Results 981-1,000 of 18,741 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Dec 2021)

Michael McDowell: I join in and identify with the remarks made by my colleagues about the debt we owe to the staff of the Houses of the Oireachtas, the Clerk's office and the other services that keep us going. I wish to express my gratitude for the politeness, courtesy and solid support those offices have given the Members of this House. I speak on my own behalf and that of my colleagues in the Independent...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Dec 2021)

Michael McDowell: I heard what the Acting Leader about having the matter debated. I do not want, in any sense, to diminish the capacity of people to contribute on the Uighur subject. If the acting Leader is signalling that time will be made available in Government time to consider this report in the new year, I would be prepared not to put it to a vote today and divide the House. I was just looking at the...

Seanad: Appropriation Bill 2021: Second Stage (16 Dec 2021)

Michael McDowell: In the limited time available to me, which shows that this is normally seen as more or less a rubber-stamp debate, I will say a couple of things. I am reading some biographies of 18th century English politicians and the whole idea of appropriation was considerably important as the only means their parliament had over their executive, in the form of the king and his ministers. Controlling...

Seanad: Appropriation Bill 2021: Second Stage (16 Dec 2021)

Michael McDowell: Not when I am the only one who is awake.

Seanad: Appropriation Bill 2021: Second Stage (16 Dec 2021)

Michael McDowell: I am very comfortable with the Senator.

Seanad: Appropriation Bill 2021: Second Stage (16 Dec 2021)

Michael McDowell: Is that 8 km of track?

Seanad: Appropriation Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2021)

Michael McDowell: Senator Gavan mentioned the question of funding the Limerick regeneration project. This is covered by the expenditure in section 1. I simply wanted to say that the social difficulties that existed in Limerick and its suburbs in particular were very apparent to the Government of 2002 to 2007. I visited Limerick on a number of occasions as the Minister with responsibility for justice. It...

Seanad: Companies (Corporate Enforcement Authority) Bill: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2021)

Michael McDowell: Amendment No. 2 has been ruled out of order.

Seanad: Companies (Corporate Enforcement Authority) Bill: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2021)

Michael McDowell: Is the Senator pressing the amendment?

Seanad: Companies (Corporate Enforcement Authority) Bill: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2021)

Michael McDowell: Does the Minister of State wish to reply?

Seanad: Companies (Corporate Enforcement Authority) Bill: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2021)

Michael McDowell: When is it proposed to take Report Stage?

Seanad: Companies (Corporate Enforcement Authority) Bill: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2021)

Michael McDowell: Is that agreed? Agreed.

Seanad: Companies (Corporate Enforcement Authority) Bill: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2021)

Michael McDowell: When is it proposed to take Final Stage?

Seanad: Companies (Corporate Enforcement Authority) Bill: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2021)

Michael McDowell: Is that agreed? Agreed.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 Dec 2021)

Michael McDowell: I wish to raise in the House and bring to the attention of the Acting Leader a point that has been made by Members of both Houses in the last while but which now needs emphasis. We are going into the Christmas period. We are facing uncertainty over Covid and how it is developing. Most people would be of the view that we must be cautious. However, one thing that has not gone away you know...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 Dec 2021)

Michael McDowell: They have not done that.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2021)

Michael McDowell: I have some sympathy with Senator Higgins's suggestion that there should be a report on some of these possible changes in taxation policy. I am an admirer of the skills of the Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe, but what is wrong with the current Government is that we are not facing up to a fundamental issue, namely, the level of capital gains tax. When I served as Opposition spokesperson...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2021)

Michael McDowell: I completely agree with the last contribution. This is not an ideological thing. It is about increasing the capacity of assets to flow into the market. A capital gains tax of one third is indefensible in that context. Senator Gavan mentioned the Government's view of the proposal to give some income tax relief on rental payments to taxpayers who are not entitled to other reliefs. I voted...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2021)

Michael McDowell: This debate is a valuable one. What the Minister has just said is in general something with which I can sympathise considerably. I fully accept that to cut capital gains tax from 40% to 20% in 2002 is possibly different from the scenario the Minister now faces where there is a massive amount of money sloshing around looking for places to land and where inflationary pressures are high. I am...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2021)

Michael McDowell: The Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, is doing a great job in trying to revolutionise that Department but it, through its prefects across local government, has completely misunderstood the capacity under the housing Acts and local government and planning and development Acts to make a difference by acquiring land and helping in the process of redevelopment. Personnel in the Department just...