Results 34,601-34,620 of 34,833 for speaker:Seán Fleming

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (4 Mar 2008)

Seán Fleming: Question 319: To ask the Minister for Health and Children when a radium treatment will commence for a person (details supplied). [9266/08]

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (27 Feb 2008)

Seán Fleming: Question 88: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of patients who, having been discharged from hospital, were re-admitted within 14 days with a similar or related condition in 2007 on a hospital basis throughout the country. [8279/08]

Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Feb 2008)

Seán Fleming: I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate. I would like to respond to a number of the shocking comments made by Fine Gael Deputies who should be ashamed of themselves. I hope they are broadcast on television later. They are seeking the replacement of VRT and motor tax with an increase in excise duty on petrol and diesel. Diesel and petrol costs approximately €1.15 a litre,...

Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Feb 2008)

Seán Fleming: Two Fine Gael Members demanded that the Government scrap VRT and car tax and put a tax on the people who use vehicles.

Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Feb 2008)

Seán Fleming: That means they pay at the pump. Fine Gael wants to double the price of a litre of petrol and diesel.

Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Feb 2008)

Seán Fleming: Two Fine Gael Members made that proposal. I hope the people listen carefully to this because of the effect it will have on inflation and resulting job losses. Many of us represent rural areas and parents must drive their children long distances to school. People have to drive significant distances to shop and to their places of employment. We need our cars in rural areas to cover those...

Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Feb 2008)

Seán Fleming: I hope the party continues with this nonsense because the people will see through it. If they threaten such an increase when in opposition, I would hate to see what the party would do if it got its hands on the levers of power. Fine Gael would probably ration petrol and diesel as well as doubling its price. Thank God there is a little common sense on this side of the House. As chairman of...

Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Feb 2008)

Seán Fleming: The 12.5% corporation tax rate has helped companies while the major reduction in capital gains tax from 40% when Fine Gael was in government to 20% has been hugely beneficial. When Fine Gael was last in government income tax was almost 60% but we have reduced it to 41%.

Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Feb 2008)

Seán Fleming: More people are willing to work and they can keep their own money. People are more concerned with doing their week's work and they are happy to pay 20% rather than 60%. Changes in taxation influence the way society functions and this legislation is another example. The new motor vehicle tax will be based on carbon emissions per kilometre. I hope somebody will explain what that means. What...

Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Feb 2008)

Seán Fleming: This could as easily have been introduced from 1 January but car dealers had a lot of cars on their forecourts for which they had entered into contracts. If this fundamental change was made at the start of the year, they could have been left with unsold cars, so they needed the extra six months. Car dealers have told me that the price of some medium sized cars will drop by between €5,000...

Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Feb 2008)

Seán Fleming: That is good news.

Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Feb 2008)

Seán Fleming: It is going to happen on 1 July and people will be in a position to make an informed choice. The issue of backdating annual car tax at the lower rate for cars purchased before 1 July gives rise to problems. If a person purchases a car before that date, he or she will be hit with the higher tax for the rest of that car's life. This time next year we will see how the issue develops.

Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Feb 2008)

Seán Fleming: I am not in the business of making deals like that. I do not like the fact that the legislation seems to give an inordinate advantage to imported cars. One can import a two year old car from Northern Ireland and register it in Ireland after 1 July. That might give a significant incentive to import second-hand cars. I do not know why that provision was made because it could cause serious...

Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Feb 2008)

Seán Fleming: The Minister might deal with noise emissions from cars. Every Deputy has had representations on that issue from elderly people. I am not a killjoy and I acknowledge that young men like to own boy racer cars and pimp their rides but they upset old people when their exhausts make loud noises at 2 a.m.

Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Feb 2008)

Seán Fleming: It is a case of pollution from cars. I understand that gardaí in Portlaoise are purchasing equipment to check noise levels on cars.

Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Feb 2008)

Seán Fleming: I concur with the Deputy that common sense should prevail but documentary evidence is needed in the courts.

Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Feb 2008)

Seán Fleming: One would not get far by saying "it sounded very loud, your Honour". More specific evidence would be needed. Officials from the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government might consider legislation to deal with the issue of noise pollution. We were all young once and we all loved to whizz around in cars, so we should not turn on young people just because we have grown...

Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Feb 2008)

Seán Fleming: We could not afford cars. We had bicycles, or a Honda 50 if we were doing well. I am pleased that the Minister is proposing to change the requirements on the display of new labels with effect from 1 July 2008 to coincide with the introduction of the CO2-based motor tax and vehicle registration system. It is his intention that the new label will include consumer friendly information on...

Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Feb 2008)

Seán Fleming: This is not an issue for the national Parliament to discuss. However, I understand people's frustration.

Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Feb 2008)

Seán Fleming: If we could legislate for common sense among road engineers, I would be in favour of doing so. However, life is not that simple. I welcome the Bill, which represents a first step on the road. We will return to this issue on an annual basis. As Chairman of the Joint Committee on the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, I look forward to a speedy and orderly Committee Stage debate on...