Results 1,681-1,700 of 4,178 for speaker:Paul Gavan

Seanad: TRIPS Waiver: Motion (15 Dec 2021)

Paul Gavan: I agree with every word Senator Garvey uttered. I was delighted to hear her calling for a TRIPS waiver. I was delighted to hear Senator O'Loughlin say she supports a TRIPS waiver. I must be clear on this point, however. If a Senator votes for the Government amendment, he or she is voting against a TRIPS waiver. There is no debate about that because the TRIPS waiver is clearly referred to...

Seanad: TRIPS Waiver: Motion (15 Dec 2021)

Paul Gavan: Well said.

Seanad: TRIPS Waiver: Motion (15 Dec 2021)

Paul Gavan: Well said.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2021)

Paul Gavan: I support my colleague, Senator Higgins. We can agree to disagree with the Minister on the ideologies involved, but I am not clear as to why the Minister will not accept this reasonable recommendation. It asks the Minister to lay a report to investigate these matters. Given that we have a housing crisis which has happened entirely on Fine Gael's watch over the past 11 years in government,...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2021)

Paul Gavan: I move recommendation No. 3: In page 20, between lines 28 and 29, to insert the following: “Report on Trans-Border Workers’ Relief in the context of Cross-Border Workers 16. The Minister shall, within six months of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before Dáil Éireann a comprehensive report on the Trans-Border Workers’ Relief in the context of...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2021)

Paul Gavan: I thank the Minister. I appreciate the lengthy reply. We are not going to agree on this but I note he is willing to keep an eye on the ongoing issue.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2021)

Paul Gavan: I move recommendation No. 4: In page 20, between lines 28 and 29, to insert the following: “Report on tapering out of income tax credits 16.The Minister shall, within six months of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before Dáil Éireann a report on tapering out income tax credits for incomes between €100,000 and €140,000 at a rate of 2.5 per cent for...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2021)

Paul Gavan: I thank the Minister for the extended reply. I appreciate that. We have clear ideological differences here and should acknowledge that. I am fascinated that, when it comes to the wealthy in society, we need to give them incentive after incentive, or else they may not stay here. When it comes to ordinary working people, for much of the past six months, we have heard that pandemic...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2021)

Paul Gavan: If we get into a back and forth, it will probably not be particularly productive, to be fair. There are clear ideological differences between the Minister and me. I believe that someone who earns €140,000 can afford to pay a little more tax. We need that tax and we will need it in the years to come. One of the reasons we have exactly half the ICU beds we are supposed to have in...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2021)

Paul Gavan: I move recommendation No. 5: In page 20, between lines 28 and 29, to insert the following: “Report on income levy on high incomes 16.The Minister shall, within six months of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before Dáil Éireann a report on the introduction of a high-income levy on high incomes in excess of €140,000.”.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2021)

Paul Gavan: I move recommendation No. 6: In page 20, between lines 28 and 29, to insert the following: “Report on income tax relief 16.The Minister shall, within six months of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before Dáil Éireann a report on an income tax relief equivalent in value to 8.3 per cent of annual rent to all private rental tenants not already in receipt of any...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2021)

Paul Gavan: If anything shows how out of touch this Government is, it is the Minister's statement. We have a rental crisis, which happened under the Minister's watch. The problem has been getting worse year after year. We have hard-working families who simply cannot afford the rents they are being charged. Yet, a simple proposal to actually give those hard-working families a break in this budget has...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2021)

Paul Gavan: We are not finished yet. First, for the record I never used the word "landlord" at all in my contribution so the Minister might care to listen a little more closely. Second, the Minister's contribution is extraordinary because one would almost think from listening to it that the housing crisis is some kind of natural phenomenon like an earthquake or storm but it is nothing of the kind. The...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2021)

Paul Gavan: In this city we have the highest rents anywhere in Europe.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2021)

Paul Gavan: That is the reality and that is the Minister's record. We should have some accountability on that and the figures are getting worse in the rental sector, not better.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2021)

Paul Gavan: I am.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2021)

Paul Gavan: I want to speak to recommendation No. 13 in particular which, as Senator Higgins stated, is similar to her recommendation. I have tabled a number of recommendations calling for reports into the tax treatment of REITs and IREFs and the broader economic impact of institutional investment in the housing market. I want to begin with the tax treatment of REITs and IREFs and the application of...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2021)

Paul Gavan: I want to shine a light on the actual taxation situation. In 2019, tax paid by IREFs relative to pre-tax profits was 9.1%. That was less than the 25% paid by any other landlord or the 12.5% paid by any other company. Furthermore, as I said, they are entirely exempt from capital gains tax. We disagree with the Minister on this policy issue. We believe the tax advantage enjoyed by these...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2021)

Paul Gavan: I move recommendation No. 10: In page 36, between lines 34 and 35, to insert the following: “Report on the tax treatment and economic impact of institutional investment in the housing market 28.The Minister shall, within six months of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before Dáil Éireann a report on the tax treatment and economic impact of institutional investors...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2021)

Paul Gavan: This would be a useful report for the Government to have compiled. Unfortunately, the Minister has made it extremely clear that while he is proud to defend tax reliefs for vulture funds, he is in complete denial of the need for tax reliefs for hard-pressed renters. He has no interest in taking on board any of our recommendations for reports. I do not intend to rehearse the arguments we had...