O'Donnell, KieranWednesday, 20 February 2008 |
Select Committee on Finance and the Public Service Debate 
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I support the amendment. On Second Stage, Chairman, you raised the issue of extending this relief to individuals taxed under Schedule D. As the section is drafted, it is currently confined to compan...
Will the Minister please clarify whether a claim for allowances is retrospective or if it applies three years from the date EU clearance is obtained?
Therefore, it is three years from the date of the order and it reverts to the start of the year as well.
When will the list be ready? Deputy Bruton already pointed out that this measure may not come in until the 2009 budget, which seems ridiculous. How quickly does the Minister expect us to get clearan...
They are already getting it at 12.5%.
Would the Minister consider it at the standard rate? He also made a point about thresholds. Would he consider reducing the thresholds?
Would the Minister consider the standard rate for Schedule D? I think 12.5% is of no great benefit because—
They cannot benefit from this measure.
Deputy Mansergh made the point that businesses can go away and incorporate. Revenue is currently getting much more income tax from an unincorporated business. Suddenly we could have a situation wher...
I am aware of that.
The Minister could introduce it at a lower rate.
Good.
I welcome this research and development measure. We are facing an era when we have to be a knowledge-led economy. We have been too dependent on the construction sector in recent years. In the Minis...
The Minister has made the point that a dividend shall be treated as being abnormal if the amount or value of the dividend exceeds the amount that could reasonably have been expected to be paid. How w...
The determination would be specific to individual companies and one would look at the pattern in the previous years.
I support Deputy Bruton’s amendment. Indexation of capital gains was removed from 31 December 2002 onwards. If a tax is to be progressive it should be based on increases, in terms of inflation. In ...
Rollover relief in the business area was abolished. That was a good measure. I was surprised, at the time, that a threshold was not placed on roll-over relief so that it would apply only below a cer...
I am speaking about roll-over relief for the small business sector.
The Minister stated the reform was introduced as a revenue collection measure.
The Minister did say it.
I am speaking, in particular, about small start-up businesses which are trying to expand. They are under a great deal of pressure. We are finding, across a range of areas, that the accelerated capit...
I concur with Deputy Bruton. Does the Minister think the size of the licence fee increase is sufficient? The increase in the number of off-licences is proving to be contentious for people living in ...
The Minister spoke about the changes in drinking habits. I can say, without fear of contradiction, that the increase in the number of off-licence premises has contributed to the biggest change, namel...
May I make one point?
The licence fee is an element of control and it is under the Minister’s control. It is, therefore, an area in which the Minister can play a part in regulating and controlling the off-licence sector. ...
The Minister said that people are more tolerant.
It is a growing problem at underage level.
I do not deny that.
I agree with everything the Minister has said. The point I am trying to make is a very simple one. It is that under-age drinking in particular has increased primarily because of the increase in off-...
We have received representations on this matter. Perhaps the Minister will explain the logic of the measure. Is it due to a specific abuse or is it simply a general measure? The people in the car r...
My understanding from representations made by the car rental industry is that the benefits of the scheme are factored into their pricing policies. The car rental market is very competitive and prices...
Would this option be considered? Is the car rental industry amenable to the Minister’s proposal?
It may have a different view.
No.
On a lighter note, if Mr. Trappatoni, the new manager of the Irish soccer team, is here for less than 35 days, it does not augur well for the team. I suggest the Minister make an exception.
Far be it from me, but it was the Minister who brought stamp duty into the domain of the committee. I remind Deputy Mansergh—
I am entitled to a right of reply. The former Minister, Mr. Michael McDowell, was the one who made stamp duty an issue. He said stamp duty on residential houses would be abolished. Effectively, tha...
It is a matter of public record.
Point taken, but I may not agree with it. I am pleased to see that in his recent budget the Minister has taken on board measures that were put forward by my party, Fine Gael, through Deputy Bruton. ...
Perhaps they are buying houses in another constituency.
That is not the point.
Would the Minister consider a concession on stamp duty for people with disabilities who must move house?
The disabled person’s grant is great but it applies to one’s existing house. I am raising a situation in which a person living in a two-storey house needs to purchase a smaller, second-hand house. M...
The Minister has already touched on some of my points. Is there a special investigations unit in the Revenue Commissioners which deals with schemes such as these? I presume this is about freeing up ...
Does the Minister expect that the increase in the surcharge from 10% to 20% or 100%, will work?
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