Results 5,921-5,940 of 7,789 for speaker:Michael Fitzmaurice

Finance Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (23 Nov 2017)

Michael Fitzmaurice: One would now need 33 such cattle to buy a middling car. That is how times have changed. We have to be mindful of businesspeople. Members encourage people, in particular in rural areas, who run businesses such as hardware stores, small shops or pubs and tell them to be entrepreneurs. Many of their premises will be bought for €200,000 or €300,000. The increase in stamp...

Finance Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (23 Nov 2017)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I understand where Deputy Boyd Barrett is coming from and, in fairness, he has done his figures fairly well. The problem is if something is introduced, the businesses that are just surviving may be blown out. It is a balancing act in business for a Minister or anybody else. I understand fully where the Deputy is coming from and I know the Deputy wishes to help weaker businesses in what he...

Finance Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (23 Nov 2017)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I move amendment No. 65:In page 58, to delete line 10 and substitute the following:"(i) in paragraph (4), by substituting “2 per cent of stamp duty for the first €300,000 on non-residential holdings” for "2 per cent", and". This move in the budget caught many by surprise. On the evening of the budget I tweeted that this tax was an attack on rural Ireland and the...

Finance Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (23 Nov 2017)

Michael Fitzmaurice: This is a hard ball to juggle. Some parts of the country, such as Dublin, are doing well and hotels are flying. Unfortunately, hotels down the country have struggled. The 9% VAT rate needs to be left in place. The Department needs to come up a system which deals with areas where hotels are filled to capacity, such as in Dublin where those looking for hotel bed cannot get them. On the...

Finance Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (23 Nov 2017)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I agree with the amendment. It was 1984 when the thresholds were revised, which was 33 years ago. We penalise a kid for growing too tall or being a bit heavier than other children. This issue needs to be examined, given that the current approach is not working. Deputy Michael McGrath has been fair in how he has tabled this amendment, and I ask the Minister to agree to it.

Finance Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (23 Nov 2017)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I commend the Minister of State on what he has said. In every part of the country this is one of the problems Deputies have faced. I thank him for giving this because, while it is small thing, it is important and helps communities throughout the country. While the Minister of State might not be able to do so, he might clarify for those who have sent in paperwork during this transitional...

Finance Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (23 Nov 2017)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I commend Deputy Michael McGrath on tabling this amendment. There are community centres all over the country where people voluntarily cook food and provide different types of activities for people who would not see another person were it not for the community centres and the services they provide. As was rightly pointed out earlier, some of the people concerned may not be without a limb but...

Finance Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (23 Nov 2017)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I agree with the last speaker that a sugar tax is a good thing. I agree with what the Government is doing. We should ensure the money raised is put into education and health. Better education will help our youngsters, and our grown-ups in some cases, to use better food and to avoid these soft drinks. I will oppose the amendment. I commend the Government on what it has done.

Finance Bill 2017: Report Stage (Resumed) (23 Nov 2017)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Deputy Mattie McGrath and I put down an amendment on Committee Stage to highlight this problem and said that many farms are fragmented. In fairness to the Minister he asked us to withdraw the amendment and said that he would table an amendment on Report Stage and I acknowledge what he has done because this is very important for the farming community. I hope that people who are interested in...

Finance Bill 2017: Report Stage (Resumed) (23 Nov 2017)

Michael Fitzmaurice: As the previous speaker put it, these banks are running riot all the time. I urge the Minister of State to ensure that there is not one law for the banking community and another for the rest. Banks are companies. If we make an arrangement for one company and set a precedent for that company to get away with X, Y or Z, then why not do it for every other company throughout the country that...

Finance Bill 2017: Report Stage (Resumed) (23 Nov 2017)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I support Deputy Doherty's amendment. It is intolerable that Irish taxpayers who bailed out these banks are in some cases being thrown out of their houses by these same banks, ruthlessly and without mercy. These banks decided to sell on debts to vulture funds which treat these people even worse than the banks had and now we are to give them a rolling tax break as long as they like, to let...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Minor Works Scheme (23 Nov 2017)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 98. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when the minor works grant will start issuing to schools. [49678/17]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Scheme Payments (23 Nov 2017)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 176. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when ANC and BPS payments will issue to a person (details supplied); the reason for the delay in processing same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49675/17]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Scheme Payments (23 Nov 2017)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 177. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) will receive ANC and BPS payments; the reason for the delay in payment of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49676/17]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Scheme Payments (23 Nov 2017)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 178. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) will receive ANC and BPS payments; the reason for the delay in payment of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49677/17]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (23 Nov 2017)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 179. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a decision will be made on the TAMS tranche 8 applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49679/17]

Finance Bill 2017: Report Stage (Resumed) (22 Nov 2017)

Michael Fitzmaurice: In the whole debate we need to be mindful that we are an island. We are on the playing field with countries like France. We hear people from such places shouting one thing out of their mouths on a given day to the effect that they want harmonisation, but they are the same people who actually give lower tax rates to certain entities. Ireland has to fight for business because we are on the...

Finance Bill 2017: Report Stage (Resumed) (22 Nov 2017)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I did not hear anybody talk about whether rural Ireland was good or bad. We were talking about a suite of measures to deal with volatility and to keep farmers going. The current suite of measures is not good enough for what we need and are facing. The Minister of State knows the dairy sector, but it is like the crest of a wave. With the forces coming, in the beef sector or dairy, we have...

Finance Bill 2017: Report Stage (Resumed) (22 Nov 2017)

Michael Fitzmaurice: The first day I came into the House there was a discussion on equalisation of the rebate for farmers and the self-employed, and it was announced that they would get €1,600 back over a three-year period. It was disappointing to note in the budget that the figure for this year is approximately €250. A commitment was given for a three-year process, which has not happened. On...

Finance Bill 2017: Report Stage (Resumed) (22 Nov 2017)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I support the amendment. The previous Government, with the then Secretary General of the Department of Finance, Mr. Moran, took a decision to openly invite vulture companies to invest here. We decided to sell the country when things were bad and we are trying to buy it back now that it has become expensive. The vulture funds are here to make a quick buck. Lives have been lost as a result...