Results 10,441-10,460 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Sale of Promissory Note Bonds: Discussion (28 Jun 2018)

Michael McGrath: I have final question and then I will have to leave because I tabled a question to the Minister for Health and it is due to be taken in the Dáil. The members of the committee are meeting the ECB in September. There will be an opportunity to follow up on this in Frankfurt at that stage. I hope to be there. I will also raise the issue with colleagues. We can liaise with Mr. O'Flynn...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: EBS Tied Agents: Discussion (28 Jun 2018)

Michael McGrath: I apologise for being late. I was speaking in the Chamber. I welcome Mr. Kavanagh, Mr. Butler and the people in the Gallery. I ask the Chairman to cut me off if any of my questions have been asked.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: EBS Tied Agents: Discussion (28 Jun 2018)

Michael McGrath: The Chairman would, and he would be justified. That would be okay. I have been aware of this issue for some time. I raised it in the past, for example during Deputy Michael Noonan's time as Minister for Finance. The response from the Department and the Minister then and now has been that the EBS is at arm's length and has nothing to do with the Department, and that all commercial and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: EBS Tied Agents: Discussion (28 Jun 2018)

Michael McGrath: Was it legally permissible for the EBS to take that approach under the contract?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: EBS Tied Agents: Discussion (28 Jun 2018)

Michael McGrath: Okay.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: EBS Tied Agents: Discussion (28 Jun 2018)

Michael McGrath: Are legal cases being taken in the system?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: EBS Tied Agents: Discussion (28 Jun 2018)

Michael McGrath: Have they got a hearing?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: EBS Tied Agents: Discussion (28 Jun 2018)

Michael McGrath: Okay. Does Mr. Kavanagh think the former agents will get justice through legal actions?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: EBS Tied Agents: Discussion (28 Jun 2018)

Michael McGrath: Yes, I understand.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: EBS Tied Agents: Discussion (28 Jun 2018)

Michael McGrath: I would like to ask about the selection process that was used by the EBS to enter into new tied agency arrangements after Mr. Kavanagh and the other former agents had been removed. How was that process conducted, in Mr. Kavanagh's view? Is there a suggestion that the EBS had certain preferred people in mind to take on the role?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: EBS Tied Agents: Discussion (28 Jun 2018)

Michael McGrath: I asked about the selection of replacement agents.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: EBS Tied Agents: Discussion (28 Jun 2018)

Michael McGrath: I would support the committee doing more work on this issue. We need to hear directly from EBS and have its representatives in front of us. The note we received from EBS is unsigned and there is no name next to it. Each time we engage with AIB to ask about EBS we are told that AIB speaks for EBS but EBS is a separate legal entity within the AIB structure. They should be here to answer...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Discussion Paper on Taxation: Deputy Marc MacSharry (28 Jun 2018)

Michael McGrath: I welcome my colleague, Deputy MacSharry, and thank him for his opening statement. Everyone has had sight of the discussion paper prepared by Deputy MacSharry. I genuinely commend him on this initiative. It is very evident to anyone that a huge amount of work has gone into this proposal. The research is excellent. It certainly contains innovative thinking and is very well presented....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Discussion Paper on Taxation: Deputy Marc MacSharry (28 Jun 2018)

Michael McGrath: In respect of the question of fairness, workers or couples with no children have a high burden as well in terms of income tax.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Discussion Paper on Taxation: Deputy Marc MacSharry (28 Jun 2018)

Michael McGrath: They will not benefit from this. One could argue that they do not have the costs associated with child rearing but how would Deputy MacSharry address the question that it is unfair for those people to not get a tax break? What about the argument that this would result in taking far more people out of the tax net? The general view among some international bodies is that it is a mistake to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Discussion Paper on Taxation: Deputy Marc MacSharry (28 Jun 2018)

Michael McGrath: What level of priority would Deputy MacSharry afford this idea in terms of the reduction in universal social charge, USC, for everyone, with an emphasis on middle-income earners? It must be remembered that our entry point for the marginal rate of tax is quite low by international standards. Where would Deputy MacSharry rank this proposal in terms of priority with those or would he see...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Discussion Paper on Taxation: Deputy Marc MacSharry (28 Jun 2018)

Michael McGrath: I want to support the proposal of the Chairman. Instead of us writing to several Departments we should write to the Minister for Finance and ask for his Department's assessment and that it consult with the other relevant Departments, namely, the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection and the Department of Business, Enterprise and...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Stability Programme Data (28 Jun 2018)

Michael McGrath: 103. To ask the Minister for Finance the projected general deficit and the structural deficit in 2019 if the €900 million was spent as permitted solely under the expenditure benchmark and if the €500 million dedicated to the rainy day fund was instead spent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28610/18]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Banking Sector (28 Jun 2018)

Michael McGrath: 104. To ask the Minister for Finance his views on establishing a public banking model here along the lines of a Sparkasse model in Germany; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28611/18]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Departmental Reports (28 Jun 2018)

Michael McGrath: 105. To ask the Minister for Finance when his Department's report on corporation tax will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28612/18]