Results 3,141-3,160 of 9,994 for speaker:John Gormley
- Seanad: Local Government (Charges) Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jul 2009)
John Gormley: Senator Glynn is exactly right. In response to the question about on-line payments, the computer boards disburse the money at intervals, probably once a month. The question of which town councils receive how much is a matter for the local authority, or the manager. I hope that as we discuss these issues in more detail in the context of the White Paper we can examine the powers of the...
- Seanad: Local Government (Charges) Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jul 2009)
John Gormley: Is the Senator talking about town councils?
- Seanad: Local Government (Charges) Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jul 2009)
John Gormley: It is an annual payment.
- Seanad: Local Government (Charges) Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jul 2009)
John Gormley: The difficulty is that one does not know what the payments will be. The local authorities have to collect the money and will not know at that stage how much has been collected. That is why we do it annually. The Senator's points on cash flow are correct and no doubt people want to get their hands on money as quickly as possible but the local authorities have to go out and collect the money...
- Seanad: Local Government (Charges) Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jul 2009)
John Gormley: I thank Senators for their engagement today. It has been a very fruitful discussion. I believe in teasing out issues as best we can. The legislation was published a week ago and I appreciate the pressures that Members are under in trying to grapple with complex legislation. This is a relatively short Bill but undoubtedly any time a levy is imposed sensitivities are involved, and...
- Seanad: Local Government (Charges) Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jul 2009)
John Gormley: I assure Senators that I have looked at all these issues and I am assured, by the Attorney General and others, that I am not overstepping the mark with regard to intrusion into privacy etc. I will answer the points raised one by one. First, for Senator Coffey's information, I will read part of a letter from the Private Residential Tenancies Board: Significantly increased resources are being...
- Seanad: Local Government (Charges) Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jul 2009)
John Gormley: I am reliably informed that the Revenue Commissioners try to build up a matrix on tax compliance. The reason is that individuals who are not tax compliant in a certain area tend to act the same way in other areas as well. It can point the Revenue Commissioners in a certain direction. That is the reason for the provision. On the points raised by Senator Paudie Coffey relating to data...
- Seanad: Local Government (Charges) Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jul 2009)
John Gormley: I will be happy to do so.
- Seanad: Local Government (Charges) Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jul 2009)
John Gormley: I hope there will be no further debate because I wish to clarify the situation.
- Seanad: Local Government (Charges) Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jul 2009)
John Gormley: The Senators need to be assured on these issues and that is why I facilitated dialogue and consultation during the interval in the debate. The Senators raised the question of liability for the charge in circumstances where a person who is in long-term care due to ill health still owns but does not occupy what was their principal private residence. The Senator is correct that it was never...
- Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (1 Jul 2009)
John Gormley: I will be more than happy to provide the clarification the Senator seeks. I appreciate his offer to decide on whether to table amendments for Report Stage pending the clarification he receives. However, we should distinguish between clarification and wanting to seek further exemptions, as the Senator does. I will give the Senator all the clarification he wants but it does not mean the...
- Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (1 Jul 2009)
John Gormley: That is not what Senator Coffey said. His offer, which makes sense, is that the amendment not be pressed but resubmitted on Report Stage pending the clarifications I give.
- Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (1 Jul 2009)
John Gormley: For Report Stage. Yes, that is correct.
- Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (1 Jul 2009)
John Gormley: If we could finish Committee Stage now, I will obtain the clarifications for the Senators for Report Stage. That is the best way forward.
- Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (1 Jul 2009)
John Gormley: If it is not habitable or occupied, it falls outside the scope of the levy.
- Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (1 Jul 2009)
John Gormley: There are definitions given at the beginning of the legislation.
- Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (1 Jul 2009)
John Gormley: The deliberations will include the Opposition.
- Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (1 Jul 2009)
John Gormley: I would be concerned if the message went out from this session that this is an anti-elderly tax of some sort; that is not what it is. The intent is to ensure those who own second properties, who are largely reasonably well off, pay a levy.
- Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (1 Jul 2009)
John Gormley: In no way can this be considered a very onerous levy. The sum of â¬200 is quite modest. The reason behind it, which has been applauded on the Senator's side of the House, is to find a revenue stream for local authorities. We can all agree on that.
- Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (1 Jul 2009)
John Gormley: I will be very happy to accommodate Senators on the Opposition and Government sides by examining all the issues they raised. It is not just a case of my talking to my officials because I invite the various Senators who raised issues to submit to me their concerns in detail such that, by the time we reach Report Stage, they can be clarified and adequate answers can be provided. I am taking...