Results 3,941-3,960 of 4,178 for speaker:Paul Gavan

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Public Procurement Contracts Social Clauses (7 Dec 2016)

Paul Gavan: I welcome the Minister of State. Public procurement accounts for 18% of gross domestic product in Europe, and the State spends €8.5 billion every year on goods and services. There is a growing interest in finding ways for this expenditure to be used to deliver wider social, environmental and economic benefits. In March 2014, the then Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Public Procurement Contracts Social Clauses (7 Dec 2016)

Paul Gavan: I thank the Minister of State for his reply. It is helpful, in that he states there is sufficient information available for local authorities. The problem in practical terms is that local authorities are using the lack of guidelines as an excuse not to engage. I have concrete examples, Galway County Council being one, as it states it does not have the guidelines and so cannot include the...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Public Procurement Contracts Social Clauses (7 Dec 2016)

Paul Gavan: I am talking about 12 months ago. Can the Minister of State give me any specific information?

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Dec 2016)

Paul Gavan: Yesterday, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport warned that Bus Éireann is facing insolvency within two years unless "difficult decisions are made".This begs the question as to who will be obliged to make those difficult decisions. The Minister is talking about axing between six and eight of the least profitable routes and we know that Bus Éireann wants to separate the...

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Dec 2016)

Paul Gavan: A Limerick dog.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2016: Committee Stage (7 Dec 2016)

Paul Gavan: Just as we discussed with the help-to-buy scheme, evidence appears to be best ignored in the view of the Minister. The Revenue Commissioners tell us that in 2014, 302 people availed of €5.9 million in tax relief under the special assignee relief programme, SARP. That is an average of almost €20,000 in tax that 302 people, who already are very well paid, did not pay because of...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2016: Committee Stage (7 Dec 2016)

Paul Gavan: I do not wish to speak on this section, which my party is opposing.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2016: Committee Stage (7 Dec 2016)

Paul Gavan: Well said.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2016: Committee Stage (7 Dec 2016)

Paul Gavan: Yes. In the context of reducing fiscal space, Brexit and the unknown quantity of a President Trump, the Minister chose in the budget to cut €22 million of tax through CAT. In 2014, this would have benefitted 2,128 people in terms of the group A changes. We have, as we have discussed, a dwelling house exemption which I agree with and a tax-free threshold of €280,000 on...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2016: Committee Stage (7 Dec 2016)

Paul Gavan: No.

Seanad: Public Bodies Review Agency Bill 2016: Second Stage (7 Dec 2016)

Paul Gavan: I will begin by welcoming the opportunity to discuss the Bill in the Chamber. It is clear there has been a substantial amount of work put into this legislation by the Senator and I fully accept that it is well-intentioned. We recognise that the proposal for further scrutiny and oversight of our public bodies has merit, however we have concerns over this particular method of regulation. Our...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Economic Impact of Brexit: Discussion (Resumed) (6 Dec 2016)

Paul Gavan: I welcome the two Ministers. We would probably all agree that in the light of Brexit, but even regardless of it, and particularly now, it is important we take an all-island perspective on the matters of the economy and society. I want to home in on what Mr. Hazzard said as he mentioned the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport a few times in his opening statement. The level of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Economic Impact of Brexit: Discussion (Resumed) (6 Dec 2016)

Paul Gavan: On a point of clarification, it is virtually Christmas and the Government has been in place for eight or nine months at this stage. Has Mr. Hazzard not yet met the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Economic Impact of Brexit: Discussion (Resumed) (6 Dec 2016)

Paul Gavan: I want to refer to a matter Mr. Ó Muilleoir mentioned earlier. I commend him on his comments on workers' rights, in particular, and the work he is doing on a living wage. While I share some of the concerns of our colleague, Deputy Bríd Smith, about the EU, I would acknowledge that a great deal of workers' rights are underpinned by EU legislation, rights such as annual leave, rest...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Economic Impact of Brexit: Discussion (Resumed) (6 Dec 2016)

Paul Gavan: Mr. Ó Muilleoir referred to the Little England mentality and some of the advocates for this are seeking the glorious days of empire once again, but I have a fear about living standards, environmental protection standards, wages, workers' rights and human rights. There is much talk about the repeal of the Human Rights Act and many will be looking closely at the great repeal Bill, as it...

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Dec 2016)

Paul Gavan: Today, 1 December, marks the second anniversary of the death of Jonathan Corrie, a homeless sleeper, just yards from this House in which we are sitting this morning. The country and public representatives were outraged at the time, and rightly so. The previous Minister outlined at the time that street homelessness would be ended. The purpose of my raising this topic this morning is not to...

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Dec 2016)

Paul Gavan: We are all friends here.

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Dec 2016)

Paul Gavan: What about homelessness?

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Dec 2016)

Paul Gavan: Absolutely.

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Dec 2016)

Paul Gavan: I acknowledge that.