Results 12,941-12,960 of 15,491 for speaker:Eamon Gilmore

Financial Resolution No. 2: Stamp Duty (5 Dec 2007)

Eamon Gilmore: I must go back to the question to which Deputy Curran referred. The person with the credit cards who does Internet banking will save money as a result of this. However, we must remember the older person who maybe did not have a bank account at all for years, who then opens a bank account and gets used to using the cheque book. Apart from the penalty, the danger is that this will force some...

Financial Resolution No. 2: Stamp Duty (5 Dec 2007)

Eamon Gilmore: Some transactions have to be done by cheque. One can only pay by credit card or electronically if the person one is paying is able to receive it.

Financial Resolution No. 2: Stamp Duty (5 Dec 2007)

Eamon Gilmore: Many household bills are paid by cheque. One cannot pay the milk man by credit card if he has not the equipment to take it. One must pay him by cash or cheque.

Financial Resolution No. 2: Stamp Duty (5 Dec 2007)

Eamon Gilmore: This is a mean little tax. Let us call a spade a spade. It is being brought in at the behest of the banks to wipe out the cheque and reduce paperwork.

Financial Resolution No. 2: Stamp Duty (5 Dec 2007)

Eamon Gilmore: As Deputy O'Donnell and other speakers said, if the banks want to move in that direction they have means open to them to do so. It is not the State's job to facilitate the banks in shifting people from cheques to electronic transactions.

Financial Resolution No. 1: Excise (Tobacco Products) (5 Dec 2007)

Eamon Gilmore: The Labour Party does not have any objection in principle to this resolution. If I thought it would get Deputy Stagg off the habit, I would propose an amendment to double the increase.

Financial Resolution No. 1: Excise (Tobacco Products) (5 Dec 2007)

Eamon Gilmore: I am not quite convinced these increases in excise duties on cigarettes result in a reduction in cigarette smoking. I know they raise some very healthy revenues for the State, and this measure will raise an additional €63 million, but where is the evidence that they actually cause people to give up the fags? We hear this every year and it is very difficult to argue against the case for an...

Financial Resolution No. 1: Excise (Tobacco Products) (5 Dec 2007)

Eamon Gilmore: Does that refer to the number of cigarettes?

Financial Resolution No. 1: Excise (Tobacco Products) (5 Dec 2007)

Eamon Gilmore: Did the Taoiseach say something about grow your own?

Financial Resolution No. 1: Excise (Tobacco Products) (5 Dec 2007)

Eamon Gilmore: I think the Taoiseach is right. I am becoming deaf.

Financial Resolution No. 1: Excise (Tobacco Products) (5 Dec 2007)

Eamon Gilmore: That is what worries me.

Financial Resolution No. 2: Stamp Duty (5 Dec 2007)

Eamon Gilmore: The Labour Party will also oppose this resolution. This is a mean tax increase, particularly for older people and those on low incomes. I refer to those who use cheques rather than credit or laser cards. Many of us remember much comment in the House and in society in general some years ago to discourage older people from holding large amounts of cash in their homes. People were robbed and...

Financial Resolution No. 2: Stamp Duty (5 Dec 2007)

Eamon Gilmore: Using the hole in the wall, the ATM, is something with which those slow in movement are not comfortable. They fear someone will come from behind and whip away the cash. Many people were persuaded to open a bank account and use cheques. It seems this measure is being implemented for the convenience of the banks, who wish to move people from cheques to electronic means, thereby reducing the...

Financial Resolution No. 2: Stamp Duty (5 Dec 2007)

Eamon Gilmore: They have a service obligation. We should not increase the stamp duty. There is already a bank charge on signing a cheque. This will make the signing of a cheque——

Financial Resolution No. 2: Stamp Duty (5 Dec 2007)

Eamon Gilmore: ——quite expensive. It is also regressive because it does not take account of the value of a cheque. One pays the same amount for a cheque to pay the milk bill as for the deposit on a house. This is an unnecessary and mean measure and the Labour Party opposes it.

Budget Statement 2008 (5 Dec 2007)

Eamon Gilmore: It is 55,000.

Irish Language. (5 Dec 2007)

Eamon Gilmore: Question 54: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the new initiatives regarding the Gaeltacht and the Irish language he intends putting in place in 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32616/07]

Freedom of Information. (5 Dec 2007)

Eamon Gilmore: Question 2: To ask the Taoiseach the number of freedom of information applications received by his Department in the first ten months of 2007; the way these figures compare with each year since 2002; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29413/07]

Freedom of Information. (5 Dec 2007)

Eamon Gilmore: Going back over the figures on the number of freedom of information applications made to the Department of the Taoiseach, there is a marked difference in the numbers that were made subsequent to 2003. In 2002, 146 such applications were made, while the figure for 2003 was 142. In 2004, the figure dropped dramatically to 45. There were 54 last year and the Taoiseach says the figure for 2007...

Freedom of Information. (5 Dec 2007)

Eamon Gilmore: Will the Taoiseach agree that the fee should at least be refunded where the appeal is successful? This is reasonable. I cannot understand why the fee should be retained if the appeal is successful.