Results 321-340 of 406 for speaker:Charlie McCreevy

Seanad: Finance Bill 2003 [ Certified Money Bill ] : Committee and Remaining Stages. (26 Mar 2003)

Charlie McCreevy: The recommendation seeks to exempt from income tax various types of compensation payments made to employees under the listed provisions in respect of discrimination, harassment, etc. There has been some publicity recently regarding the tax treatment of equality awards. In a recent article in Irish Tax Review it was incorrectly suggested that Revenue had changed its position and was now...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2003 [ Certified Money Bill ] : Committee and Remaining Stages. (26 Mar 2003)

Charlie McCreevy: No.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2003 [ Certified Money Bill ] : Committee and Remaining Stages. (26 Mar 2003)

Charlie McCreevy: These recommendations relate to the enhanced ceiling on mortgage interest payments that qualify for tax relief which is available in the case of first-time buyers. Section 9 proposes that the existing ceilings be increased from €3,175 to €4,000 for single persons and from €6,350 to €8,000 for married and widowed persons. It also extends the period for which the higher amount of relief...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2003 [ Certified Money Bill ] : Committee and Remaining Stages. (26 Mar 2003)

Charlie McCreevy: I mentioned during the debate on the Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003 that when Senator McDowell was a Member of the Lower House, he said he enjoyed reading the tax strategy group's documents because he then knew what I would not do. I accept that the Senator and I differ in relation to the first-time buyer's grant which was not introduced as a sop to house buyers but as a means...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2003 [ Certified Money Bill ] : Committee and Remaining Stages. (26 Mar 2003)

Charlie McCreevy: That is what happens when there is a high level of demand. The abolition of the first-time buyer's grant can be compared to interest rate changes but I do not think it will have the same effect. The new measure is targeted at the individual who will benefit when he or she completes the transaction by signing up for a mortgage and starting to make repayments. The new system which involves tax...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2003 [ Certified Money Bill ] : Committee and Remaining Stages. (26 Mar 2003)

Charlie McCreevy: Senator O'Rourke has given chapter and verse on the subject.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2003 [ Certified Money Bill ] : Committee and Remaining Stages. (26 Mar 2003)

Charlie McCreevy: I have great memories of it.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2003 [ Certified Money Bill ] : Committee and Remaining Stages. (26 Mar 2003)

Charlie McCreevy: The comments the Senator has made encapsulate my views on the subject. The purpose of a tax relief should be to encourage an activity that would not be encouraged otherwise. If it tips the balance in favour of encouraging somebody to engage in such an activity, it should be done. There should be a time limit so as to have the maximum effect. The danger with all tax schemes, as with grant...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2003 [ Certified Money Bill ] : Committee and Remaining Stages. (26 Mar 2003)

Charlie McCreevy: It is not. Some of the reliefs have been in place for over 20 years and it is time to bring them to an end. Those who benefit from focused tax reliefs are high income earners. We produced a report for the Revenue Commissioners indicating that a survey of such earners suggested that some paid only X% of tax while some paid none. That is the downside but the desired economic activity would not...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2003 [ Certified Money Bill ] : Committee and Remaining Stages. (26 Mar 2003)

Charlie McCreevy: An official of mine could help the Senator in that respect. The best tax break, even better than that achieved through the SSIA scheme, is achieved through film tax relief.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2003 [ Certified Money Bill ] : Committee and Remaining Stages. (26 Mar 2003)

Charlie McCreevy: I renewed the relief some years ago and accept that it has had extraordinary benefits. The United Kingdom copied and improved upon some of our provisions.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2003 [ Certified Money Bill ] : Committee and Remaining Stages. (26 Mar 2003)

Charlie McCreevy: There is the downside to it, because some of the Opposition look at all these high income earners not paying any tax. Even in my own party Senator O'Rourke will have heard at party meetings more socialist outpourings than one would ever hear at the Labour Party.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2003 [ Certified Money Bill ] : Committee and Remaining Stages. (26 Mar 2003)

Charlie McCreevy: Before the budget I was asked to cut down reliefs for these high income earners and I said I would oblige. I am closing off all those reliefs by the end of December 2004. I readily accept the merits of tax breaks but the people who benefit from them are high income earners.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2003 [ Certified Money Bill ] : Second Stage. (25 Mar 2003)

Charlie McCreevy: The Finance Bill 2003 implements the tax changes announced in the budget last December and includes a range of other measures, many of which are targeted at closing off tax loopholes and updating and modernising the tax system. This year's Bill has 171 sections and I propose to give an outline of the main provisions. Part 1 of the Bill which covers sections 1 to 72 deals with income tax,...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2003 [ Certified Money Bill ] : Second Stage. (25 Mar 2003)

Charlie McCreevy: While I did not see that article, I saw the one on the tax breaks for artists.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (20 Mar 2003)

Charlie McCreevy: Many times, Deputy.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (20 Mar 2003)

Charlie McCreevy: If the Senator had stayed in Athy, he would probably be a Deputy now, but probably for a different party.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (20 Mar 2003)

Charlie McCreevy: The people of Athy and the Fianna Fáil Party might have gained.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (20 Mar 2003)

Charlie McCreevy: Senator Ryan could be classified as coming from the Fianna Fáil gene pool, although he likes to forget it.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (20 Mar 2003)

Charlie McCreevy: It is a very strong gene pool.