Results 181-200 of 406 for speaker:Charlie McCreevy

Tax Code. (17 Feb 2004)

Charlie McCreevy: I am not saying that is what will happen, only that it is envisaged in the consultation paper. The matter of emissions trading has been raised recently by my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. He is doing this now because we are required under EU law to have our submissions on emissions trading with the Commission before 31 March this year. Other...

Tax Code. (17 Feb 2004)

Charlie McCreevy: This day next month.

Tax Code. (17 Feb 2004)

Charlie McCreevy: The emissions trading regime has been agreed in Europe.

Tax Code. (17 Feb 2004)

Charlie McCreevy: Each country is obliged to provide a format for its own emissions trading regime. That is what my colleague the Minister, Deputy Cullen, announced just over a week ago. It was envisaged that those covered by the emissions trading regime would not be subject to carbon energy tax. The questions the Deputy raised about the carbon energy tax are all dealt with in the published document and...

Tax Code. (17 Feb 2004)

Charlie McCreevy: If he wants to make a submission I will gladly take it into account. No final decisions have been made in the matter of a carbon energy tax. It is a complicated issue. I am glad the Deputy raised some of these matters because we will be taking his concerns into account.

Offshore Accounts. (17 Feb 2004)

Charlie McCreevy: I propose to take Questions Nos. 101 and 106 together. I am advised that the chairman of the Revenue Commissioners has concluded his meetings with the chief executives representing ten financial institutions. All financial institutions have advised that they would be co-operating with Revenue's proposed investigation into offshore accounts. The formal investigation is commencing on 29 March...

Offshore Accounts. (17 Feb 2004)

Charlie McCreevy: The chairman of the Revenue Commissioners has met with the chief executives on an individual basis. All the relevant financial institutions advise the Revenue that they will be co-operating with the proposed investigation into offshore accounts. The formal investigation will commence on 29 March 2004. In the meantime, I understand that the banks, as previously, will write to their customers...

Offshore Accounts. (17 Feb 2004)

Charlie McCreevy: I do not, and would not, have evidence of how the Revenue Commissioners will deal with these matters. That is a matter for the Revenue Commissioners and evidence is not supplied to me as to the legitimacy or otherwise of the cases. The information will come out when the Revenue Commissioners are investigating these matters. There are many reasons for having offshore accounts. People have them...

Offshore Accounts. (17 Feb 2004)

Charlie McCreevy: Tax evasion is something people do not broadcast too widely. They do not ring up to tell us they are involved in tax evasion. However, should the Deputy or anybody else have evidence of tax evasion practices by individuals or institutions, they should inform the Revenue Commissioners. In this case, the Revenue Commissioners are investigating the activities of the financial institutions to...

Offshore Accounts. (17 Feb 2004)

Charlie McCreevy: No, people would not ring me up either.

Offshore Accounts. (17 Feb 2004)

Charlie McCreevy: No.

Offshore Accounts. (17 Feb 2004)

Charlie McCreevy: I have no idea.

Offshore Accounts. (17 Feb 2004)

Charlie McCreevy: Tax evasion is, and always has been, an activity in which people should not engage. I have done more than any other Minister for Finance to give powers to the Revenue Commissioners to pursue tax evasion. If the Deputy checks the legislation over the past 60 years, she will discover that more power has been given to the Revenue Commissioners by me to investigate tax evasion than any previous...

Electronic Voting: Motion (17 Feb 2004)

Charlie McCreevy: I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "— recalling the approval by the Oireachtas of the legislative provisions for electronic voting and counting set out in the Electoral (Amendment) Act 2001; — recognising the recent endorsement of the introduction of electronic voting and counting at the June 2004 polls by the Joint Committee...

Electronic Voting: Motion (17 Feb 2004)

Charlie McCreevy: I am responding to this debate on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Cullen. The Minister is abroad on EU Presidency duties at the conference of the parties to the biodiversity convention, but he has been in communication with the Cabinet about this debate. Much has been written and said about electronic voting and counting in the...

Electronic Voting: Motion (17 Feb 2004)

Charlie McCreevy: It is purely a cynical political exercise. The Labour Party used to be in favour of electronic voting, but now it continually raises doubts about it. This is not about security but is pure political point scoring and is damaging to the credibility of politics.

Electronic Voting: Motion (17 Feb 2004)

Charlie McCreevy: Having heard the opening attacks of the Opposition, there is no doubt that the Fine Gael Party's motion has nothing to do with genuine concerns that our electoral system is in danger. The Opposition parties know that this system has already been used without complaint 70 million times. The Opposition knows that the system has been independently verified and that it will continue to be run by...

Electronic Voting: Motion (17 Feb 2004)

Charlie McCreevy: This will be the most accurate and, therefore, the most democratic system we have ever had. However, the Opposition parties are committed to an era of total opposition in that everything the Government does is to be opposed in a shrill and hysterical way. Tonight, the Opposition parties have united in support of the Fine Gael Party's motion in yet another example of their united cynicism and...

Electronic Voting: Motion (17 Feb 2004)

Charlie McCreevy: The Opposition is correct that changes in the electoral system are best when they are based on political consensus. However, it has demonstrated how it will withdraw that consensus for short-term tactical advantage. This was not always the case. When the Dáil first passed the enabling legislation for this improved system, many Opposition Deputies said that the Government was not going far...

Electronic Voting: Motion (17 Feb 2004)

Charlie McCreevy: The system has proven its reliability when used 70 million times internationally and 400,000 times in this country.