Results 14,941-14,960 of 15,792 for speaker:Dara Calleary

Merchant Shipping Bill 2009: Instruction to Committee (25 Mar 2010)

Dara Calleary: The Minister indicated during the Second Stage debate in May that the objective of the Bill was to put in place a safety regime ensuring the highest standards for safe construction, design and operation of vessels and the up-to-date safety equipment and arrangements that will support skilled and competent seafarers across the trading, fishing and leisure areas of the maritime sector. The...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2010 (Certified Money Bill): Committee Stage. (25 Mar 2010)

Dara Calleary: ): The recommendation was tabled as a Committee Stage amendment in the Dáil by Deputy Bruton and was the subject of a significant amount of discussion at the time. The Minister, Deputy Lenihan, listened carefully to the arguments put forward at the time and subsequently in committee. The recommendation seeks the introduction of a new tax relief for retraining which would work on the basis...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2010 (Certified Money Bill): Committee Stage. (25 Mar 2010)

Dara Calleary: We will consider the Senator's proposal. I must also point out that the reconfiguration of the Department of Social Protection to include FÁS training courses and the FÁS training unit will considerably assist and enhance the effectiveness of our response in this area. I will bring the Senator's proposal to the attention of the Minister, Deputy Ó Cuív. I must also point out a similar...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2010 (Certified Money Bill): Committee Stage. (25 Mar 2010)

Dara Calleary: I can assure Senator Twomey and the House that the Government continues to demonstrate a strong commitment to the Limerick regeneration project. In December last, the Government considered the ten-year regeneration project for Limerick and reaffirmed its commitment to the vision outlined therein. We have asked the Limerick regeneration agencies to complete their work on the programme and to...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2010 (Certified Money Bill): Committee Stage. (25 Mar 2010)

Dara Calleary: I appreciate the Senators' concerns on the matter. I must reiterate that the Government has requested that an implementation plan be delivered by end of March, at which time all issues will be considered. Some €25 million has been this year allocated for expenditure on the programme. A programme of works is underway. There are also a number of other projects underway in the area. We...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2010 (Certified Money Bill): Committee Stage. (25 Mar 2010)

Dara Calleary: The one-off site is designated as being 1 acre in size, a restriction that is in line with the site size restrictions already in place in taxation law in respect of capital gains tax and stamp duty exemptions on disposal of a site to a child and in line with normal tax practices. Similar to the site size restriction, it is also necessary to restrict the value of a one-off site which would...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2010 (Certified Money Bill): Committee Stage. (25 Mar 2010)

Dara Calleary: The one acre limit is in line with current tax policy on capital gains tax and stamp duty exemptions. The purpose is to be consistent across the board.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2010 (Certified Money Bill): Committee Stage. (25 Mar 2010)

Dara Calleary: I can ask that a detailed note be prepared for the Senator. This tax only applies in cases where land has been rezoned and to the profits that accrue from that rezoning. In some of the cases the Senator has mentioned rezoning might not be involved; it might only involve a simple planning issue. However, I shall ask for a note to be sent to the Senator.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2010 (Certified Money Bill): Committee Stage. (25 Mar 2010)

Dara Calleary: I am aware of the specific case. The recommendation concerns the new 80% tax rate that applies to the profits or gains from certain disposals of development land. This rate applies where profits or gains are attributable to rezoning decisions that are made on or after 30 October 2009. The proposal has been brought forward from the Committee Stage of the Bill in the Dáil. The Senators'...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2010 (Certified Money Bill): Committee Stage. (25 Mar 2010)

Dara Calleary: The existing scheme referred to by Senator Callely was terminated in the previous Finance Act in 2009. We have had no representations from the Department of Health and Children as regards a need to revisit that decision. Any revisiting of the decision to terminate the scheme, as outlined, would require Government approval. The Senator has referred to specific shortages in north Dublin and...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2010 (Certified Money Bill): Committee Stage. (25 Mar 2010)

