Results 5,201-5,220 of 6,295 for speaker:Michael D'Arcy

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Michael D'Arcy: The multiples are getting away with murder with their drink prices. I have a special criticism of Lidl and Aldi, which are bringing over some very high-alcohol drink from eastern Europe. It is difficult to measure that damage but in time the health sector will be impacted by some of the beers in particular which have 5% or 6% alcohol. The private health care sector has been impacted....

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Michael D'Arcy: They are wrong. Some 47% of people involved in private health care will suffer no impact due to the changes.

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Michael D'Arcy: Some 53% will have some impact, and the higher earners will suffer a larger impact. I am okay with that happening.

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Michael D'Arcy: It is important to be fair to people who are not earning much but who are paying a lot of tax. That is a tax cost to the State and we cannot ignore that. While significant attention is given to tax breaks that get more column inches, this tax break does not get much attention. It costs approximately €300 million, increasing to €500 million. If something had not been done,...

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Michael D'Arcy: A tax break is a cost to the State and we cannot choose to ignore it. The 58,000 people in employment today who were not in employment this time last year are the only way we can come out of this recession. It is being called the "great recession." That is probably not a bad thing; we did not slip into a great depression. Those people will be the engine of recovery. I welcome the...

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Michael D'Arcy: On a 50:50 split.

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Michael D'Arcy: Senator Darragh O'Brien was having so much fun he did not realise the time.

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Michael D'Arcy: Senator Darragh O'Brien is being somewhat unfair. Sometimes I accuse him of being unfair, but more often than not he is reasonably fair. One must remember how far we have come in the past 12 months. We cannot ignore the fact that in that time the promissory notes and the €3.1 billion payment have been dealt with.

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Michael D'Arcy: Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Nationwide Building Society are gone and the Bank of Ireland preference share has come up in the past few weeks, with a payment of €1.8 billion being made. These are huge strides. There has also been the sale of Irish Life to Great-West Lifeco for €1.3 billion, with a dividend of €40 million for the State. We have come a huge distance in the...

Seanad: Credit Reporting Bill 2012: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Michael D'Arcy: Tomorrow.

Seanad: Credit Reporting Bill 2012: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Michael D'Arcy: Do not forget the spuds.

Seanad: Credit Reporting Bill 2012: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Michael D'Arcy: I welcome the Minister again. It is not that often that a piece of financial legislation meets general approval from both Houses but it seems to be the case on this occasion. I do not intend to delay the Bill, as it is a good piece of legislation. Perhaps it was required in the past, and I have argued before that the lack of legislation in the financial area was one of the reasons we ended...

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Dec 2013)

Michael D'Arcy: I would like to raise the inaction of the HSE with the Leader of the House. This matter has come to the fore in recent weeks. Large amounts of money have been awarded against the HSE following high profile court cases. I would like to echo the Judiciary's criticism of the manner in which the HSE inflicts further pain, distress and anguish on families by not accepting liability until the...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Schools Building Projects Status (7 Nov 2013)

Michael D'Arcy: I realise that it is difficult for the Minister address this matter, as the situation is not clear. She stated, "The Department advised the delegation of the co-educational demand". This does not suggest that it gave a direction, but that it is coercing those who met the Minister on behalf of the school management. My question was clear - is the offer conditional? It has not been answered...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Schools Building Projects Status (7 Nov 2013)

Michael D'Arcy: And the Minister.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Schools Building Projects Status (7 Nov 2013)

Michael D'Arcy: Could I have that response tomorrow, please?

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Schools Building Projects Status (7 Nov 2013)

Michael D'Arcy: I hope I will get as comprehensive a reply as the one to the previous matter. My experience with the Department of Education and Skills, however, is that I will not. Premises used by a post-primary school on an interim basis are about to become vacant. Those premises are being made available to a primary school whose facilities are in very poor condition. To my dismay, the board of...

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Nov 2013)

Michael D'Arcy: What about your pensions?

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Nov 2013)

Michael D'Arcy: I am calling on the Leader to request a debate with the Minister for Finance on the reputational damage this country has suffered this year by virtue of the rates of corporation tax being paid by some companies in this jurisdiction. I am aware that the Minister is currently speaking in the Dáil on Second Stage of the Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013. In the recent budget, he took the first...

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Oct 2013)

Michael D'Arcy: I raise the issue of the home renovation scheme which was announced in the budget and I welcome its commencement tomorrow. There was a concern that projects which were ready to go might have been paused to benefit from the tax rebate. I also raise the issue of unfinished housing estates. The budget provided for €10 million to go towards a pilot project with five local authorities,...