Results 17,321-17,340 of 35,756 for speaker:Pearse Doherty

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Nov 2017)

Pearse Doherty: Will the Minister of State give us the figures relating to the expected outturn for 2018 as well?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Nov 2017)

Pearse Doherty: Being on target is a complete failure in terms of public policy.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Nov 2017)

Pearse Doherty: It is good for Revenue.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Nov 2017)

Pearse Doherty: I support the amendments which do not deal with the primary medical certificate issue raised by the Chairman. It is very difficult for a public representative to have to tell a constituent who believes he or she falls into the category of disabled person and therefore eligible for the scheme that there is nothing that he or she can do for him or her because of the rigidity of the scheme....

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Nov 2017)

Pearse Doherty: I move amendment No. 60: In page 50, between lines 6 and 7, to insert the following: “50.The Minister shall, within one month of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before Dáil Éireann a report on options available for the introduction of a rate of 3 per cent betting duty for online and in-shop bets to be paid by the customer.”. This is a hobby horse of...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Nov 2017)

Pearse Doherty: Yes, especially when we are talking about betting duty. I expected there would have been some progress. We read in the newspapers that Paddy Power Betfair hired Fergal O'Rourke and did a bit of lobbying with the Minister which put an end to the idea of increasing the rate above 1%. It was stated by the Minister of State's predecessors going back as far as the former Minister of State,...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Nov 2017)

Pearse Doherty: The gambling control Bill is nearly as long in these Houses as I am. It has been going on and on. Speaking about old provisions, the provision in terms of the betting duty was originally at 2%. At a time when Fianna Fáil was in government, it was in the legislation, if memory serves me right, but it needed a commencement order. It was commenced at 1%. The principle of the 2% is...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Nov 2017)

Pearse Doherty: My amendment No. 63 is similar but more specific. My party does not argue for the 9% rate to revert to the 13.5% rate across the board, although there are quite legitimate arguments to do so in certain sectors. I can see the rationale, for example, for newspapers, to continue to enjoy a 9% VAT rate but I presume there is a reason that they are grouped together and that is why it has to...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Nov 2017)

Pearse Doherty: That is reasonable. That is what Sinn Féin was looking for in the amendment. I would ask that the report be published in a timely fashion advance of the budget so that the budgetary committee would be able to examine views on the report.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Nov 2017)

Pearse Doherty: Does that mean it will be published in advance of the budget?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Nov 2017)

Pearse Doherty: I will withdraw my amendment on that basis.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Nov 2017)

Pearse Doherty: I am happy with what has been suggested. I wish to add my support for the amendment and for the work to be carried out by the Department. That data must be collected from the Department. Is it the case that one would have to prove that average shoe size for a ten year old had exceeded 5.5 or if 40% of five year olds were above that, it would not suffice? What is the threshold?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Nov 2017)

Pearse Doherty: That would be helpful.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Nov 2017)

Pearse Doherty: My son is 11 and he wears a size 9 shoe. His trousers are a size 15, he has been wearing adult sizes for several years but not everyone is 6'3" like their father.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Nov 2017)

Pearse Doherty: I do not intend to move amendment No. 63.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Nov 2017)

Pearse Doherty: Amendment No. 69 is in this group of amendments so I wish to discuss that. My colleague, Deputy Martin Kenny, will discuss our other amendment, No. 66. Amendment No. 69 calls for a report to be laid before the Dáil which would include a risk assessment of the sustainability of stamp duty receipts from commercial property. This section of the Bill deals with the increase in stamp duty...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Nov 2017)

Pearse Doherty: It is €376 million as a result of the 4% increase. This is based on the outturn for commercial property sales last year. Looking at a linear increase, it would double at 4% and so forth. We raised our concerns on the night of the budget and since then. It is interesting to listen to CBRE property consultants. They have insight into the current position of commercial property....

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Nov 2017)

Pearse Doherty: I wrote to the Minister on this matter. I also raised the issues brought up today by Deputies Burke and McGrath. I know that the Minister has sent the correspondence on to the Revenue Commissioners but the outcome remains unsatisfactory. We understand that there are transitional arrangements in place. The problem, however, is that there are people who purchased land and for whom the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Relief Schemes Status (9 Nov 2017)

Pearse Doherty: 70. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of the south Ennis flood scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47382/17]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointments Administration (9 Nov 2017)

Pearse Doherty: 153. To ask the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) in County Donegal will be considered for radiotherapy treatment at Altnagelvin area hospital, County Derry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47379/17]