Results 41,841-41,860 of 46,267 for speaker:Simon Harris

Seanad: Finance Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Dec 2015)

Simon Harris: I share the Senator's desire for as much transparency as is possible, which is a desire shared by all Members. However, I also greatly respect taxpayer confidentiality. Where should one draw the line? Do people want to see the Senator's tax affairs or my tax affairs? While it is important that the Revenue authorities should see them, they are confidential, are independent and are held in...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Dec 2015)

Simon Harris: I do not have a precise timeline. I know the Commission has taken the decision to commission the impact assessment, which has started and is under way. Our guesstimate is a number of months but it is under way at present.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Dec 2015)

Simon Harris: While I am all in favour of efficiency, I had better make a few points. First, I always get nervous, I am sure it is not intended, when recommendations or amendments are tabled that appear to suggest the reason every multinational company is locating in Ireland is to do with corporation tax.That does this country a disservice. I am not suggesting Senator Reilly is but there are many reasons...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Dec 2015)

Simon Harris: ----- but the regime we have in this country is around our business responsiveness. Let us also remember the reputation we have in the delivery of excellence across a range of companies. We have talent, a track record and tax which is three Ts. Companies decide to locate here for lots of different reasons and while tax is an important one, it is only one reason. There are many figures...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Dec 2015)

Simon Harris: I thank the Senator for his colourful suggestions and he makes a valid point. The relief will not apply to disposals of chargeable business assets by companies or to disposals of development land - which I know is an issue raised by Senators in this House - or to a business dealing in or developing land, or to a business consisting of letting land or building or holding investments. Where a...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Dec 2015)

Simon Harris: My officials will communicate with Senator O'Brien in advance of Report Stage to see if we can provide clarity on the matter.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Dec 2015)

Simon Harris: While I do not disagree in principle with the Senator that there is a need to go further in this regard, the Minister adjudicated how far he could go this year in line with the fiscal space available to him. As we all know, the capital acquisitions tax threshold has been reduced a number of times over the last couple of years, while the rate has also been increased. These changes were...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Dec 2015)

Simon Harris: I would not want to do anything that would short circuit our exchanges on Committee Stage of the Finance Bill as it is an enjoyable experience. The Senators will be aware that a similar amendment was proposed in the Dáil and that it was the subject of significant debate on Committee and Report Stages. During those debates both myself the Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael Noonan, and...

Seanad: Flooding: Statements (9 Dec 2015)

Simon Harris: I wish to thank Senators for affording me the opportunity to address the Seanad on the severe weather which affected the country over the past weekend and into this week. At the outset, I join all Members of this and the Lower House in conveying my deepest sympathy to all those who have been affected by the flooding. I have seen, at first hand, the devastating impact that flooding can have...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Prevention Measures (9 Dec 2015)

Simon Harris: The River Tolka has a history of flooding following heavy rainfall, which has been well documented after major flood events in 1954 and subsequent years. The river has been the subject of a number of investigations, and of most significance were those carried out in 1955 and 1986. Severe flooding from the Tolka River and its tributaries occurred in the Dublin City, Meath and Fingal areas in...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Relief Schemes Status (9 Dec 2015)

Simon Harris: The provision of flood defences in Foynes is being undertaken by Limerick City and County Council (LCCC) with funding from the Office of Public Works (OPW). The Council has developed a scheme which has been approved under Part Viii of the Planning and Development Regulations. The Council is currently progressing the procurement of a civil works contractor to undertake the scheme works and is...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Prevention Measures (9 Dec 2015)

Simon Harris: My previous reply to this question sought to explain that the design of OPW funded flood relief schemes including the design height of any flood defence walls included as part of the schemes must satisfy the required standard to provide protection against the 1 in 100 year flood event in the case of rivers and the 1 in 200 year event in the case of coastal or tidal flooding. This is a...

Topical Issue Debate: Flood Prevention Measures (8 Dec 2015)

Simon Harris: I was there.

Topical Issue Debate: Flood Prevention Measures (8 Dec 2015)

Simon Harris: I could respond in a moment rather than shouting across the Chamber at the Deputy.

Topical Issue Debate: Flood Prevention Measures (8 Dec 2015)

Simon Harris: I will do my best. There were a lot of questions and, obviously, Members had a lot longer to ask them than I have to answer them. On immediate works, let me be clear that there is an ongoing scheme called the minor flood mitigation scheme, for which any local authority can apply to the Office of Public Works. It has clear criteria. All the local authority engineers are well aware of it...

Topical Issue Debate: Flood Prevention Measures (8 Dec 2015)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputies for their contributions and for allowing me the opportunity to address the House regarding the severe weather which affected the country over last weekend and well into this week. I pledge my willingness to work with Members on all sides of the House to address the many challenges facing communities right across the country. I take this opportunity, too, to express my...

Equal Participation in Schools Bill 2015: First Stage (8 Dec 2015)

Simon Harris: No.

EU Framework Agreement with the Socialist Republic of Vietnam: Referral to Select Committee (8 Dec 2015)

Simon Harris: I move:That the proposal that Dáil Éireann approves the terms of the Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Partnership and Co-operation between the European Union and its member states, of the one part, and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, of the other part, signed at Brussels on 27 June 2012, a copy of which was laid before Dáil Éireann on 7 December 2015, be referred to...

Equality in Education Bill 2015: First Stage (8 Dec 2015)

Simon Harris: No.

Seanad: Finance (Local Property Tax) (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2015: Second Stage (8 Dec 2015)

Simon Harris: The local property tax was introduced in 2012 and was designed to serve a dual function. First, it provided a stable funding base for the local authority sector, incorporating appropriate elements of local authority responsibility. As such, it strongly reinforced local democratic decision making and encouraged greater efficiency by local authorities on behalf of their electorates. Second,...