Results 661-680 of 6,295 for speaker:Michael D'Arcy

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Insurance Costs (12 Mar 2019)

Michael D'Arcy: That is done. What I have asked the Garda Commissioner to do is to establish within the Garda national economic crime bureau an insurance section to deal with these matters directly. However, Deputy Tóibín gives no credit to anyone, including people who are working particularly hard to bring down the cost of insurance for companies. I have one objective in this, that is, that the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Insurance Costs (12 Mar 2019)

Michael D'Arcy: I will say this as respectfully as possible but if the Deputy is telling me that this Government has given up on insurance reform, he does not know what he is talking about.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Insurance Costs (12 Mar 2019)

Michael D'Arcy: The Deputy said it.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Insurance Costs (12 Mar 2019)

Michael D'Arcy: The Deputy said it. He does not know what he is talking about. I thank Members of the House who have facilitated me in terms of insurance legislation passed last year. It includes the Insurance (Amendment) Act to give effect to the Supreme Court decision regarding Setanta and the Central Bank (National Claims Information Database) Act. The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation is...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Insurance Costs (28 Feb 2019)

Michael D'Arcy: I have met a large number of those involved in play centres. The issue is the level of awards. Claims are being presented that, to me, are spurious. If the incidents involved happened in the Deputy's brother's or sister's house, the claims would not be made. A major issue for business insurance is that if an accident happens or somebody gets a bump, scratch or knock of any nature, a claim...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Insurance Costs (28 Feb 2019)

Michael D'Arcy: I apologise for going over time, but this is a crucial point. I ask all Members of both Houses to facilitate the passage of this legislation because it will allow the new guidelines to revise the book of quantum.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Insurance Costs (28 Feb 2019)

Michael D'Arcy: It is the main reason. It is bigger than all of the other reasons combined. There is no question about that. I ask all parties to facilitate the passage of the Bill in the same way they facilitated the passage of the Insurance (Amendment) Act 2018 and the Central Bank (National Claims Information Database) Act 2018. I have always been generous in my praise for everyone who facilitated...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Insurance Costs (28 Feb 2019)

Michael D'Arcy: No, but he is considering establishing it quickly. I was critical of the Garda Síochána. In 2017, 400 cases of insurance fraud presented to it. None of them was prosecuted. That is not good enough.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Insurance Costs (28 Feb 2019)

Michael D'Arcy: I thank the Deputy. The cost of insurance working group project culminated in the publication in January 2018 of the report on the cost of employer and public liability insurance. The report makes 15 recommendations with 29 associated actions detailed in the plan. The most recent progress update was published last November and shows that 18 of the 19 action points arising up to end of the...

Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2019: Second Stage (Resumed) (27 Feb 2019)

Michael D'Arcy: I welcome the opportunity to comment on the Bill. As previous speakers have alluded to, the UK is due to leave the EU at the end of next month. We do not know how or under what conditions it will leave. This Bill is a product of that uncertainty. It is prudent legislation, which I hope will never be used, but hope is not a strategy upon which the Government can rely. As Minister of State...

Confidence in the Minister for Health: Motion (20 Feb 2019)

Michael D'Arcy: No apology.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (19 Feb 2019)

Michael D'Arcy: The cost of insurance working group has put much work into this to ensure that motor insurance is reduced. The reduction is 23% since the peak in summer 2016. That is the average but some people have not experienced that. In the main the insurance for young people has not come down because of the number of accidents they are involved in. Insurance has reduced overall but it is not...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (19 Feb 2019)

Michael D'Arcy: At the time of the previous budget the Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe, gave an undertaking that the matter would be presented to the tax strategy group. That undertaking is still in place and the matter will be considered. I expect the Minister to make a statement on the matter soon.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (19 Feb 2019)

Michael D'Arcy: As all Deputies will know, the Revenue Commissioners are independent of the House.

Comptroller and Auditor General (Amendment) Bill 2017: Second Stage [Private Members] (12 Feb 2019)

Michael D'Arcy: I must say to the four Deputies of experience that their cynicism is staggering. They seem to have collective amnesia. Projects such as the Jack Lynch tunnel, Dublin Port tunnel, Luas and terminal 2 at Dublin Airport were examples of cost overruns. Another example was the PPARS project. All of these projects occurred under Fianna Fáil Governments.

Comptroller and Auditor General (Amendment) Bill 2017: Second Stage [Private Members] (12 Feb 2019)

Michael D'Arcy: I did not interrupt once. I sat here and took it. On radio last week, Philip Boucher Hayes featured ten projects in the history of the State that involved overruns. I am not sure whether they were all on Fianna Fáil's watch but I believe nine out of ten were.

Comptroller and Auditor General (Amendment) Bill 2017: Second Stage [Private Members] (12 Feb 2019)

Michael D'Arcy: I listened to the Deputies and took their criticism, some of which was fair and some of which was not, and I am throwing some of it back to them. I am sure they will have an opportunity to respond. Responsibility for the implementation of Government policy and the delivery of public services takes place at multiple levels across the public sector. In recognition of this, there is a well...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: VAT Rate Application (5 Feb 2019)

Michael D'Arcy: I am pleased to take the opportunity on behalf of the Minister for Finance to speak on the issue of the VAT treatment of food supplements. The standard rate of VAT applies to food supplements. However, there is a Revenue concession that allows the zero rate to be applied to certain types of food supplement such as vitamins, minerals and fish oils. The practice of zero-rating vitamins,...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: VAT Rate Application (5 Feb 2019)

Michael D'Arcy: The Minister's intention at the time of the last budget was that he would not interfere with the Revenue Commissioners in considering the matter. The Deputy will be aware that the Revenue Commissioners operate independently of the Department of Finance. However, I will relay the Deputy's concern to the Minister when I meet him tomorrow. I have met representatives from the health food...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Army Barracks Closures (31 Jan 2019)

Michael D'Arcy: There is a great difference between planning for a hard border and a no-deal Brexit. Contingency planning has moved from contingency stage to implementation stage for a no-deal Brexit, but that is not the same as planning for a hard border.