Results 26,361-26,380 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton
- Banking Sector Regulation. (10 Mar 2010)
Richard Bruton: Does the Minister share the dismay of the public that, 18 months into the financial crisis, no one has been held to account? In the US there are 42 bankers in jail and the banks are paying money back to the state for the assistance they got. Are inquiries or sanctions being pursued against the financial institutions that are at the core of the failure? Does a vagueness in the definition...
- Banking Sector Regulation. (10 Mar 2010)
Richard Bruton: The fraud squad has been involved for the past 12 months and the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement stated at least ten months that prima facia evidence existed of a criminal offence ten months ago but nothing has happened. We have not even seen the legal changes that would clarify the offences and the type of probity and fitness required to serve on a board. Nothing has...
- Banking Sector Regulation. (10 Mar 2010)
Richard Bruton: The Minister's colleagues told us months ago that charges were imminent.
- Flood Relief. (10 Mar 2010)
Richard Bruton: I was encouraged by the Minister of State's last comment that he is confident his plans will deal with flooding risk.
- Flood Relief. (10 Mar 2010)
Richard Bruton: Incidents described as 200 year events have happened on more than one occasion in the past two years. Is the planning model for flood relief being followed by the OPW up to standard given the changes that are clearly taking place in climactic conditions? Has he reviewed the priority needed to given to flood relief in light of the events of the last few years?
- Public Service Reform. (10 Mar 2010)
Richard Bruton: I read the high level statement of the Department, which sets its targets. These include a high performing public service, value for money, a regulatory structure that secures public confidence, an effectively functioning banking system and budgetary stability. If anyone sought a comprehensive statement of everything that has gone wrong in the past three or four years, it is available in...
- Public Service Reform. (10 Mar 2010)
Richard Bruton: I wish to hear the Minister's view. We have a serious void in respect of public service reform and a serious economic strategy.
- Public Service Reform. (10 Mar 2010)
Richard Bruton: Is it working?
- Public Service Reform. (10 Mar 2010)
Richard Bruton: May I ask a final supplementary question?
- Public Service Reform. (10 Mar 2010)
Richard Bruton: The Minister states that the economic strategy is perfect. Is he stating that the regulatory failures have nothing to do with the Department? Is he stating that the collapse of competitiveness in this economy has nothing to do with the Department? Has the zero progress on public service reform nothing to do with the Department? These matters are core to an effective economic strategy....
- Public Service Reform. (10 Mar 2010)
Richard Bruton: That is the only change, which was a command and control change. It was not reform.
- Pension Provisions. (10 Mar 2010)
Richard Bruton: Is it not the case that bonuses were non-pensionable and that what the Minister has allowed is that senior public servants would see a cut in a non-pensionable allowance instead of a proposed cut in their pensionable pay, and, therefore, the implications are that their pensions have been protected where every other public service had to see an effect not only on their serving pay, but on...
- Pension Provisions. (10 Mar 2010)
Richard Bruton: That is nonsense and the Minister knows it.
- Pension Provisions. (10 Mar 2010)
Richard Bruton: The Minister is like the Red Queen in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland stating that if he says it is, it is.
- Pension Provisions. (10 Mar 2010)
Richard Bruton: The Minister has chosen to mince his words. He is admitting he has made no final decisions about the impact on pensions. However, has he substituted a non-pensionable pay cut when everyone else suffered a pensionable pay cut? Through this action has he put the foot in the door for discrimination between the low and high paid?
- Business of Dáil: Motion (10 Mar 2010)
Richard Bruton: The Minister for Finance said the intention of the Government was to oppose this item of business when it was discussed last night, and it went through inadvertently. In seeking to correct it, it is vital that we do not create a precedent which undermines the rights of the House. While the Government is trying to mend its hand, which I understand, it seeks to do it in a way which undermines...
- Finance Bill 2010: Report Stage (Resumed) (10 Mar 2010)
Richard Bruton: This amendment was encouraged by Senator Joe O'Toole who has done a lot of work in this field. Having read the Committee Stage debate contribution by the Minister of State, Deputy Mansergh, Senator O'Toole was concerned that the Government was interpreting this as an attempt to move tax law ahead of general law. Senator O'Toole has very cogently made the point that this is not such an...
- Finance Bill 2010: Report Stage (Resumed) (10 Mar 2010)
Richard Bruton: The Minister did not respond to my point. In the interim there are cases where those involved, the court, defendant and plaintiff, want to make an agreement of this nature and the only obstacle is the tax treatment. If the Minister accepts that we ought to do this, why do we need to wait for a report that refers to the broader issue of changing law in this realm where we simply have cases...
- Finance Bill 2010: Report Stage (Resumed) (10 Mar 2010)
Richard Bruton: I move amendment No. 8: In page 15, between lines 2 and 3, to insert the following: 3.âSection 531A(1) of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 is amended by the substituting of the following for the definition of "aggregate income" "'aggregate income for the year of assessment', in relation to an individual and a year of assessment, means the aggregate of the individual's relevant emoluments in...
- Finance Bill 2010: Report Stage (Resumed) (10 Mar 2010)
Richard Bruton: I am disappointed because it seemed fair and was in line with another Minister's policy who is very persuasive in her encouragement of people to take up PRSAs. I do not intend, however, to delay the House if we cannot persuade the Government to take this on board. Deputy Barrett has drawn to my attention a similar anomaly in the treatment of approved retirement funds compared to annuities,...