Results 43,601-43,620 of 46,456 for speaker:Simon Harris

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Oct 2014)

Simon Harris: Before there is widespread panic, let us be very clear. The purpose of the amendment is to reduce the rate bills for sports clubs. One can argue that the system needs to be tightened and suggest how that should be done. I am happy to engage on those points between now and Report Stage and consider any amendments which would ensure that what we are trying to do is achieved. I am more than...

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Oct 2014)

Simon Harris: Clubs with licences are being charged rates on their entire operation.

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Oct 2014)

Simon Harris: That is not fair and is what we are trying to address. We are not trying to introduce new charges on sports clubs. I have legal advice on the amendment I proposed. I outlined the guidelines and my openness to further engagement on this between now and Report Stage. The amendment is an honest effort to improve the lot of sports clubs. If we have to go further between now and Report Stage...

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Oct 2014)

Simon Harris: It refers to commercial activity, such as a golf shop or a pro shop. There is a massive range of sports clubs which are involved in a significant variety of activities. If a serious level of income is generated, that is a different matter. I have been very clear in all my public comments. The Fine Gael Deputies who have upset the Senator by issuing those statements-----

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Oct 2014)

Simon Harris: -----have also been very clear that this is not about commercial activity not being rated or the generation of serious income. I hope I have been emphatic that we are not referring to the diminutive income suggested by the Senator. The guidelines which will be issued and the practice to date reflects that. The Valuations Office has a very good track record on this.

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Oct 2014)

Simon Harris: The Senator is reading the amendment in isolation.

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Oct 2014)

Simon Harris: Good.

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Oct 2014)

Simon Harris: So do we.

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Oct 2014)

Simon Harris: I thank Senator Hayden for her constructive suggestions. Income generation tends to come from commercial activity. The generation of income does not mean the nominal receipts of income. I do not want to get tied up in a word game. I have outlined very clearly the intention of the Bill and the amendment, which is to improve the lot we have inherited and make things better for sports clubs....

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Oct 2014)

Simon Harris: It is quite difficult to explain when the Senator keeps interrupting me. I am happy to be challenged-----

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Oct 2014)

Simon Harris: I will also be happy to tease out the issues on Report Stage. This Bill is an honest attempt to improve the situation. The Senator is quite correct that it is not abolishing all rates for all sports clubs. Commercial activity will still be rateable, but Senator Byrne will have to agree that it will improve the current situation. It will lessen the rates bill. Under current law, if there...

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Oct 2014)

Simon Harris: I am one of those too.

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Oct 2014)

Simon Harris: I am just out of the crèche.

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Oct 2014)

Simon Harris: I will come to visit Senator Sheahan when the time comes. I thank all Senators for their comments. I will deal first with the issue of community sports facilities. There may have been a misreading of the amendment, which I would like to clarify. I am stating clearly and categorically that we are not deleting paragraph 4 of Schedule 4 to the principal Act, which refers to "land developed...

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Oct 2014)

Simon Harris: I did not interrupt Senator Byrne. The latter used very emotive language, including the word "fraud". I have been very clear since I first took Committee Stage of the Bill - this is the third occasion on which I have done so - as was my colleague, the Minister, Deputy Howlin, when he dealt with Deputy Barry Cowen's Bill in the Dáil, that we have no interest whatsoever in seeking to...

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Oct 2014)

Simon Harris: We would all agree that the Aviva Stadium or Croke Park should not be exempt.

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Oct 2014)

Simon Harris: The situation in this regard is not changing. Commercial activity within sports club will still be rateable. We will have to take a common sense approach as to what constitutes commercial activity.

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Oct 2014)

Simon Harris: I am outlining the purpose of the amendment. I am also outlining that we cannot have legislation which is completely prescriptive as to every possibility. There is a great difference between renting out the Aviva Stadium and renting out the local GAA club in a town in Meath.

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Oct 2014)

Simon Harris: There is a distinction. As I said, guidelines will be published by the Valuation Office which will flesh this out.

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Oct 2014)

Simon Harris: I am giving the Senator a commitment that it will be done.