Results 9,321-9,340 of 27,019 for speaker:Michael Noonan

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Nov 2014)

Michael Noonan: My advisers with me today include senior Revenue people and they are listening to the Deputy's account. I now ask them to raise this matter within their organisation and to talk to the chairman of the Revenue Commissioners to see if action can be taken along the lines suggested by the Deputy if Revenues consider this to be worthwhile and possibly fruitful and bearing in mind it is not just...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Nov 2014)

Michael Noonan: The current laws are adequate. It is just that the practice has been very widespread. The Revenue Commissioners are of the view that it is decreasing. If they have prima facieevidence or even a suspicion that a particular station is selling laundered diesel or illegal fuel of some sort, they follow it up. They are not standing back and saying, "We know the names and addresses of 120...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Nov 2014)

Michael Noonan: I do not disagree with Deputy Creed. Revenue has been quite successful and the success rate can be measured in the new measures it has taken but also in the fact that since 2011, 30 oil laundries have been closed down. It has seized in excess of 3 million litres of illicit fuel and closed 120 filling stations for various breaches. Revenue dips at filling stations but its principal success...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Nov 2014)

Michael Noonan: Yes. I thank Deputy Naughten for his contribution. I am aware, having received a series of parliamentary questions from Deputies west of the Shannon of the high incidence of petrol stretching there, to which I have given lengthy replies. On the supply chain data as reported by traders, forecourt retailers must report their petrol-diesel purchases on a monthly basis. They report on a...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Nov 2014)

Michael Noonan: That is correct. I am bringing forward the provision contained in the Bill, as published, because of the delay which occurred. This will mean that the provision can be applied this winter and that temporary workers will be able to remain in employment. It is exactly the same.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Nov 2014)

Michael Noonan: As soon as we decided to do this, we indicated our intent to the industry. I hope the companies involved retained their workers for a couple of weeks.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Nov 2014)

Michael Noonan: We did not discover that the primary legislation had been delayed until the end of October, when we received notice that Malta had objected. We thought it was coming through.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Nov 2014)

Michael Noonan: It is for social and cultural reasons. There are advocates who state that pubs should be open on Good Friday and Christmas Day, but I am of the view that this would not be a good idea. As well as thinking of the industry, we must consider those who work within it. The people in question are entitled not to be pressured to work on Good Friday or Christmas Day and we want it written in law...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Nov 2014)

Michael Noonan: By and large, Ireland remains a Christian country. Even those who do not practise their Christianity, despite the fact that they may have been born into a particular faith, still regard Good Friday and Christmas Day as special. Some of this might come down to deeply held religious feeling, while some might only be attributable to sentiment at present. I am not proposing any change in this...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Nov 2014)

Michael Noonan: Some casinos have private club status. I accept that one can play the slot machines in amusement arcades in Bundoran or wherever but casinos are not open to the public.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Nov 2014)

Michael Noonan: Not from a legal point of view.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Nov 2014)

Michael Noonan: The Deputy has made my point for me. He will not be expected to fill out a form if we finish our proceedings early and he decides to go for a drink.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Nov 2014)

Michael Noonan: I move amendment No. 68: In page 66, between lines 22 and 23, to insert the following:“Amendment of section 21 of Betting Act 1931 (hours of business of registered premises)48.The Betting Act 1931 is amended by substituting the following section for section 21:"21. (1) Registered premises shall not be opened or kept open for the transaction of business—(a) at any time on...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Nov 2014)

Michael Noonan: As soon as the Bill is passed by the Seanad and signed by the President.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Nov 2014)

Michael Noonan: It will be commenced when the Bill is passed by the Houses and signed by the President.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Nov 2014)

Michael Noonan: It is expected that the Bill will be passed by the Seanad in the first week in December, so the section should come into force by the middle of the month.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Nov 2014)

Michael Noonan: First, I will reply to Deputy Doherty. The 1931 Act provided for closure on Sunday, Christmas Day and Good Friday. Otherwise bookies' shops could stay open from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. The Finance Act 1998 provided that Christmas Day, Good Friday and Easter Sunday were the closed days and that opening hours were from 7 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. from September to March and 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. from April...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Nov 2014)

Michael Noonan: That is right.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Nov 2014)

Michael Noonan: The Deputy is missing the point. He has not been here for the full discussion.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Nov 2014)

Michael Noonan: Work is work.