Results 41-60 of 4,178 for speaker:Paul Gavan

Seanad: Finance Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (6 Nov 2024)

Paul Gavan: I am as worried as he is.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (6 Nov 2024)

Paul Gavan: I support Senator Higgins on this. I am hugely disappointed by this. I am not particularly surprised, but I am hugely disappointed that the EU minimum wage directive, which commits this country to achieving a collective bargaining rate of 80%, will not be implemented on time by this Government. What worries me is that the Government is not proposing any changes in legislation to help that...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (6 Nov 2024)

Paul Gavan: We are in a political Chamber.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (6 Nov 2024)

Paul Gavan: I am going to make political points.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (6 Nov 2024)

Paul Gavan: I move recommendation No. 46: In page 178, between lines 6 and 7, to insert the following: “Report on Vacant Homes Tax 114. The Minister shall, within six months of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before Dáil Éireann a report on the vacant homes tax, including an assessment of options to include derelict properties within its scope, and to increase the amount of...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (6 Nov 2024)

Paul Gavan: The measures the Government is taking will not be enough. They will not deliver the desired effect.That is clear to us. I contrast that with the Sinn Féin proposals. For example, we would transfer responsibility for the derelict sites levy to Revenue. That is just a common sense move that has been resisted by the Government. We believe a new vacant sites tax should be set at 7% in...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (6 Nov 2024)

Paul Gavan: The Minister of State mentioned the carrot and stick approach. He needs a much bigger stick.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (6 Nov 2024)

Paul Gavan: I move recommendation No. 47: In page 190, after line 40, to insert the following: “Report on Residential Zoned Land Tax 115. The Minister shall, within 3 months of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before Dáil Éireann a report on the Residential Zoned Land Tax and the effect it has had on the socially damaging practice of land hoarding.”.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sectoral Employment Order (Construction Sector) 2024: Discussion (6 Nov 2024)

Paul Gavan: The Minister of State is welcome. I want to emphasise a couple of the previous points. Clearly, we want this SEO to be passed quickly in order that it will be in place for the works concerned. I have to declare a personal interest; I have a son who is entering his third year of an apprenticeship. My concern, which Deputy O'Reilly put well, is that if it is left to an individual to make a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sectoral Employment Order (Construction Sector) 2024: Discussion (6 Nov 2024)

Paul Gavan: I know but that is not a protection in practice. In practice, the person will be fired and their main priority will be to get another job. Moreover, informal blacklists are in operation. I hear what the Minister of State is saying but, with the greatest of respect, it is not a defence for these workers, many of whom are young.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sectoral Employment Order (Construction Sector) 2024: Discussion (6 Nov 2024)

Paul Gavan: I support Deputy Stanton’s point. The cost of tools is shocking. I am in a fortunate position in that I am able to support my son in this regard, but plenty of families really struggle. If there is an initiative forthcoming in this regard, it will be a really good way of trying to retain young apprentices who are trying to make their way in the world. I would very much encourage...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sectoral Employment Order (Construction Sector) 2024: Discussion (6 Nov 2024)

Paul Gavan: That is a shortfall of almost 30% on where we should be. Having noted the good work the inspectors do and the amount of money they recover in unpaid wages – let us call it what it is: wage theft – I am bit shocked that things have been let go to the point of our having such a shortfall in labour inspectors. How has that come about? It is about two years since I asked my...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sectoral Employment Order (Construction Sector) 2024: Discussion (6 Nov 2024)

Paul Gavan: It has to be done. I thank the Minister of State.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Nov 2024)

Paul Gavan: I want to raise two issues. The first is Limerick city centre because, as Members will have heard, the International Rugby Experience is due to close in a couple of weeks. It is in a beautiful new building with millions invested in it but it will now be shut down. The model has not worked. It points to a bigger crisis within Limerick city. Limerick city centre has never been in worse...

Seanad: Health Insurance (Amendment) and Health (Provision of Menopause Products) Bill 2024: Second and Subsequent Stages (5 Nov 2024)

Paul Gavan: The Minister is welcome. Sinn Féin will be supporting the Bill but I have a couple of queries about the HRT aspect of it. First, will GMS levies apply to HRT products? We are under the impression they will but we seek clarity on that.

Seanad: Health Insurance (Amendment) and Health (Provision of Menopause Products) Bill 2024: Second and Subsequent Stages (5 Nov 2024)

Paul Gavan: Okay. We think a better approach might have been to align the scheme with the free contraception scheme, which is entirely free for women with the State funding the professional dispensing fee, thereby giving all patients parity of access to the medicines. The second point concerns the Minister's statement that: Subsection (1) provides that the HSE will make available without charge...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (24 Oct 2024)

Paul Gavan: This morning, I raise the horrendous scandal of mother and baby homes, with particular reference to Sean Ross Abbey. It is an issue close to my heart. My sister-in-law is a survivor of that institution. I received a letter from a friend who has asked me to read it into the record of the House. I will do so, and I will simply call her Ann. This letter is to the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman:...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (24 Oct 2024)

Paul Gavan: Well said.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (24 Oct 2024)

Paul Gavan: Well said.