Results 1,081-1,100 of 1,074,177 for in 'Dáil debates' OR (speaker:Aodhán Ó Ríordáin OR speaker:Brendan Smith OR speaker:Simon Coveney OR speaker:Seán Fleming OR speaker:Willie O'Dea OR speaker:Emer Higgins OR speaker:Peadar Tóibín) in 'Committee meetings'

Finance Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (5 Nov 2024)

Jack Chambers: Deputy McGrath asked about the previous manifesto. To be clear, we said the USC would be reduced from 4.5% to 3.5%. We reduced it from 4.5% to 3%, so we actually went further than we set out in the manifesto in 2020.

Finance Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (5 Nov 2024)

Mattie McGrath: Fianna Fáil said it would abolish it

Finance Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (5 Nov 2024)

Paul Murphy: No, that was Fine Gael

Finance Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (5 Nov 2024)

Mattie McGrath: They are all the same.

Finance Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (5 Nov 2024)

Paul Murphy: I know they are.

Finance Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (5 Nov 2024)

Jack Chambers: That is to be factual in reply to Deputy McGrath's question. On Deputy Doherty's question, I have set out my perspective on the three changes we have made around personal tax credits, USC and the standard rate. Even if we were to use the median, the CSO figures published today show it is €43,000 for 2023. It is likely to be higher in 2024 and higher again in 2025, so many of the...

Finance Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (5 Nov 2024)

Mattie McGrath: What happened to Fianna Fáil's promise before the last election that it was going to abolish the USC? Its members will go out canvassing on the doors again and make more promises. What credibility do they think they can have with people? Fianna Fáil and other parties promised they would abolish it. I remember when it was, to quote the late Albert Reynolds, "a temporary little...

Finance Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (5 Nov 2024)

Pearse Doherty: What is the Minister's view of middle income? He talked about middle-income workers and all the rest. Will he clarify to the House his definition of "middle income"? Does he use CSO data for example, which tells us that the median income in 2023 was €43,221? I am sure people would accept that definition of "middle income". However, as the CSO tells us, that excludes everybody who...

Finance Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (5 Nov 2024)

Jack Chambers: When you take the progressivity of all these measures, the effective tax rate of someone on €25,000 has gone from 12.5% to 9.4% in five years. That is a low-income worker. Someone on €35,000 has gone from 17.1% to 14.4%. Someone on €40,000 has gone from 20.9% to 16%. Someone on €50,000 has gone from 26.4% to 20.6%. I can go on. It demonstrates the...

Finance Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (5 Nov 2024)

Pearse Doherty: I have two questions. The Minister talks about his tax package. I will answer the question he put to me. I would introduce a tax package that is fair. If I get the opportunity to sit where he is, as Minister for Finance, I will abolish the USC for average workers across the State. I will ensure that average workers never pay a tax introduced at that time by Fianna Fáil. I will...

Finance Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (5 Nov 2024)

Jack Chambers: As the Deputy knows, the committee of which he is a member agreed to postpone the specific hearing on that to get legal advice. Everyone agrees there is a need to take action in the context of the FSPO and the amendment that is required and the Government has said that. That is why, what I have set out in the context of the CCMA, is the overall consumer protection code-----

Finance Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (5 Nov 2024)

Pearse Doherty: They do not have the same protection.

Finance Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (5 Nov 2024)

Jack Chambers: -----and what we have said is that the legislation is waiting for a date from the committee.

Finance Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (5 Nov 2024)

Pearse Doherty: No, the Minister said they had the same protection and he should withdraw that comment.

Finance Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (5 Nov 2024)

Jack Chambers: I have set out the context on the CCMA, which is factually correct.

Finance Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (5 Nov 2024)

Pearse Doherty: It is not.

Finance Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (5 Nov 2024)

Jack Chambers: On the CCMA, it is correct.

Finance Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (5 Nov 2024)

Pearse Doherty: The Minister made a point and I am telling him now that those who have gone to the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman have not done so for the good of their health. These are people who are in financial distress. He has stood there and said they have the same protection. He knows fine well they do not have the same protection because there is a major flaw with the legislation that...

Finance Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (5 Nov 2024)

Jack Chambers: I referenced the FSPO in the context of the appeal procedure and the fact they must inform borrowers of their right to refer the matter to them. That is the context in which I set out my remarks relating to the code of conduct and mortgage arrears. I have also set out that we agreed with the committee on the need to have an amendment and that was subject to legal advice. There was...

Finance Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (5 Nov 2024)

Pearse Doherty: That is not the comment. That was not his comment.