Results 4,741-4,760 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Leaders' Questions. (28 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The answer to the question is that it is therefore important the terms of reference of the Oireachtas committee are urgently agreed. It must address all the issues, including the sensitive issue of young girls, perhaps 11 or 12 years of age, being cross-examined in court rather than talking about who did what in the Attorney General's Office. That is irrelevant and we need to get on with that...

Leaders' Questions. (28 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I presume the Ceann Comhairle's ruling is on the tax question.

Leaders' Questions. (28 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: But under Standing Orders, a Cheann Comhairle——

Leaders' Questions. (28 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: ——I can only answer one question, the one on tax breaks.

Leaders' Questions. (28 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I was not sure which question to answer, a Cheann Comhairle.

Leaders' Questions. (28 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I assume the Deputy is referring to the Revenue Commissioners study on the top 400 earners which focused on the problem that has arisen with high earners and low tax due to miscellaneous tax reliefs brought in by all Governments over the past 25 years. The difference is that, unlike others, we have done something about it.

Leaders' Questions. (28 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: We have brought in 33 anti-avoidance measures and terminated 17 tax relief schemes provided by the Government.

Leaders' Questions. (28 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The Minister for Finance took an overall view of the schemes on the Statute Book and has eliminated a large proportion of those, effective from 1 January. It is the greatest overhaul of the tax relief schemes since the early 1960s. Because of all the measures introduced to prevent tax avoidance, in 2002 the top 1% of earners paid 18.6% of all income tax and this year it is expected that those...

Leaders' Questions. (28 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: ——the top 1% of taxpayers are now paying 20% of all income tax. In contrast, those earning the average industrial wage, which is estimated to be in excess of €30,000, will pay 6% of all income tax.

Leaders' Questions. (28 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: In 1997, those earning at or under a far lower average industrial wage paid more than 14% of all income tax. This shows that through the Government's policies, we are now seeing high earners paying not alone a significant amount of tax but also a significant total of overall tax revenue. This shows the effectiveness of the Minister's policy. If the Deputy has anything to say about breaches by...

Leaders' Questions. (28 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: If the Deputy has anything to say about the probity of anything else in regard to the Minister of State, Deputy Fahey, he should say it outside the House and let the Minister of State deal with it.

Leaders' Questions. (28 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: From looking at the facts and figures in the recent reports from Revenue, it is clear that it is because of the actions of this Government and the laws we have introduced that people who evaded tax in the past, are no longer doing so, whether they are dodgy builders——

Leaders' Questions. (28 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: ——legitimate builders or any other kind of builders. They are now paying large sums of money to the Revenue. Settlements have led to the tax system being cleaned up. People who had all kinds of systems of evasion, within the country and outside of it, are now being detected because of the extensive laws we have introduced. The data supplied by the Minister for Finance in reply to recent...

Leaders' Questions. (28 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The Standards in Public Office Act has been in place since 2001. As Head of Government for the past nine years, I have introduced legislation in this area which some Members believe is unduly strict.

Leaders' Questions. (28 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The Standards in Public Office Commission is part of the system for investigating Members. I am not the investigator.

Leaders' Questions. (28 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I am not the investigator of these matters.

Leaders' Questions. (28 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy Sargent must either put up or shut up. If he has evidence, he should give it to Mr. Justice Smith. If he does not, he should come into the House tomorrow and withdraw his statement.

Social Partnership Agreements. (28 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 8, inclusive, together. Together with my colleagues, the Tánaiste and the Minister for Finance, I met the social partners on Wednesday, 14 June, following the conclusion of the negotiations on a new social partnership agreement. I welcome the draft agreement, which builds on the significant progress already made under Sustaining Progress and provides an...

Social Partnership Agreements. (28 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The carers strategy is an important issue in the context of the social pillar. Carers' representative associations are pleased with what has been done in recent budgets, particularly the last. They have achieved a significant portion of their list of objectives. Likewise, they are pleased to have received concessions on a number of important points in the course of the social partnership...

Social Partnership Agreements. (28 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: ——low income tax rates and relatively low interest rates by historic standards, up to nine points below what we had for almost 30 years. Affordability is also supported by the strength of the economy, record employment levels and relatively high saving ratios. The expected shift in the interest rate environment will impact on affordability. This, together with the large increase in new...