Results 11,661-11,680 of 35,639 for speaker:Pearse Doherty

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Nov 2019)

Pearse Doherty: I have made the point that in previous committee meetings, the Minister has referred to the experts, namely the Nobel peace prize winners.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Nov 2019)

Pearse Doherty: Let me make the following point. Has the Minister referred to the Nobel peace prize winners in relation to committee debates on carbon taxes?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Nov 2019)

Pearse Doherty: I will answer the Minister's question.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Nov 2019)

Pearse Doherty: I did not state that the Minister mentioned the group. I have never stated that. What I have asked was whether the Minister knew who founded the group in relation to the experts?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Nov 2019)

Pearse Doherty: I made it very clear that the founders of the group are the oil exploration companies in the United States.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Nov 2019)

Pearse Doherty: No. I have not acknowledged that at all.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Nov 2019)

Pearse Doherty: The Minister will be aware that in its last two alternative budgets, Sinn Féin called for a change to the rebate scheme, particularly in respect of the point at which benefits are triggered. There is an issue across the sector, which could be exacerbated in the context of Brexit. Regardless of the latter, the issue is compounded by the introduction of carbon taxes on fuel. There is...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Nov 2019)

Pearse Doherty: Given that the meeting started while I was having a discussion with an official outside the room, I wish to register my opposition to sections 44 and 45, which we will revisit on Report Stage. I apologise that I had to step out during the meeting. We will need a further discussion on section 46, on betting duty relief and how it will apply. Perhaps the Minister will provide a note on the...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Nov 2019)

Pearse Doherty: A portion of it remains. There is €15 million in the base so the additional cost of leaving it unchanged would have been €15 million.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Nov 2019)

Pearse Doherty: Yes, there was a long discussion on the betting duty. Many representations have been made to this committee on that matter. It is not entirely clear that the amendment in this Bill is the proposal put forward by the industry. There is still some concern that it will have an impact on retailers.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Nov 2019)

Pearse Doherty: I am sorry, I would like to go back to section 50 briefly. How did the Minister land at the emissions figure of 140 g/km, as opposed to 156 g/km? We have discussed VAT and VRT for conventional hybrids.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Nov 2019)

Pearse Doherty: What does that mean?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Nov 2019)

Pearse Doherty: There is no requirement for VAT relief to be linked to VRT rates. We are just piggybacking on the existing model.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Nov 2019)

Pearse Doherty: The 156 g/km threshold has not changed in ten or 11 years. From an environmental point of view, is it the intention of the Government to reduce it further? Is there a certain availability of commercial vehicles at this level and was that part of the consideration?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Nov 2019)

Pearse Doherty: We have amendments to this section.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Nov 2019)

Pearse Doherty: I ask the Minister to speak to section 54.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Nov 2019)

Pearse Doherty: I thank the Minister. I oppose this section. I have tabled an amendment that is similar to Deputy McGrath's amendment, if not identical. The amendment is looking for a report as a mechanism in this regard. There is a core issue here. This matter has been the subject of a great deal of discussion at this committee and in the Dáil. The Minister has explained how this measure was...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Nov 2019)

Pearse Doherty: Yes.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Nov 2019)

Pearse Doherty: I was also going to make the point on the 9% rate. I understand it was part of the consideration in the tax strategy group papers, which highlighted that a number of rates were under consideration, including 23%, 13.5% and 9%. They suggested the option of remaining at zero could not be considered because of a legal point as opposed to a policy point. The Minister could have gone for a...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Nov 2019)

Pearse Doherty: I move amendment No. 90: In page 99, between lines 7 and 8, to insert the following: “Report on VAT treatment of food supplements 55.The Minister shall, within 3 months of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before Dáil Éireann a report on the VAT treatment of food supplements and on whether certain categories of food supplements should be retained in the zero rate...