Results 26,861-26,880 of 35,894 for speaker:Pearse Doherty

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (18 Nov 2014)

Pearse Doherty: The relief runs out in December 2015, this time next year. It has been successful, so I am not sure if it will be extended. Obviously a successful scheme like this should be considered for extension, but does the Minister foresee a problem in terms of people looking to do work on their house at this point next year? Will they be able to avail of the tax relief? Must the expenditure be...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (18 Nov 2014)

Pearse Doherty: The point I am raising is that the date we have down for landlords is 31 December 2015. The Finance Bill next year will be in November again, so the Minister could be extending the scheme. If it is as successful as it has been, it should be extended but at that point people will have frozen. If I am thinking of doing an extension to my house and have not got it started early enough next...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (18 Nov 2014)

Pearse Doherty: We are introducing the landlord's one now that it should be, for example, 31 March 2016. If the Minister decided after the review at budget time to extend it, it would not put people off carrying out those works if they were to begin in September, because they would feel they would have completed them within the six-month period. If they are thinking of starting works in September, it is...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (18 Nov 2014)

Pearse Doherty: That is only if one needs planning permission. I presume one would not need planning permission for many of these projects, given the exemption from-----

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (18 Nov 2014)

Pearse Doherty: That would also carry on to residential units.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (18 Nov 2014)

Pearse Doherty: The Minister should look in the mirror and look at the harm his economic model has caused. He should walk the streets and talk to people.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (18 Nov 2014)

Pearse Doherty: I have a brief query on the section. We dealt with the relief for the rent-a-room scheme in the Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform as part of the pre-budget submissions. I was surprised to see a 20% increase in the relief. The increase is welcome but my concern is the level of the increase which gives rise to a danger that rent levels will follow. I am aware of the...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (18 Nov 2014)

Pearse Doherty: Yes, my question is the reason it has increased to €12,000. My other question is whether in the case of two rooms being available the exempt limit on which one can claim is €10,000, or the proposed €12,000, rather than €20,000. Has the Department considered the issue?

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (18 Nov 2014)

Pearse Doherty: That is fair enough.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (18 Nov 2014)

Pearse Doherty: Only a portion of houses that are available for the relief charge €10,000, so it is unlikely that they will all rush to that level anyway. One suggestion for the Minister that could be done to assist the situation relates to the Union of Students in Ireland, USI, which is targeting areas adjacent to colleges. It has dropped leaflets in areas informing people about the availability of...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (18 Nov 2014)

Pearse Doherty: I am well aware there is a time element here. I appreciate the Minister's robust defence of his ideological position and the tax priorities of this Government. Fine Gael is a high tax party. The only problem is that it is a high tax party when it comes to people on a very low income and disposable income. That is the only difference in terms of philosophy. The taxes have to be brought in...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (18 Nov 2014)

Pearse Doherty: Yes.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (18 Nov 2014)

Pearse Doherty: Yes, he did. As has been pointed out, somebody at the entry point will benefit to the tune of €170 whereas somebody at the €70,000 level, ourselves included, will benefit by €777. The Minister could have chosen other options. These two measures cost the State €405 million yet not one person earning under €32,000 will get a penny of it - none of them....

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (18 Nov 2014)

Pearse Doherty: For the record-----

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (18 Nov 2014)

Pearse Doherty: For the record, the amendment does not mention the family home tax which was the accusation that was levelled by the Deputy.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (18 Nov 2014)

Pearse Doherty: Deputy Walsh should inform himself. I gave him some good advice.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (18 Nov 2014)

Pearse Doherty: I oppose section 3. I disagree completely with reducing the top rate of income tax from 41% to 40% at this time. This is not the right time to do it. I have just given a list of priorities where this money should be spent. I do not for one moment underestimate that those who are in this cohort who would benefit from this proposal are under financial pressure but the Government must...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (18 Nov 2014)

Pearse Doherty: I look forward to seeing the data from the CSO when they are concluded. I do not think there is any reason the Government should not look at this itself. There is obviously an ideological reason. God forbid this Government would tax high income earners in society, in particular those we are targeting in this amendment who have assets above €1 million. I would give Deputy Walsh one...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (18 Nov 2014)

Pearse Doherty: I move amendment No. 6: In page 11, between lines 12 and 13, to insert the following: “3. The Minister shall, within nine months from the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before Dáil Éireann a report on options available for the introduction of a comprehensive asset tax otherwise known as a wealth tax, the report shall include options for the collation of data necessary...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (18 Nov 2014)

Pearse Doherty: I move amendment No. 5: In page 11, between lines 12 and 13, to insert the following:"3. The Minister shall, within 3 months of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before Dáil Éireann an analysis of the tax changes in this Act, and the total of tax changes and spending adjustments of Budget 2015, setting out the continuing impact on people based on their gender, income, age,...