Results 27,601-27,620 of 35,959 for speaker:Pearse Doherty

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (9 Jul 2014)

Pearse Doherty: On the off-chance that Mayo make it through the championship this year, it would be deeply regrettable if the Minister of State refused to amend the section, which could lead to the Taoiseach being arrested.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (9 Jul 2014)

Pearse Doherty: I move amendment No. 31: In page 41, between lines 33 and 34, to insert the following: “38. The Minister shall direct the Revenue Commissioners to present him or her with a report on the VAT status of those in the betting industry within 3 months of the passing of this Act which will examine the past VAT liabilities of the actors in the industry.”.This is a bit of a hobby horse...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (9 Jul 2014)

Pearse Doherty: We are discussing the Betting (Amendment) Bill. If we look at online gambling, sport represents a small proportion of the overall book; it is what attracts people in. The heavy money is spent on the roulette tables, the poker tables, Texas hold 'em and other such games. None of that is taxed in this country. We are taxing online gambling for the first time but we are only taxing a small...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (9 Jul 2014)

Pearse Doherty: I have for many years suggested increasing the rate to 3%. If we were to increase the rate to 3% and without changing anything else, high street bookies would be put out of business overnight. High street bookies are going out of business overnight for other reasons, such as people moving to using mobile phones and so forth. However, there will be a certain level at which that will plateau...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (9 Jul 2014)

Pearse Doherty: An interesting conversation has been opened up because an impression was given that the levy on online gambling would be able to sustain the horse and greyhound fund. Whether we like it or not, even a 1% online levy will not make up the shortfall in the fund, which the Exchequer has supplemented each year through its revenues along with the 1% levy on high street bookies. Despite the...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (9 Jul 2014)

Pearse Doherty: We have done this on every Stage of the legislation, which has been on the go for a considerable time. While I commend the officials on bringing forward a Bill that has not been heavily amended, they have had probably the longest period of time of any Bill I have seen. Notwithstanding the issues regarding having Commission approval, it is disappointing that we have lost tens of millions of...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (9 Jul 2014)

Pearse Doherty: Is it correct section 25 amends the opening times for bookies, allowing them to stay open until 10 p.m.?

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (9 Jul 2014)

Pearse Doherty: What are the current opening times?

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (9 Jul 2014)

Pearse Doherty: Is it likely this legislation will be passed before the summer recess?

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (9 Jul 2014)

Pearse Doherty: Yes, it does not have a problem with that timeline. However, problems arise if it is not passed after that.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (9 Jul 2014)

Pearse Doherty: Yes.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (9 Jul 2014)

Pearse Doherty: The Deputy has not made a bet in three years.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (9 Jul 2014)

Pearse Doherty: I move amendment No. 6: In page 13, after line 48, to insert the following:“(10) On receiving any application under this section the Minister for Justice and Equality shall cause the application to be published on the internet and in such other manner as he or she considers appropriate until a decision is made on the application.”.We are discussing amendments Nos. 6 and 7...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (9 Jul 2014)

Pearse Doherty: I am not going to die in the ditch over them but I do not understand the reason they were not accepted. In my view these amendments make the section more transparent and will assist the Minister. It is quite interesting that this is the first time I have seen in a Bill the provision that requires the applicant for a licence to provide an e-mail address. If one wants to be a bookmaker and...

National Treasury Management Agency (Amendment) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (9 Jul 2014)

Pearse Doherty: Sometimes, as I listen to debates, I wonder what is the point of trying to convince Fine Gael that we should not use our assets to bail out broken banks. No matter what I or any other member of the Opposition say, it will have no effect. Fine Gael is ideologically wedded to supporting capital above citizens. We have seen what Fine Gael has done during the past three years. It has followed...

National Treasury Management Agency (Amendment) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (9 Jul 2014)

Pearse Doherty: There must be a definition of "regional". One cannot report on a regional basis if one does not know what the region is.

National Treasury Management Agency (Amendment) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (9 Jul 2014)

Pearse Doherty: What are they?

National Treasury Management Agency (Amendment) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (9 Jul 2014)

Pearse Doherty: I will focus on amendment No. 19, but I also wish to refer to the issue of reporting on regional development. The Government's amendment is welcome. I would have liked the Government to go further with regard to what Deputy Deasy suggested. It is one thing to report but another to act. However, at least it gives those who wish to see balanced regional development the tools to argue the...

National Treasury Management Agency (Amendment) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (9 Jul 2014)

Pearse Doherty: Pardon?

National Treasury Management Agency (Amendment) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (9 Jul 2014)

Pearse Doherty: "Bejesus," is it?