Results 39,121-39,140 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Finance Bill 2006: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (7 Mar 2006)

Joan Burton: The Minister must accept that probably the most unfair aspect of the entire Irish tax code is that dealing with pension relief. This fact is borne out by the study commissioned and written by the Minister's officials, as volume 3 of the study into tax breaks. It showed an extraordinary position. Of the six or seven case studies in the report, two deal with separate individuals who have...

Finance Bill 2006: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (7 Mar 2006)

Joan Burton: The Minister should explain the reason certain types of contributions are valued more than others in the tax structure. For instance, highly paid individuals who make pension contributions of €100,000 receive tax relief of €42,000. In comparison, the position of carers is one of extreme disadvantage. The Minister should explain the reason he lavishes so much resources on high income...

Finance Bill 2006: Report Stage. (7 Mar 2006)

Joan Burton: The Minister does not see the bigger picture. This year, 400,000 people were left without tax certificates until the week before last. The Revenue Commissioners have a number of new computer systems, including the revamped ITS systems, but the Minister is blissfully unaware that many people have serious questions about their entitlements to their basic tax credits, which they have not been...

Finance Bill 2006: Report Stage. (7 Mar 2006)

Joan Burton: I congratulate Deputy Boyle on getting his amendment accepted, which was no small feat. It is useful that we find ways of dealing with the financial implications of the Kyoto Protocol. The Government would probably like us to believe that, because the implications of the Kyoto Protocol will only kick in after the next general election, the matter should not be discussed in detail by this...

Order of Business. (7 Mar 2006)

Joan Burton: Regarding No. 14, I object to the imposition of a guillotine on the Finance Bill 2006.

Order of Business. (7 Mar 2006)

Joan Burton: The Minister for Finance promised an explanation by the end of February. This has now been postponed until the end of March and we are still no wiser on what the sum of €56 million was spent on, besides what leaks to newspapers suggest. It appears to have been spent on current spending, which means the capital budget for the HSE is 10% less than what had been planned on budget day. We have...

Order of Business. (7 Mar 2006)

Joan Burton: I object to the fact that the Minister has brought forward a series of quite complex amendments for Report Stage and we will be unable to discuss many of them. I take a fair amount of interest in the details of the tax code. I contacted the Minister's office to ask for some commentary or explanatory summary on the Report Stage amendments which the Minister is putting forward but I did not...

Order of Business. (7 Mar 2006)

Joan Burton: Some of these amendments run into many pages and propose to change key qualifying dates in the Finance Bill. Some of this is worth millions to some of the richest people in this country——

Order of Business. (7 Mar 2006)

Joan Burton: ——while other people are paying 42% when they earn more than €30,000. It is all to do with money, and money certainly talks for the Government, but this Parliament is not being given time to debate it.

Finance Bill 2006: Report Stage. (7 Mar 2006)

Joan Burton: I move amendment No. 1: In page 9, between lines 15 and 16, to insert the following: 1.—The Ombudsman shall include in her annual report a special report on the overpayment of tax by PAYE taxpayers, and on the take up of credits by such taxpayers, and the branch of her office dedicated to ensuring that the take up of credits is readily available to all taxpayers, and refunds made as rapidly...

Written Answers — Medical Inquiry: Medical Inquiry (2 Mar 2006)

Joan Burton: Question 22: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the expected completion date of the inquiry, to be chaired by a judge, into the activities of the former Drogheda obstetrician, Dr. Michael Neary; if she will confirm that medical records of a number of patients who underwent Caesarean hysterectomies under the care of Dr. Neary at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital were...

Written Answers — Cancer Screening Programme: Cancer Screening Programme (2 Mar 2006)

Joan Burton: Question 97: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the claim made by the former director of BreastCheck (details supplied) that breast cancer sufferers in remote rural areas face more than double the risk of having a mastectomy compared with women treated in Dublin due to the lack of screening facilities; the steps she is taking to...

Written Answers — National Stadium: National Stadium (1 Mar 2006)

Joan Burton: Question 64: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the position regarding the commencement of work on the first phase of the Abbotstown Sports Campus; if the work is proceeding as scheduled; the timetable for the completion of the facilities at Abbotstown; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8194/06]

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (1 Mar 2006)

Joan Burton: Question 101: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if, in relation to the Freedom of Information legislation, the Health Service Executive has a section 16 manual that has been updated in the past three years; the way in which to access this manual; if it is not available the reason therefor; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8476/06]

Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (1 Mar 2006)

Joan Burton: Question 102: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the way in which the award of medical cards is assessed; if detailed guidelines are publicly available; the areas in which they can be accessed; if they are not available the reason therefor; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8477/06]

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (1 Mar 2006)

Joan Burton: Question 103: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the way in which entitlement to home help is assessed; if detailed guidelines are publicly available; if so, the areas where they can be accessed; if not, the reason therefor; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8478/06]

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (1 Mar 2006)

Joan Burton: Question 104: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the criteria used to determine whether a person obtains a place in a public nursing home; if detailed guidelines are publicly available; if so, the areas where they can be accessed; if not, the reason therefor; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8479/06]

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (1 Mar 2006)

Joan Burton: Question 105: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the way in which entitlement to the new home care packages is assessed; if the assessment takes account of a carer on the carer's allowance or benefit; if detailed guidelines are publicly available; if so, the areas where they can be accessed; if not, the reason therefor; and if she will make a statement on the matter....

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (1 Mar 2006)

Joan Burton: Question 118: To ask the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the practice by which builders and property developers avoid stamp duty at 9% by building under licence; the value of such transactions; the estimated cost of tax and stamp duty foregone to the Exchequer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8382/06]

Written Answers — Social Finance: Social Finance (28 Feb 2006)

Joan Burton: Question 53: To ask the Minister for Finance the progress made to date with regard to the plan announced by him in budget 2006 for the establishment of a €100 million fund for social finance; when the fund will be established; the amount that will be contributed by financial institutions; the way in which the money will be drawn down; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7927/06]