time her deadline arrives. For the sake of the extra few months she should give the farmers that co-operation. Many of them are struggling to survive in farming and many farmers have left the land over recent years. We should not make...

Seanad: Land Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Oct 2004)

Noel Coonan: My amendments Nos. 4 and 5 were ruled out of order because there was a possible charge on the Revenue. However, I was not suggesting that any of the arrears be written off and I do not see a finance deficit in the proposal in one of my amendments. I asked that the Department agree a schedule with farmers for the payment of arrears to give them some time to pay the arrears and bring them up to...

Seanad: Land Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Oct 2004)

Noel Coonan: The Minister has proposed that the Department would be able to hold back payments due to farmers to offset against arrears of land annuities. Farmers should be subject to the same laws of the land as everybody else. The system of revenue sheriffs exists for those who do not pay their way. It is grossly unfair to introduce this legislation giving power to the Department to take farmers' money....

Seanad: Land Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Oct 2004)

Noel Coonan: I wish to examine what the Minister has said about farmers transferring land to their sons or daughters.

Seanad: Land Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Oct 2004)

Noel Coonan: I ask her to consider farmers without sons or daughters. Perhaps the Bill should provide for grandsons, granddaughters, nieces or nephews. It is important that provision be made for people in such circumstances.

Seanad: Land Bill 2004: Second Stage. (7 Oct 2004)

Noel Coonan: Wellies are the same in both counties.

Seanad: Land Bill 2004: Second Stage. (7 Oct 2004)

Noel Coonan: Where is he now?

Seanad: Land Bill 2004: Second Stage. (7 Oct 2004)

Noel Coonan: So would Deputy McCreevy.

Seanad: Land Bill 2004: Second Stage. (7 Oct 2004)

Noel Coonan: The Minister should ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Deputy Brennan, about that.