Results 3,541-3,560 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Order of Business. (7 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Imagine if they were in the Deputy's boot.

Order of Business. (7 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: It is 100 million cigarettes.

Order of Business. (7 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Next year.

Order of Business. (7 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: This session.

Order of Business. (7 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I have no notification for any resolution on this matter.

Order of Business. (7 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: No legislation is promised.

Financial Resolution No. 6: General (Resumed) (7 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: This budget is designed to sustain the strength of the economy over the next few years, as well as making a further substantial contribution to a fairer and more socially friendly Ireland. We are living in the midst of an astonishing period of national development. We are at last bringing about the realisation of the immense potential in the land and people of Ireland that generations of...

Financial Resolution No. 2: Mineral Oils (6 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: There is no excise duty on electricity and natural gas. Deputy Ó Caoláin made the point that there is no excise duty on kerosene in Northern Ireland. The reduced VAT rate of 13.5% applies to heating fuels. In many other EU member states, the standard VAT rate is applied. Deputy Ó Caoláin can be assured that the motivation in increasing the excise duty on cigarettes relates to public...

Financial Resolution No. 2: Mineral Oils (6 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: We did not opt for a greater increase in excise duty because such increases have a major impact on the consumer price index. It is for this reason that the Minister for Finance asked the social partners to consider whether tobacco products should be removed from the goods included in the CPI. He has made this point on more than one occasion, as have I. The impact on the CPI of this...

Financial Resolution No. 2: Mineral Oils (6 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I thank Members for their support on both resolutions.

Financial Resolution No. 2: Mineral Oils (6 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: That is the calculation. A figure of 2% would make a difference. However, it cannot be taken in isolation. This must be brought in with other health promotion elements. The 2% figure will mean 100 million fewer cigarettes being smoked which shows how many cigarettes are smoked every day.

Financial Resolution No. 2: Mineral Oils (6 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: It will be successful if there is a 2% drop in cigarette consumption. Some 100 million cigarettes fewer being smoked is not an insignificant amount. While the yield from excise is large, a greater amount of money goes to the health budget for smoking-related illnesses. The statistics show that the predominant cause of ailments such as heart disease is smoking. Deputy Ring has a point that...

Financial Resolution No. 3: Tobacco Products (6 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I move: (1) THAT for the purposes of the tax charged by virtue of section 72 of the Finance Act 2005 (No. 5 of 2005), that Act is amended, with effect as on and from 7 December 2006, by substituting the following for Schedule 2 to that Act: "SCHEDULE 2 Rates of Tobacco Products Tax Description of Product Rate of Duty Cigarettes .... .... .... ..... ..... €151.37 per thousand...

Financial Resolution No. 1: Income Tax (6 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I move: (1) THAT, as respects the year of assessment 2007 and subsequent years of assessment, section 122 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 (No. 39 of 1997) is amended by substituting in the definition of "the specified rate" in paragraph (a) of subsection (1)— (a) "4.5 per cent" for "3.5 per cent" (inserted by the Finance Act 2004 (No. 8 of 2004)) in both places where it occurs, and (b)...

Financial Resolution No. 2: Mineral Oils (6 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I move: (1) THAT for the purposes of the tax charged by virtue of section 95 of the Finance Act 1999 (No. 2 of 1999), that Act is amended, with effect as on and from 1 January 2007, by substituting the following for Schedule 2 to that Act, as amended by section 79(a) of the Finance Act 2006 (No. 6 of 2006): "Rates of Mineral Oil Tax. Description of Mineral Oil Rate of Tax ...

Budget Statement 2006 (6 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Hear, hear.

Leaders' Questions (6 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: In the ten months to the end of October this year, there were 3,500 assessments. Bearing in mind the number of schools, the service providers try to deal with the issue we need to deal with, as identified correctly by Deputy Rabbitte. It was pointed out in the report and in the statements made by the Minister of State, Deputy Tim O'Malley, this year, as will be clear to anyone who was...

Leaders' Questions (6 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Since we established the scheme, not so long ago, we have trebled the number of psychologists in the service, and funded in the region of 3,500 private assessments so far this year. We are committed to expanding the coverage of the service. We are recruiting extra staff and plan to hire more in 2007. We have agreed and are committed to a programme under A Vision for Change. Most of it is...

Leaders' Questions (6 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The Minister of State, Deputy Tim O'Malley, has stated that he was making a point about a scheme and he intended no offence to parents or staff. He has made that position clear and the point should not be repeated.

Leaders' Questions (6 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I apologise if I am repeating myself but I said yesterday and this morning that A Vision for Change spells out the difficulty and the areas where there are insufficient staff. It points out where we need additional teams and resources. That is why the Minister of State, Deputy Tim O'Malley, and his colleagues in the Department of Health and Children, produced the report of the expert group...