Results 21,821-21,840 of 33,049 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Finance Bill 2017: Report Stage (21 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: We dealt with this matter on Committee Stage. I just want to make a few points on the amendment put forward by Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett. I will explain why we will not be accepting it. The Deputy criticised the last budget when we delivered, through a series of changes to the USC and by increasing the entry point to the higher rate of income tax, a set of gains of around €5 per...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Help-To-Buy Scheme Eligibility (21 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The Help to Buy initiative does not apply to the purchase of second-hand properties. It is instead a targeted response that is aimed at first-time buyers, buying (or building) new residences. I am advised by Revenue that local property tax is generally payable following the purchase of a second-hand house where the house was built before 1 May 2013. In relation to first-time buyers, there...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Carbon Tax Yield (21 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I am advised by Revenue that since its introduction in 2010 to the end of 2016 carbon tax receipts amounted to almost €2.5bn. Provisional figures for receipts for the first 10 months of 2017 amount to just over €350m. Further information on carbon tax receipts is published on the Revenue statistics website at:. This includes a breakdown by commodity since 2010. With regard to...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Energy Prices (21 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: My Department monitors energy costs as part of its overall assessment of inflation trends on an ongoing basis. CSO data indicate that the Energy Products component of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased by an average of 3.9 per cent on an annualised basis over the first ten months of 2017. As a result, Energy Products have provided a positive boost to overall inflation this year,...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Stamp Duty (21 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I am advised by Revenue that transfers of farmland between certain blood relatives qualify for a reduced rate of stamp duty of 1% provided certain conditions are met. This is referred to as consanguinity relief. This measure currently applies where the person transferring the land is less than 67 years of age. In Finance Bill 2017 I have introduced measures to extend consanguinity...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Financial Services Regulation (21 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I have been informed by the Central Bank due to the confidentiality requirements imposed by domestic and EU legislation, which provides for confidentiality of information relating to ongoing supervision and limits disclosure to circumstances specifically provided for in Section 33AK of the Central Bank Act 1942, the Central Bank cannot comment on individual interactions with regulated...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Treaties (21 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: Ireland, in accordance with our International Tax Strategy, is committed to engaging constructively and respectfully with developing countries in relation to tax matters, and to supporting such countries in raising domestic tax revenues in ways that are more efficient, that promote good governance and equitable development, and that can allow them to eventually exit from a dependence on...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Code of Conduct on Mortgage Arrears (21 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I can confirm for the Deputy that the matter referred to has not been raised with me. I would remind the Deputy, however, that although the State has a 14% minority shareholding in BOI, I in my role as the Minister for Finance, have no direct function in the relationship between the bank and its customers. Decisions taken by the bank in this regard are matters for the board...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (21 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: As I have said all along, it is my intention to introduce the tax on sugar-sweetened drinks at the beginning of April to align with the introduction of Soft Drinks Industry Levy in the UK, subject to State aid approval from the European Commission.

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Carbon Tax Implementation (21 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: Carbon tax was introduced on a phased basis and applied to motor fuels with effect from December 2009. It was extended to non-solid fuels in 2010 and finally to solid fuels in 2013 and 2014. As with all taxes it is reviewed on an ongoing basis in the context of the Tax Strategy Group deliberations on annual budget options. In addition to such reviews, pursuant to a commitment in the...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Brexit Issues (21 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: As Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade with special responsibility for Brexit, Minister Coveney has responsibility for coordinating the whole-of-Government response to Brexit. Work at Cabinet level is being prepared through cross-Departmental coordination structures. These represent a frequent and active channel through which all relevant Departments are providing their research,...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Departmental Staff Training (21 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: Due to a clarification sought, the Department has been unable to complete this response in the timeframe required. The Department will write to the Deputy within 10 days with the information requested by her.

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Property Tax Exemptions (21 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The 2012 inter-Departmental Group which considered the structures and modalities of a property tax that a universal liability to the Local Property Tax (LPT) recommended that it should apply to all owners of residential property with a limited number of exemptions. Limiting the exemptions available allows the rate to be kept low for those liable persons who do not qualify for an exemption....

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Mortgage Interest Relief Data (21 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The provision introduced in Finance Bill 2017 will extend Mortgage Interest Relief up to and including the year 2020 for the remaining recipients. This measure extends the relief, which would otherwise have ceased completely at the end of 2017, to provide for 75% of the current relief to continue into 2018, 50% of the current relief into 2019 and 25% of the current relief into 2020. The...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Departmental Contracts (21 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 140 and 145 together. The questions raised by the Deputy are matters in the first instance for the Office of Public Works and I understand that my colleague, Minister of State Kevin Moran, is providing an answer to the Deputy. However, my Department is not aware of any telecoms or communications masts being operated from the roof of the offices occupied by my...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Banking Sector Regulation (21 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: Loan originations involve a company fronting for a foreign bank and either lending directly to larger more sophisticated borrowers, or immediately issuing newly made loans to smaller borrowers from the foreign bank. Provided the foreign bank is established in one of the countries with which we have signed a double tax agreement, then no Irish tax would have arisen on its interest income had...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: State Aid Investigations (21 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The European Commission recently concluded that a tax ruling given by Luxembourg to Amazon constituted an illegal State aid amounting to approximately €250 million. This announcement is part of a wider investigation by the European Commission encompassing tax rulings in all 28 Member States which has been ongoing since 2014. As the final Commission Decision has not yet been published,...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: State Aid Investigations (21 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The European Commission has been gathering information from all 28 EU Member States on tax rulings since 2014 and it has examined over 1,000 rulings across EU Member States. I understand that the European Commission issues information requests to Member States on an ongoing basis. Ireland has always cooperated with such requests and will continue to do so. It is not appropriate for me to...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Money Laundering (21 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy will understand that the information requested is not held within my Department. I have therefore requested a response to the Deputy's question from each of the banks identified by the Deputy. AIB Response: "AIB has comprehensive policies and procedures in place to ensure compliance with the provisions of the Criminal Justice Act, 2010 (CJA 2010). This includes with regard to its...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Departmental Reports (21 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The Strategy for the Rental Sector, published in December 2016, contained a commitment to establish a Working Group to examine and report on the tax treatment of landlords (or rental accommodation providers), and to put forward, where appropriate, options for amendments to such treatment. The Working Group was chaired by the Department of Finance and its membership included officials from...