Results 34,941-34,960 of 35,959 for speaker:Pearse Doherty

Finance Bill 2011: Committee Stage (26 Jan 2011)

Pearse Doherty: With regard to section 62 and the different rates of stamp duty, the reduction as regards lower valued properties is to be welcomed, since people on low incomes were being penalised. I know the Government is getting rid of the exemption from stamp duty for properties under €127,000, so people who buy a very small house worth, say, €80,000 to €100,000 or whatever will now be subject to...

Finance Bill 2011: Committee Stage (26 Jan 2011)

Pearse Doherty: Given the ticking clock and the limited time we have to deal with these matters I will try to keep my comments very brief. I enjoyed the final statement from the previous speaker and I wish her well in whatever course of action she takes in the future, as I do all retiring Deputies after the dissolution of the Dáil in the coming days. Perhaps the Minister of State can shine some light on...

Finance Bill 2011: Committee Stage (26 Jan 2011)

Pearse Doherty: On a point of order-----

Finance Bill 2011: Committee Stage (26 Jan 2011)

Pearse Doherty: We raised this at the previous sitting where all sections were taken in one vote. We understood that all sections were to be taken together. On that basis, in regard to section 39, if the Leas-Cheann Comhairle is not following what was done in the previous-----

Finance Bill 2011: Committee Stage (26 Jan 2011)

Pearse Doherty: That did not happen at the earlier stages. Must we revisit the earlier sections?

Finance Bill 2011: Committee Stage (26 Jan 2011)

Pearse Doherty: There is confusion. I oppose section 39.

Finance Bill 2011: Committee Stage (26 Jan 2011)

Pearse Doherty: Deputy English made a very coherent address outlining reasons for not having an airport travel tax. I concur with everything he says because it sends out the wrong signal. The amendment his party has put down relating to the tax sends out an equally wrong signal as the party does not propose to scrap it; the amendment proposes to keep the travel tax with a reduced rate of €2. In my...

Finance Bill 2011: Committee Stage (26 Jan 2011)

Pearse Doherty: Yes but this is where we introduce aspects into law. The budget proposals will not mean anything for Ryanair or Aer Lingus, and it will not change the signals to those who want to come to this country. That will be affected by what we decide to introduce into legislation. The amendment looks to put into legislation an airport travel tax of €2, which Fine Gael would secure if the...

Finance Bill 2011: Committee Stage (26 Jan 2011)

Pearse Doherty: I will conclude very shortly. I understand there is no time limit on Committee Stage as long as I speak to the amendment.

Finance Bill 2011: Committee Stage (26 Jan 2011)

Pearse Doherty: I would not wish to do that. One could reasonably ask what difference €3 will make. People travelling from Boston, New York, Australia, Shanghai or New York would pay an extra €3 but their holiday will cost hundreds of euro at the very least. The cost may be in the thousands of euro if families come along. One can add the costs of increased excise and taxes. A person coming to...

Finance Bill 2011: Committee Stage (26 Jan 2011)

Pearse Doherty: Fine Gael has facilitated the issue.

Finance Bill 2011: Committee Stage (26 Jan 2011)

Pearse Doherty: On a point of order, while I take on board the problems outlined by the previous speaker-----

Finance Bill 2011: Committee Stage (26 Jan 2011)

Pearse Doherty: My point of order relates to the rules of the House, on which I seek clarification. Having discussed the air travel tax with my party team, I was of the view that if one tabled an amendment, for example, to delete the figure of "€3" and replace it with €0, it would be ruled out of order, as has been the case with many of my amendments.

Finance Bill 2011: Committee Stage (26 Jan 2011)

Pearse Doherty: I did not have a chance to complete my point of order.

Finance Bill 2011: Committee Stage (26 Jan 2011)

Pearse Doherty: I refer to the amendments in my name that have not been ruled out of order. This is an act of political codology. A number of speakers referred to the truncation of this Bill and the inadequate time allocated to it. In reality, the party finance spokespersons have facilitated this Bill in truncated form. None of the arguments I have heard were raised at the meeting with the Minister for...

Finance Bill 2011: Committee Stage (26 Jan 2011)

Pearse Doherty: I will conclude on this point. The first amendment deals with the economic impact of provisions of this Bill and how they will impact on the job creation. We have read in the newspapers of massive job losses in the retail sector. We know that they are happening already because the Minister has reduced the spending power of every citizen. I refer to the people who spend all the money they...

Finance Bill 2011: Committee Stage (26 Jan 2011)

Pearse Doherty: It is a disgrace and I am sure the Minister of State will acknowledge that. These are such important issues-----

Finance Bill 2011: Committee Stage (26 Jan 2011)

Pearse Doherty: -----and an opportunity is not even being given to discuss them. We will have a finance (No. 2) Bill-----

Finance Bill 2011: Committee Stage (26 Jan 2011)

Pearse Doherty: -----and more than likely we will have to have a finance (No. 3) Bill to deal with this mess.

Finance Bill 2011: Committee Stage (26 Jan 2011)

Pearse Doherty: On a point of order, we have just voted on 88 amendments out of 101 in the Finance Bill. We were given one hour and 20 minutes in which to debate them. My point concerns the ordering of business in the House. It is clear that the rush in dealing with the amendments was to facilitate the Fianna Fáil leadership debate and election at 2 p.m. Fianna Fáil has put its interests and the...