Results 12,721-12,740 of 14,090 for speaker:Marc MacSharry

Seanad: Mobility Allowance: Statements (21 Mar 2013)

Marc MacSharry: I welcome any opportunity to talk about an important issue and I thank Senator Moloney for raising the matter, but I do feel this is somewhat farcical.

Seanad: Mobility Allowance: Statements (21 Mar 2013)

Marc MacSharry: I remember on one occasion that it happened when we were on the Government benches, too. This is basically a slap back to Senator Moloney for speaking against the Government and asking to debate a particular issue. Here we are with no Minister, principal officer or Secretary General to listen to what is said. I intend to participate in the debate in the spirit in which Senator Moloney has...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2013 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages (21 Mar 2013)

Marc MacSharry: While I appreciate that the recommendation is not acceptable to the House I ask that the Minister would look at it under the miscellaneous section. When discussing section 30 in particular there was a general debate on that section when some Members were asking for enhanced schemes for the likes of Moyross in Limerick, which is going well. Senator Norris and others made the case for parts...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2013 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages (21 Mar 2013)

Marc MacSharry: Deputy Mac Lochlainn said that in the other House. The Minister of State is referring to a Sligo man as opposed to a Fianna Fáil man.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2013 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages (21 Mar 2013)

Marc MacSharry: This section relates to the extension of the carbon tax to solid fuel. The manufacturers tell us this means a tax of approximately ¤2.50 on a bag of coal and 50 cent on a bale of briquettes. Over the course of a year of average use, this is expected to cost a family an extra ¤130. Fuel poverty is an increasingly serious issue in this country, particularly among the so-called middle...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2013 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages (21 Mar 2013)

Marc MacSharry: I move recommendation No. 30: In page 112, between lines 6 and 7, to insert the following:"(e ) a person who holds a Community Licence within the meaning of Regulation (EC) No. 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004, (f ) a person who holds a Community Licence within the meaning of Regulation (EC) No. 1/2005 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2013 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages (21 Mar 2013)

Marc MacSharry: I move recommendation No. 31: In page 112, line 25, to delete "¤75.00" and substitute "149.00".

Seanad: Finance Bill 2013 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages (21 Mar 2013)

Marc MacSharry: The Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael Noonan, mentioned when discussing an earlier section, in respect of a proposal made in our budget submission, of which the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Leo Varadkar, appeared to be in favour at the Cabinet, the possibility of a levy on lid-on or off sales, but it did not materialise. My personal view - Senator John Gilroy agreed...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2013 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages (21 Mar 2013)

Marc MacSharry: The Minister of State's comments are unfortunate, although I accept that criteria must be followed to give people access to the scheme. Tax compliance is one issue and the Revenue Commissioners will have the relevant information in that regard. Vehicles will be taxed. Surely it is possible to amend the Taxes Consolidation Act to require that for compliance purposes a company must declare...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2013 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages (21 Mar 2013)

Marc MacSharry: I move recommendation No. 29: In page 111, between lines 43 and 44, to insert the following:"(c) a person, other than a person referred to in paragraphs (a) or (b) who engages in own account haulage, that is a person who does not require a road haulage licence under section 2 of the Road Traffic and Transport Act 2006 but who nonetheless operates a heavy goods vehicle with a maximum...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2013 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages (21 Mar 2013)

Marc MacSharry: We will be pressing the amendment. While I appreciate it is open to any airport, it is written for Shannon. I still hope that over the coming weeks appropriate cognisance can be taken not of what the whining west is looking for but rather what it can contribute if provided with something of a level playing field. Measures like this one in terms of how they are constituted and based on the...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2013 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages (21 Mar 2013)

Marc MacSharry: I will press the issue. The Minister does not have the final say. We are not in a school classroom because one can articulate a view. I could equally say that the Minister has manifestly not listened to what I have said. I very specifically pointed out that while it is open to people in the west as it is to people on Arranmore Island if they want to build an airport, the reality is that...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2013 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages (21 Mar 2013)

Marc MacSharry: Nevertheless, the reality is that one airport has a significant rent-roll in the context of this, namely, Shannon. That is who it is written for. The Minister said so in the other House so a basic acknowledgement from me-----

Seanad: Finance Bill 2013 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages (21 Mar 2013)

Marc MacSharry: I move recommendation No. 21: In page 69, subsection (1), lines 17 to 27, to delete paragraphs (m) and (n) and substitute the following:"(m) in section 278(6) delete all words after "Any allowance which under subsections (1) to (4) is to be made otherwise than in taxing a trade shall be available primarily against? and substitute "all other income.".".We might call the scheme being introduced...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2013 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages (21 Mar 2013)

Marc MacSharry: I accept that. I am arguing that airports should be allowed to offset investment against all income, rather than rental income only. The Minister acknowledged in his comments in the other House that this amendment is being made to assist Shannon Airport, which is fine. I want to make it clear that all Senators on this side of the House are supportive of Shannon Airport. Ireland needs...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2013 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages (21 Mar 2013)

Marc MacSharry: I move recommendation No. 6: In page 23, before section 17, to insert the following new section:"17.?The Minister for Finance shall, as soon as may be after the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before Dáil Éireann a report on the provision of early access to pension benefits in certain limited circumstances including employer paid contributions, regular employee contributions,...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2013 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages (21 Mar 2013)

Marc MacSharry: I move recommendation No. 4: In page 22, before section 15, to insert the following new section: ?15.?The Principal Act is amended in section 469(1) under paragraph (f) of the definition of ?health expenses? by deleting the words ?or similar treatment prescribed by a practitioner? after the word ?physiotherapy?.?.Currently, section 469(1) of the principal Act requires that in order for a...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2013 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages (21 Mar 2013)

Marc MacSharry: It is open-ended, but we are not talking about a tax rebate for people who decide to go to a masseuse for a back massage. If that were the case I could understand the argument that this had the potential of having a queue of people seeking this relief. None of us would knowingly incur the expense of going to a physiotherapist if it was not needed. I will not delay the House on the issue...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2013 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages (21 Mar 2013)

Marc MacSharry: The section deals with the maternity benefit issue and my party opposes the section. As I said and tried to convey to the Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy Hayes, here yesterday, nobody doubts the difficulty of the job that the Department has in trying to manage the loaves and fishes but there were clear options. The cut in maternity benefit was an unnecessary option in...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2013 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages (21 Mar 2013)

Marc MacSharry: The section deals with the increased student contribution. I am conscious of what the Minister has said about having to make difficult choices. As we said on Second Stage, the bottom line remains the same probably for all sections of the House but what divides us politically is how that is achieved. I do not want to be facetious but when the Minister was the Opposition finance spokesman I...