Results 2,981-3,000 of 9,994 for speaker:John Gormley

Local Government (Charges) Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Jul 2009)

John Gormley: I thank Deputy Hogan for his amendment. The central issue concerns the body or organisation within the public service that is best suited to administer the €200 charge. I assume that Fine Gael's opposition to sections 9, 10 and 11 is based on the principle behind the group of amendments, the purpose of which is to substitute the Revenue Commissioners for local authorities in administering...

Local Government (Charges) Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Jul 2009)

John Gormley: Or go to an office.

Local Government (Charges) Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Jul 2009)

John Gormley: I thank the Deputies from the Labour Party and Fine Gael for their amendments. There is no charge for a person paying commercial rates. Fine Gael has tabled a similar amendment. Should I wait for the Fine Gael Members to speak?

Local Government (Charges) Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Jul 2009)

John Gormley: The Bill takes as its starting point the introduction of a modest annual charge on the owners of non-principal private residences. An exemption is provided for owners of principal private residences and for certain local authority and social housing that is also used for the purpose of principal residence. These exemptions are provided in recognition of the fact that we all need somewhere...

Local Government (Charges) Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Jul 2009)

John Gormley: Deputy Naughten has repeated an untruth which I have clarified for Deputy Tuffy. The €200 is not on top of rates; we have made it clear that it is separate from rates.

Local Government (Charges) Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Jul 2009)

John Gormley: Deputy Naughten said it was on top of rates, which is not the case.

Local Government (Charges) Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Jul 2009)

John Gormley: Deputy Mitchell said it is €200 and that it could be €2,000 before we know it, but the legislation is clear.

Local Government (Charges) Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Jul 2009)

John Gormley: That is the point. We would have to introduce new legislation if we wanted to change it. It cannot be introduced by sleight of hand. Deputy Deenihan indicated that €200 is not a significant amount. That is precisely the point. This is a relatively modest charge in the overall scheme. This economy must raise an incredible amount of money and if we cannot act on this modest charge, we...

Local Government (Charges) Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Jul 2009)

John Gormley: I thank the Deputy for putting down this amendment. Section 482 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 deals with certain tax reliefs for buildings of significant scientific, historical or aesthetic merit. Deputies will note that I provided for an exemption from the charge for such buildings that had been approved for the purposes of this section by the Revenue Commissioners. Few such...

Local Government (Charges) Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Jul 2009)

John Gormley: As I understand it, they can set it against their expenses for business purposes.

Local Government (Charges) Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Jul 2009)

John Gormley: Yes. We published details of the houses that are listed. I seem to recall that the Deputy was present when I launched the document relating to those properties in Kerry.

Local Government (Charges) Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Jul 2009)

John Gormley: Castles, thatched cottages and so on are included.

Local Government (Charges) Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Jul 2009)

John Gormley: No, that possibility does not exist. However, in the interest of clarifying certain matters, I will issue guidance to local authorities. I made it clear earlier that people will either be part of this or they will not. It is not possible to legislate for situations where a person intends something to happen. I cannot operate in that way.

Local Government (Charges) Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Jul 2009)

John Gormley: I thank Deputies Ferris and Ó Snodaigh. From my speech on Second Stage the House will be aware that I have considerable sympathy with the view that the determination of the charge should be devolved to local authorities in the future. I see this power being exercised as a reserve function within certain limits that the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government would...

Local Government (Charges) Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Jul 2009)

John Gormley: I thank Deputy Hogan although I cannot accept his amendment. The definitions in the Bill are relevant to this amendment. The policy parameters of the Bill arise, as well as considerations of equity and fairness. Let us consider the definitions of "building" and "dwelling" in section 1 and "residential property" in section 2. These are the building blocks that define the scope of the Bill....

Local Government (Charges) Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Jul 2009)

John Gormley: HSE contracted buildings are exempt. Deputy Hogan should remember that we are talking about the owners of the properties, not those renting.

Local Government (Charges) Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Jul 2009)

John Gormley: We are trying to encourage the rental accommodation scheme. Deputy Hogan is asking questions back and forth; I will respond when he is finished.

Local Government (Charges) Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Jul 2009)

John Gormley: I have explained this in this House and in the Seanad. We try to encourage the rental accommodation scheme and move towards it. We have less and less money to build property. We are trying to move more people to the rented sector. We can get better value for money and that is why we made the exemption. The RAS system is working well.

Local Government (Charges) Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Jul 2009)

John Gormley: I thank Deputies Ciarán Lynch and Joanna Tuffy for tabling amendments Nos. 9 and 10. Section 4 provides that where a decree of divorce or a decree of judicial separation has been granted in respect of a marriage, a residential property in which a spouse retains an interest but which is occupied by the other spouse as his or her sole or main residence will not attract a liability for the...

Local Government (Charges) Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Jul 2009)

John Gormley: Is there a need to go through it all again.