Results 26,881-26,900 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: I was thinking about the non-statutory and then statutory role of the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council. Under its mandate, it provides very comprehensive detailed analysis. This mandate is very simple, and primarily comes from the treaty and ensuring we meet the deficit and debt rules and the other rules contained in the austerity treaty at the time. We have empowered a body to do this, which...

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

Pearse Doherty: I will pick up on Deputy McGrath's point. The Minister has given us a timeline, and the information that was available at the end was not available in June or July. We appreciate that; it is not the issue. Seven days before the budget was announced, Deputy McGrath and I had to use our priority questions on the floor of the Dáil to try to elicit some information. The Minister said we...

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

Pearse Doherty: I have one final question on the 8% rate of USC that counters the reduction from 41% to 40% on incomes over €70,000. I have the figures for the yield of introducing the 8% figure, but what is the comparison cost to the Exchequer of reducing income tax on incomes above €70,000 from 41% to 40%? I am looking for that figure because the 8% rate will bring in €71 million in...

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

Pearse Doherty: That is my point - what is the gap? We are talking about €71 million. I know the Minister may not have the figures there.

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. 4: In page 11, between lines 12 and 13, to insert the following: “3. The Minister shall, within one month of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before Dáil Éireann a report on options on introducing a third rate of tax payable at 48 per cent on income over €100,000.”This wording looks at the impact of a third rate of tax. We have been...

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

Pearse Doherty: The Minister made an unfortunate comment when he addressed those earning €70,000 in that he said these are the people who work hardest. It is an implied assumption that those on low incomes whom we are addressing in our amendment are not people who work hard. It is not right for a Minister and, in particular, a Minister for Finance, who is targeting a financial measure at a certain...

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

Pearse Doherty: The Minister said middle-income workers work hardest. If he wishes to withdraw that remark, that is fine.

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

Pearse Doherty: I know the Michael Noonan tactic.

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

Pearse Doherty: I am repeating the words used by the Minister.

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

Pearse Doherty: No, the Minister made the allegation. He should not lay the charge on me. He made the comment that these are the workers who work hardest.

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

Pearse Doherty: If he wants to withdraw the remark, that is fine and that is why I offered him the opportunity the first time.

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

Pearse Doherty: No. You made the allegation, you made the comment before the committee. We can look at the record of the committee.

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

Pearse Doherty: No, it is not. I am dealing with facts.

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

Pearse Doherty: The Minister wants to resort to the old act. This is the finance committee and he has made a serious suggestion about this cohort of workers who work hardest in society-----

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

Pearse Doherty: I will give the Minister two opportunities.

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

Pearse Doherty: Carry on. He is making a charge.

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

Pearse Doherty: What does the Minister mean by my bad month? I do not understand where the Minister is coming from. If the Minister wants to get personal that is fair enough. This is about deflection. The Minister can make it very obvious. As I said at the very start, I believe it was an unfortunate use - this was my first comment - when he suggested that this cohort of workers were the hardest working...

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

Pearse Doherty: The record will reflect what we say. I mentioned that I believe the Minister used an unfortunate phrase when he suggested that the cohort of individuals earning €70,000 were the hardest working in society and I asked him to clarify that remark. That is as far as it went.

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

Pearse Doherty: That would have dealt with it.

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

Pearse Doherty: I did let you in and you responded at length but you avoided that issue. When I raised it again, because you refused to answer it, that is when I was making accusations and so on and playing the man, not the ball and all the rest. The reason this is fundamental is because of Government priorities. The Minister has explained why he has decided to focus on those in the cohort earning up to...