Results 321-340 of 1,044,387 for in 'Dáil debates' OR (speaker:Mick Barry OR speaker:Frank O'Rourke OR speaker:Mairead Farrell OR speaker:Paul McAuliffe OR speaker:Jack Chambers OR speaker:Alan Dillon OR speaker:Pat Buckley OR speaker:Rose Conway-Walsh) in 'Committee meetings'

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (18 Sep 2024)

Rose Conway-Walsh: I know it is, but one would seem to contradict the other in terms of the Central Bank agreeing to facilitate Israeli sovereign bonds. Obviously, the money from this is used in the context of genocide. More than 40,000 people have been slaughtered in Gaza. It is of great concern for many people that this would happen. Can this be prevented from happening?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (18 Sep 2024)

Jack Chambers: I can revert to the committee on this. Deputy Conway-Walsh is asking about the Central Bank, which is independent of me and the Department. What I will share with the Deputy is that the Government's position on what is happening in Gaza is that it is shocking and we have been clear on that in our statements in the Oireachtas and at EU and international level. On the matter relating to the...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (18 Sep 2024)

Jack Chambers: We are working within the Government. We have had constructive discussions in recent days. There is absolute agreement in Government and throughout the Oireachtas on ensuring the tax addresses hoarders in our country. This is important to everybody. There is also consensus on excluding active farmers who are now an unintended consequence of the tax as it exists today. The majority of...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (18 Sep 2024)

Jack Chambers: It is our intention-----

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (18 Sep 2024)

Jack Chambers: -----to exclude active farmers and have the tax. This is what we have consensus on.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (18 Sep 2024)

Jack Chambers: Correct.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (18 Sep 2024)

Jack Chambers: Who could not get out.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (18 Sep 2024)

Jack Chambers: The most recent figure I have is a percentage because information is still coming back from local authorities. The latest information as of a week or two ago is that more than 90% of farmers who sought to exclude themselves could not do so in the process that existed in previous months. This is why it is a serious issue being raised by most political parties.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (18 Sep 2024)

Jack Chambers: The process they entered into was an application to change the zoning from residential to the respective use they presently have. In a majority of those instances, based on the data we have received, that has been refused by local authorities. That is why we have this challenge and why we are trying to develop a mechanism that resolves it in a context of ensuring we have a tax, which this...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (18 Sep 2024)

Jack Chambers: I appreciate the points raised by Deputy Nash. On the wider matters we will set out the total tax package and expenditure package on budget day, which up to now with this Government has been highly progressive in the context of changes to taxation and public expenditure considerations. On inheritance tax, we are considering that issue. I said to Deputy Conway-Walsh there is a campaign to...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (18 Sep 2024)

Jack Chambers: Correct.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (18 Sep 2024)

Jack Chambers: I do not write the headlines. I would say that it has not been adjusted for many years, and there is considerable feedback on it and it is part of the overall consideration. The predominant focus of our tax package will be making sure there is a progressivity at its core and equity in the context of the other issues identified by the Deputy around housing. I want to make further progress...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (18 Sep 2024)

Jack Chambers: There has been discussion on this. The Government will set that out on budget day.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (18 Sep 2024)

Jack Chambers: That will be set out in developing options on spending the proceeds of the AIB share sales in the context of housing, water and energy and we are working on that at the moment.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (18 Sep 2024)

Jack Chambers: That is the intention. We set out the timetable to the finance committee as is done every year.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (18 Sep 2024)

Jack Chambers: That was set out. Every Minister for Finance writes to the finance committee to set out the draft schedule of what is intended in the context of the finance Bill. We communicated that to the finance committee so it can bring in preparations around scheduling the required meetings.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (18 Sep 2024)

Rose Conway-Walsh: I am conscious of my time.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (18 Sep 2024)

Jack Chambers: I am happy to come back into my old brief. I know the wider ambition and focus within different regions on transport infrastructure and through the capital plans, which the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, has already agreed. Obviously, we are keen to advance some of them. We know there is further ambition to do more. The Minister, Deputy Ryan, published the all-island rail review, which is...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (18 Sep 2024)

Jack Chambers: I will have to set that out in the White Paper. I am not going to give the Deputy a false figure.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (18 Sep 2024)

Rose Conway-Walsh: If the Minister could because it seems to be a contradiction. The Taoiseach says he tries to think every day of ways we can stop this genocide. We have to use every instrument available to us. This is why it is quite shocking when we see this. We are still waiting for the money message to come back on the divestment Bill. It is absolutely crazy for it to take this long. I know the...