Results 4,301-4,320 of 5,627 for speaker:Mairéad Farrell

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2021: Committee Stage (16 Nov 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: Sometimes it is easier to intervene at this point. I will brief on this issue. We have been clear in our support for the introduction of that type of a tax on multiple homes. I will be supporting the amendment. The only issue I have with it is that it does not deal with the issue of sweetheart deals for funds. The number of vacant homes is a major issue. There is a large number of...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2021: Committee Stage (16 Nov 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: I would like to speak on that amendment so can I do that?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2021: Committee Stage (16 Nov 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: Can I still speak on it?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2021: Committee Stage (16 Nov 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: I can speak on that amendment when I speak on the section. Is that the way it would work?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2021: Committee Stage (16 Nov 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: There are some sound issues. I do not know if it is just me or if Deputy Nash's microphone. This is an interesting amendment and I commend Deputy Nash on bringing it forward. As the Deputy said, the structure of partnerships, families and so on has changed and it would be remiss of us not to mention the many people who have been trying to get married for the past two years but who have...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2021: Committee Stage (16 Nov 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: In general, on section 2, is that correct?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2021: Committee Stage (16 Nov 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: My apologies, I am unable to raise the hand signal for some reason. I am not sure how comfortable I am about moving in on the big screen, but we are where we are. I welcome this amendment. I commend Deputy Nash on bringing forward this amendment on bogus self-employment, which we know is occurring in many areas. As highlighted by Deputy Nash, it is happening in the aviation sector, the...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2021: Committee Stage (16 Nov 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: I, too, thank the Minister for his response. We need to realise that the issue of bogus self-employment has a knock-on effect in terms of bid-rigging. We know that there are concerns in regard to bid-rigging. The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has been requested to get involved. Bid-rigging is a process whereby bidders for public work contracts co-ordinate bids to keep...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2021: Committee Stage (16 Nov 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: Yes.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2021: Committee Stage (16 Nov 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: For clarity, has amendment No. 12 already been spoken to by Deputy Nash? Are we moving on to amendment No. 165?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2021: Committee Stage (16 Nov 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: I understand that I can speak on the section, but are amendments Nos. 12 and 165 not in this group for discussion?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2021: Committee Stage (16 Nov 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: My apologies. This section in general deals with the issue of people working from home. It provides for a formalisation of the tax arrangements for employees who are working from home. This means that from 1 January 2022, an income tax deduction amounting to 30% of the cost of vouched expenses for heat, electricity and internet services income can be claimed, apportioned on the basis of...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2021: Committee Stage (16 Nov 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: For clarity, I am not suggesting that the taxpayer bear the cost of equipment. I am just trying to tease it out because we know that if the worker was in the office, the employer would be paying for the heating, electricity, broadband and so on. I am interested in hearing about if the employer will bear some of those costs as well. I am trying to make that distinction. Why should the...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2021: Committee Stage (16 Nov 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: I revert to the point I made about Portugal. Portugal is making employers who have more than ten employees pay towards that. Is that something the Minister has looked at? Is he aware that this might be the situation in other jurisdictions? Has he looked at that potentially as something we could have here? Again, it is interesting to tease this out. Some employers will be saving huge...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2021: Committee Stage (16 Nov 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: My last point on this issue is the that, as we know, electricity and heating prices have increased massively. People are becoming more and more concerned about it. It could be a situation that this is not in a general public conversation right now. However, the issue of energy cost rises certainly is. It could be discussed at a later date. It would be interesting to look at that, and...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2021: Committee Stage (16 Nov 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: Just for clarity, I will be speaking on both No. 12 and No. 165. The latter is the Sinn Féin amendment. We are all acutely aware of the issues with mica and pyrite and how people are affected by them. We have long argued for the Government to hold those responsible for defects to account and to implement a redress scheme that supports those affected. It is something my colleagues,...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2021: Committee Stage (16 Nov 2021)

Mairéad Farrell: I have a query. If I press this amendment to a vote, even an oral vote, can it still be brought up on Report Stage? Is it only if one calls for a division that one cannot-----