Results 31,001-31,020 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Finance Bill 2006: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (7 Mar 2006)

Richard Bruton: I move amendment No. 11: In page 10, line 6, column (1), to delete "€32,000" and substitute "€34,000". The truth is that this Government said, on taking office for the second time, that the key target it had for tax was to reduce the proportion of people paying at the top rate to 20%. That is now 32% and is way ahead of what was proposed. The Minister has let down 246,000 taxpayers who...

Finance Bill 2006: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (7 Mar 2006)

Richard Bruton: I will not delay because Members would like to debate other amendments. When the Minister made this commitment, he knew that the standard rating had been introduced. Tax credits were in place. It is not something that was unknown to the Minister and his Government colleagues when he made this commitment. Seeking a fool's pardon now because it was much more difficult to achieve that he thought...

Finance Bill 2006: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (7 Mar 2006)

Richard Bruton: I support the amendment though I do not altogether share the belief that landlords and renting are bad. The real problem is that we have taken an extraordinary attitude to renting. For years we had no proper regulation. The Private Residential Tenancies Board was a good idea but is not working. It has teething problems and needs to get its act together. This amendment will help force the pace...

Finance Bill 2006: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (7 Mar 2006)

Richard Bruton: I am disappointed by the Minister's response. The PAYE credit was increased on about four occasions but the home carer's credit was never increased since its introduction by his predecessor, which implies that people who work in the home are regarded as inferior. However, we all realise that the people who are willing to work in the home to rear children or help older or infirm relatives are...

Finance Bill 2006: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (7 Mar 2006)

Richard Bruton: I move amendment No. 9: In page 9, between lines 15 and 16, to insert the following: "1.—The Principal Act is amended by the insertion of the following new section 15A: "15A.—(1) In any year of assessment where monies are paid to any state or other body in respect of which the individual making such payments would be entitled to a tax credit or an allowance for income tax the Minister for...

Finance Bill 2006: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (7 Mar 2006)

Richard Bruton: I move amendment No. 10: In page 9, between lines 15 and 16, to insert the following: "1.—A person, none of whose taxable income is chargeable at the higher rate, who makes a pension contribution within the limit set out in section 779 of the Principal Act, shall be entitled to receive a tax credit contributed to the pension scheme equivalent to relief at the higher rate.". This amendment...

Finance Bill 2006: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (7 Mar 2006)

Richard Bruton: I am disappointed at the Minister's response. He is willing to give substantial relief to those with high incomes and states that more work must be done in order to give far less relief to those on low incomes. This strains credibility. I do not understand his argument that this could undermine competitiveness in some way. It would give people more security and would be a positive measure. He...

Finance Bill 2006: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (7 Mar 2006)

Richard Bruton: The Minister was quoting it as if it would be persuasive in the House. The Minister is responsible for what is decided in this House. We are debating the matter and the Minister is quoting from the report to back up his position.

Finance Bill 2006: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (7 Mar 2006)

Richard Bruton: It is not credible and it does not bolster the argument against this amendment.

Finance Bill 2006: Report Stage. (7 Mar 2006)

Richard Bruton: I welcome this timely amendment from Deputy Boyle. There has not been sufficient debate on the environmental impact of greenhouse gases and carbon emissions and minds could be focused through a closer financial examination of this issue. Recently, I read the NESC report on settlement strategy, which was withering in its conclusion that we have an unbalanced and unsustainable housing...

Finance Bill 2006: Report Stage. (7 Mar 2006)

Richard Bruton: I certainly recognise that we need to create a framework by which we can come to terms with the policy instruments needed over the long term. I dislike the Kyoto Protocol's rigid approach, although it may be inevitable given that it can only try to control one aspect of policy. Optimal decision making does not accord with the assignment of 10% to one and 11% to another but that is probably...

Order of Business. (7 Mar 2006)

Richard Bruton: The truth about this year's Finance Bill is that it shows that the way we debate tax measures in this House is hopelessly inadequate. Of the 122 sections in the Finance Bill presented to the Dáil, 67 have not been debated in any way. Contained in these are some of the most important provisions, such as the power to investigate people's bank accounts and provide information to the Revenue...

Finance Bill 2006: Report Stage. (7 Mar 2006)

Richard Bruton: I support the amendment, which seeks to ensure that there is a proper balance between those who are compliant with the tax code and entitled to support in getting their due refunds and those who try to evade tax and who Revenue rightly uses its full powers to pursue. Compliant taxpayers have a right to expect that the Government and Revenue will make an equal effort to ensure that people...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (2 Mar 2006)

Richard Bruton: Question 145: To ask the Minister for Finance the number of people taxed under the self-assessed system in each of the past five years; if the Revenue Commissioners have a policy of switching people with mixed PAYE and other income to a self-assessed basis; and the extent to which this has influenced the trend. [8633/06]

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (2 Mar 2006)

Richard Bruton: Question 146: To ask the Minister for Finance the trend in tax relief on donations for the PAYE sector and self-assessed sector over the past five years; and if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the much more generous way of crediting tax relief on PAYE than on self-assessed has resulted in declining charity revenue when taxpayers become self-assessed. [8634/06]

Order of Business. (2 Mar 2006)

Richard Bruton: I thought Keano was our target.

Written Answers — National Stadium: National Stadium (1 Mar 2006)

Richard Bruton: Question 46: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if all necessary repair works have been undertaken at the National Aquatic Centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8263/06]

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (1 Mar 2006)

Richard Bruton: Question 122: To ask the Minister for Finance if there have been an unusually high number of errors in tax credit statements in 2006; the reason for these errors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8487/06]

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (1 Mar 2006)

Richard Bruton: Question 124: To ask the Minister for Finance his views on the case made by the Arts Council that artists' relief should apply to dance compositions and screen direction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8575/06]

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (1 Mar 2006)

Richard Bruton: Question 199: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of Garda hours which were dedicated to administrative work in each of the Garda stations (details supplied) over the same period; what the overall Garda hours amounts to in each station; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8569/06]