Results 5,341-5,360 of 10,460 for speaker:Gerry Horkan

Seanad: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2019)

Gerry Horkan: That is why I am out of one chair and into another. I want to speak on this issue.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2019)

Gerry Horkan: With the greatest respect, I acknowledge that property values where Senator Conway-Walsh is living are not the same as those in the general local authority area I represented. The help-to-buy scheme was very much a Fianna Fáil initiative in the confidence and supply agreement with the Government. All one needs to do is go on daft.ieand look at the price of any three-bedroom...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2019)

Gerry Horkan: I move recommendation No. 3: In page 20, after line 33, to insert the following: "Report on flat rate expenses 18.The Minister shall, within 3 months of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before the Oireachtas a report on the review by the Revenue Commissioners on flat rate expenses and ways in which low and medium income earners can be protected from any change that may arise.". ...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2019)

Gerry Horkan: I am inclusive always. My three recommendations are about preparing and laying before the Oireachtas a report on the review by the Revenue Commissioners on flat-rate expenses and ways in which low and medium income earners can be protected from any change that may arise. The point, as no doubt the Minister of State will be aware, is that this is a competence of the Revenue Commissioners. A...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2019)

Gerry Horkan: I accept the point that the Minister of State made but there needs to be a genuine understanding by the Revenue and the Government of the effect of this change. I will not press the recommendation and I am happy to withdraw it, although I do not know what Senator Conway-Walsh wants to do. I will withdraw, having listened to the Minister of State's analysis, but it is important that we keep...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2019)

Gerry Horkan: It is a recommendation.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2019)

Gerry Horkan: The Minister of State noted that he was referring to income tax.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2019)

Gerry Horkan: The Minister of State, without interruption.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2019)

Gerry Horkan: Senator Gavan should allow the Minister of State to speak.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2019)

Gerry Horkan: Senator Feighan does not have the floor just yet. We are currently dealing with an amendment proposing a wealth tax, from which we have strayed a fair bit. One could say that everything is linked to a wealth tax, but we must deal with the amendment. I ask the Minister of State to conclude his remarks.

Seanad: Business of Seanad (3 Dec 2019)

Gerry Horkan: I welcome to the Gallery former Senator Brian Hillery and his family, including Gavin and Joanne, I think It is nice to see a former Member back and everybody looking so well. I apologise that I do not know the name of the fourth person with him. Three out of four is not bad.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2019)

Gerry Horkan: Senator Higgins has left the Chamber. Recommendation No. 8 is in her name. Does Senator Gavan wish to speak on her behalf?

Seanad: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2019)

Gerry Horkan: I note that moving the recommendation is not sufficient to bring it back in on Report Stage if the substance has not been discussed. The Senator does not have to speak on it but not doing so may make it more difficult to bring it back on Report Stage.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2019)

Gerry Horkan: I am in the Chair but let us not be provocative.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2019)

Gerry Horkan: I draw to the attention of the House an error on the recommendation list. Recommendation No. 11 should be listed under section 39 rather than section 37.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2019)

Gerry Horkan: There is an anomaly that allows businesses to reclaim VAT on diesel but not on petrol. I do not propose a recommendation but I ask the Minister of State to examine how diesel and petrol are treated differently. There may be an issue on how hybrids are being treated and so on. This is separate from the Finance Act but there is a different tax treatment for businesses between diesel and...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2019)

Gerry Horkan: I move recommendation No. 13: In page 108, between lines 3 and 4, to insert the following: "Anti-smuggling measures 52. The Minister shall, within 3 months of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before the Oireachtas a report on the operation of section 136 of the Finance Act 2001 and the feasibility of including members of An Garda Síochána in the definition of "officer"...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2019)

Gerry Horkan: I thank the Minister of State for his response. The recommendation does not seek to take powers from Revenue but, rather, to facilitate its officers in working with An Garda Síochána. Retailers have argued that gardaí are being hampered in their work in circumstances where a Revenue officer is not immediately available. The requirement that Revenue must lead a search may be...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2019)

Gerry Horkan: The same health warning applies to this recommendation as applied to the previous one.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2019)

Gerry Horkan: Senator Conway-Walsh and I are not always on the same page but we certainly are so on this issue. One of the changes provided for in the Finance Bill is the imposition of the 13.5% rate of VAT on food supplements. This provision was discussed at great length during the passage of the Bill through the Dáil. It was also discussed extensively at the Joint Committee on Finance, Public...