Dara Calleary: I thank Senator Twomey for his sentiments. I should point out that we provide a great deal of information through the country enterprise boards and area-based partnerships on starting up businesses and how to get involved in such processes. However, I will take the Senator's suggestions on board. I empathise with the sentiment, in terms of encouraging and making it easier to set up...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2010 (Certified Money Bill): Committee Stage. (25 Mar 2010)

Dara Calleary: Section 52 amends section 80A of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 so as to enable a leasing company engaged in the leasing of short-life assets by way of an operating lease to elect to be taxed on the accounting profit from these leases in certain circumstances. The amendment extends a similar tax treatment to operating leases as already applies for finance leases.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2010 (Certified Money Bill): Committee Stage. (25 Mar 2010)

Dara Calleary: I thank Senators for their good wishes. Senator O'Toole's advice that it could be "done, gone, out of here" stuck in my mind because that is probably what would happen to me if I accepted the recommendation. There is nothing to disagree with it in respect of the principle of the recommendation but the Minister stated when a similar amendment was proposed in the Dáil that he wanted more...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2010 (Certified Money Bill): Committee Stage. (25 Mar 2010)

Dara Calleary: Senator Callely's point on the treatment of intellectual property in insolvency situations is a company law issue. I would be pleased to bring the Senator's concerns to the attention of the Minister of State with responsibility in that area, Deputy Kelleher, for examination. I reiterate that we wish to pursue the proposal but it may not occur within the Senator's timeline because it is a...

Written Answers — Redundancy Payments: Redundancy Payments (24 Mar 2010)

Dara Calleary: My Department administers the Social Insurance Fund (SIF) in relation to redundancy matters on behalf of the Department of Social and Family Affairs. There are two types of payment made from the SIF – rebates to those employers who have paid statutory redundancy to eligible employees, and statutory lump sums to employees whose employers are insolvent and/or in receivership/liquidation. ...

Written Answers — Industrial Disputes: Industrial Disputes (24 Mar 2010)

Dara Calleary: In October 2009 Aer Lingus announced details of a cost savings programme aimed at reducing operating costs by €97million, comprising staff savings of €74 million and non-staff cost savings of €23 million. Following four months of intense negotiation between Aer Lingus management and Unions, under the auspices of the Labour Relations Commission, the resulting joint agreements were put to...

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (23 Mar 2010)

Dara Calleary: All Community Employment (CE) participants who were formerly in receipt of Jobseeker's Benefit or Jobseeker's Allowance or are in receipt of a lone parent type payment such as a One Parent Family Payment or Deserted Wife Benefit payment and who have dependent children are eligible to receive from FÁS and additional allowance for a child dependent. For CE participants who are currently in...

Written Answers — Labour Inspection Reports: Labour Inspection Reports (23 Mar 2010)

Dara Calleary: I understand that Annual Reports of the Industrial Inspectorate, in latter years (from 1977 onwards) entitled Labour Inspection Reports and, since the coming into operation of the Safety Health and Welfare at Work 1989, entitled the Annual Report of the National Authority for Occupational Safety and Health were laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas. These documents contain, inter alia,...

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (23 Mar 2010)

Dara Calleary: The basic allowance payable to Community Employment (CE) participants in 2009 was €228.70. In 2010 the allowance paid is €216.00. This represents a reduction of 5.6%. The adjustment was necessary in order to fund increased activation measures in 2010 including an additional 500 CE places to bring the total number of places to 23,300.

Written Answers — Redundancy Payments: Redundancy Payments (23 Mar 2010)

Dara Calleary: I propose to take Questions Nos. 130 to 134, inclusive, together. I must advise the Deputy that the level of information requested in the questions is extremely detailed and would consume considerable resources within what is currently a very busy area of my Department to provide the information requested. I am sure the Deputy will appreciate that the main focus of the Redundancy Payments...