Results 9,201-9,220 of 9,823 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2011 (Certified Money Bill): Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Jun 2011)

Thomas Byrne: I move recommendation No. 1: In page 3, before section 1, to insert the following new section: "1.—The Minister for Finance shall within two months from the passing of this Act, and every two months thereafter, prepare and lay before Dáil Éireann a report setting out the number of jobs created as a result of each taxation measure provided for by this Act and the number of jobs created as...

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2011 (Certified Money Bill): Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Jun 2011)

Thomas Byrne: When I spoke initially, I did not have to hand the tax breaks the Bill will give. It is important to note that we are giving tax breaks to big business in the interests of creating employment. That is what makes this recommendation so important. The air travel tax break is worth €315 million, the reduction in VAT is worth €880 million, which is almost a €1 billion in tax relief to...

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2011 (Certified Money Bill): Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Jun 2011)

Thomas Byrne: The recommendation is seeking reports on the number of jobs created as a result of each taxation measure.

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2011 (Certified Money Bill): Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Jun 2011)

Thomas Byrne: I am just going through the taxation measures. The amendment was carefully drafted to allow a wide-ranging discussion in the expectation that the Bill would be guillotined. I think that is the idea. I hope the Cathaoirleach will bear with me.

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2011 (Certified Money Bill): Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Jun 2011)

Thomas Byrne: I have been reading what the members of the Government used to do when they were in Opposition. I will see how it works. I am not doing too well, judging by the number of amendments the Cathaoirleach has ruled out of order. I hope this amendment will do the job. We are giving €1 billion to business in the form of a VAT reduction. As I keep saying, the newspaper industry is included in...

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2011 (Certified Money Bill): Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Jun 2011)

Thomas Byrne: The amendment has a substantive purpose.

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2011 (Certified Money Bill): Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Jun 2011)

Thomas Byrne: The Minister of State is not the Cathaoirleach.

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2011 (Certified Money Bill): Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Jun 2011)

Thomas Byrne: The Minister of State-----

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2011 (Certified Money Bill): Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Jun 2011)

Thomas Byrne: The Minister of State should say that to the Minister, Deputy Reilly. Perhaps he will make tomorrow's major health statement in the Oireachtas.

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2011 (Certified Money Bill): Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Jun 2011)

Thomas Byrne: The Minister of State was here at one stage.

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2011 (Certified Money Bill): Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Jun 2011)

Thomas Byrne: If certain areas are to be targeted for employment growth, there should be some standard by which that growth can be measured. It is shocking that the Department is saying that what the Government is doing cannot be measured. We are being asked to sanction almost €1.8 billion in tax breaks with the aim of creating jobs in a small number of sectors. I am not criticising the overall...

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2011 (Certified Money Bill): Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Jun 2011)

Thomas Byrne: No, we are not. This is very much within the scope of the Bill.

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2011 (Certified Money Bill): Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Jun 2011)

Thomas Byrne: This is very much within the scope of the amendment.

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2011 (Certified Money Bill): Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Jun 2011)

Thomas Byrne: I said it would be far better if the press conferences were held later in the year. As the Minister of State said, we all hope this works. I hope it can be shown later in the year that it is working. Figures that were released today show that the official seasonally adjusted unemployment rate has decreased. Some analysts have said the reasons for that may not be as good as they appear. I...

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2011 (Certified Money Bill): Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Jun 2011)

Thomas Byrne: I am sure the Department would have had discussions with the various industries on the prospects for job creation. While the amendment describes a report, it does not describe a report informed by CSO statistics. We regularly get Ministers making jobs announcements. They are not based on CSO figures. Unfortunately, we often hear that some of the jobs do not always materialise. It would be...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Jun 2011)

Thomas Byrne: He was the same as the Taoiseach.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Jun 2011)

Thomas Byrne: The Taoiseach believed him.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Jun 2011)

Thomas Byrne: He was the same about Navan hospital.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Jun 2011)

Thomas Byrne: I wish to say how sad I am on the death of a good friend and colleague, Brian Lenihan. There is no more to say as regards anecdotes or praise of the man because it has all been said, but I am very sad still. The issue has been raised about the Minister for Health, Deputy James Reilly, coming to the House. The Minister made himself available in the House for the very uncontroversial and...

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2011 (Certified Money Bill): Second Stage (15 Jun 2011)

Thomas Byrne: What happened at the Pensions Board?