Results 42,101-42,120 of 46,353 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Decentralisation Programme Data (5 Nov 2015)

Simon Harris: There has been a number of decentralisation programmes. The Commissioners of Public Works advise that there are two locations, as set out below, in County Cork where such accommodation has been provided. Information relating to staff numbers would be a matter for the building occupants. The Commissioners are not aware of any proposals to relocate staff or the occupying bodies from either...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Relief Schemes Status (5 Nov 2015)

Simon Harris: The Flood Relief Scheme in Waterford City is being delivered by Waterford City Council with funding being provided by the Office of Public Works. The Scheme offers protection from both tidal and fluvial (river) flooding. Phase 1 of the overall Scheme was completed in 2011 and works on Phases 2, 3 and 4 is expected to be completed in the first half of 2016. The response to the Scheme...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Risk Assessments (3 Nov 2015)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 339 and 340 together. Good progress is being made on the national Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme which is the principal vehicle for implementing the EU Floods Directive and forms the strategic focus of national flood risk management policy. Engineering consultants have been appointed by the Office of Public Works (OPW) to...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Drainage Schemes (3 Nov 2015)

Simon Harris: The channel referred to by the Deputy is part of the Inny Arterial Drainage Scheme which was carried out by the Office of Public Works (OPW) under the Arterial Drainage Act, 1945. The OPW continues to have a statutory responsibility for the maintenance of this scheme. Each year the OPW carries out work to approximately 2,000 km of channels and about 200 structures around the country as...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Office of Public Works Expenditure (3 Nov 2015)

Simon Harris: The information sought by the Deputy is currently being collated. A detailed response will issue to the Deputy directly.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Drainage Schemes (3 Nov 2015)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy is aware, the Office of Public Works (OPW) has submitted the proposals for the Clare River (Claregalway) flood relief scheme for statutory approval or Confirmation by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, as required by the Arterial Drainage Acts. The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has completed its consideration of a report which it commissioned on a...

Management Fees (Local Property Tax) Relief Bill 2015: Second Stage [Private Members] (23 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: I saw it on "Reeling in the Years".

Management Fees (Local Property Tax) Relief Bill 2015: Second Stage [Private Members] (23 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: I am very aware of it.

Management Fees (Local Property Tax) Relief Bill 2015: Second Stage [Private Members] (23 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: It was the Revenue Commissioners.

Management Fees (Local Property Tax) Relief Bill 2015: Second Stage [Private Members] (23 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: Mary Hanafin was in favour of it.

Management Fees (Local Property Tax) Relief Bill 2015: Second Stage [Private Members] (23 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: That is true.

Management Fees (Local Property Tax) Relief Bill 2015: Second Stage [Private Members] (23 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: That is just not true.

Management Fees (Local Property Tax) Relief Bill 2015: Second Stage [Private Members] (23 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: We did not charge €500.

Management Fees (Local Property Tax) Relief Bill 2015: Second Stage [Private Members] (23 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: I thank all the Members who have contributed to this debate. As I stated earlier, the Government cannot support the Bill, and I have outlined why we are not in a position to do so. The introduction of the local property tax in 2013 was the largest extension of self-assessment in the history of the State, with more than 1.3 million taxpayers obliged to file LPT returns and pay the tax in...

Management Fees (Local Property Tax) Relief Bill 2015: Second Stage [Private Members] (23 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: It is not false. It is a statement of fact. He agreed with me on RTE television. Deputy Stanley can look back at it. Sinn Féin is also in favour of having a corporation tax of nearly 40% here, while it is 20% in Northern Ireland.

Management Fees (Local Property Tax) Relief Bill 2015: Second Stage [Private Members] (23 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: It simply does not make sense. I do not understand the Deputy's point about Fine Gael councillors being allowed to express their opinions as to what is best for their communities, as did Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin councillors. While Deputy Stanley's party might favour a central control type of structure, in my party we put forward candidates and let them get elected for their...

Management Fees (Local Property Tax) Relief Bill 2015: Second Stage [Private Members] (23 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: I am not sure whether Sinn Féin's policy on the abolition of property tax extends to Northern Ireland, where the tax is much higher. The party leadership is happy to pay a higher rate of property tax to the Government of the United Kingdom but does not wish to pay one to the Government of the Republic of Ireland to fund services at a local level. Dr. Thornhill's report provides a very...

Management Fees (Local Property Tax) Relief Bill 2015: Second Stage [Private Members] (23 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: It is a lot of money.

Management Fees (Local Property Tax) Relief Bill 2015: Second Stage [Private Members] (23 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Sean Fleming for initiating this Bill and providing an opportunity to debate the local property tax. The objective of the local property tax is to broaden the domestic tax base and to replace some of the revenue from transaction-based taxes with an annual recurring property tax. We know only too well how, in the past, transaction-based taxes proved to be an unstable source...

Management Fees (Local Property Tax) Relief Bill 2015: Second Stage [Private Members] (23 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: It is important that its position be maintained, as research and experience internationally consistently show that taxes on immovable property are among the taxes that are least detrimental to growth. In the course of introducing this Bill on First Stage, Deputy Sean Fleming indicated that approximately 177,000 homeowners were affected by management fees. Now, he claims there are 200,000...