Results 10,021-10,040 of 27,019 for speaker:Michael Noonan

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Fuel Laundering (7 Oct 2014)

Michael Noonan: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners, who are responsible for tackling fuel fraud, that they are very aware of the risks posed to consumers' vehicles, legitimate businesses and the exchequer by all forms of such fraud. Revenue has made great progress in tackling the problem of diesel laundering over the past three years, and reports now indicate the emergence of another form of fuel...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Excise Duties Yield (7 Oct 2014)

Michael Noonan: The correspondence attached to the Deputy's question makes a number of points in relation to excise duty increases in Budgets 2013 and 2014.  The correspondence also refers to the incentive for cross-border shopping and the risks to tourism resulting from increases in excise on alcohol. The increases to excise duty on alcohol in Budgets 2013 and 2014 must be seen firstly in the context...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Pensions Levy (7 Oct 2014)

Michael Noonan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 150, 151, 167 and 202 together. I announced in my Budget 2014 speech that the 0.6% Pension Fund Levy introduced to fund the Jobs Initiative in 2011 will be abolished from the 31st of December 2014. I have however, introduced an additional levy on pension funds at 0.15% to, among other things, continue to help fund the Jobs Initiative. The additional levy,...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Excise Duties (7 Oct 2014)

Michael Noonan: It is not my practice to comment on what measures may or may not be introduced in advance of the Budget.

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Insurance Compensation Fund (7 Oct 2014)

Michael Noonan: The Insurance Compensation Fund is maintained and administered by the President of the High Court acting through the Accountant of the Courts of Justice. The Office of the Accountant has advised me that the current balance of the ICF is €65,906,834.84.

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Customs and Excise Protocols (7 Oct 2014)

Michael Noonan: The use of marked diesel in a motor vehicle is an offence under section 102(1) (b) of the Finance Act 1999 and a person convicted of that offence is liable to a fine of €5,000. I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners, who are responsible for tackling fuel fraud, that checking the fuel in vehicles is an important means of acting against this offence, and that this requires the...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Universal Social Charge Application (7 Oct 2014)

Michael Noonan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 155, 161, 162 and 164 together. In relation to the questions regarding the cost of various changes to prevailing USC rates, I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the Budget 2015 Ready Reckoner, available on the Commissioners' website at , shows a number of indicative changes to Universal Social Charge (USC) rates and thresholds. While the Ready...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Property Taxation Deferrals (7 Oct 2014)

Michael Noonan: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that, without further details of the particular circumstances in this case,  including whether there is rental income, it is difficult to provide a reply to the Deputy. By way of general information, sections 132 and 133 of the Finance (Local Property Tax) Act 2012 (as amended) provides for a system of deferral arrangements for owner-occupiers...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Revenue Commissioners Resources (7 Oct 2014)

Michael Noonan: I am informed by Revenue that it currently has two Customs Cutters in service. The cost and adequacy of the present level of provision is continually reviewed. Revenue is satisfied that it has an effective service that meets its foreseeable needs and the acquisition of additional vessels is not under active consideration by Revenue at this time.

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (7 Oct 2014)

Michael Noonan: It is not my practice to comment on what measures may or may not be introduced in advance of the Budget.

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Reliefs Application (7 Oct 2014)

Michael Noonan: Section 216A of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 provides for the rent-a-room scheme. This scheme was introduced in Finance Act 2001 as an incentive to encourage individuals to let rooms in their principal private residence in order to bring about an increase in the availability of rental accommodation, particularly for the student sector. The scheme provides an exemption from Income Tax,...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Banking Sector Redundancies (7 Oct 2014)

Michael Noonan: As the Deputy will be aware under the Relationship Framework the State does not intervene in the day to day operations of the bank or their management decisions regarding commercial matters. AIB has previously indicated that as part of its restructuring plan to reduce costs and increase efficiencies, outsourcing of certain functions would be considered in consultation with unions and...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (7 Oct 2014)

Michael Noonan: As the Deputy is aware, it is a longstanding practice of the Minister for Finance not to comment, in advance of the Budget, on any tax matters that may or may not be the subject of Budget decisions.  The paper to which the Deputy refers, did not advocate a specific form of wealth tax but analysed a number of options and discussed issues relating to the introduction of a...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Fuel Oil Specifications (7 Oct 2014)

Michael Noonan: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that they have received a number of reports of problems relating to petrol quality from around the country in recent weeks.  In general, such reports are followed up as a matter of course and samples sent to the State Laboratory for analysis where officers have reason to suspect Excise Duty fraud.  The recent reports of suspected petrol...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Water Charges Introduction (7 Oct 2014)

Michael Noonan: Irish Water has introduced water charges for domestic customers to fund expenditure on the treatment and provision of water services. The monies raised by water charges will be received by Irish Water, which is a not part of general government. As such, these receipts do not count as general government revenue and accordingly will not impact on the deficit.  In the event that Irish...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Reliefs Availability (7 Oct 2014)

Michael Noonan: The graduate entry medical programme provides undergraduate medical education of four years duration and has been developed to produce medical graduates with the ability to successfully undertake an internship and thereafter to gain full registration with the Medical Council. The programme is supported by a combination of student fees, State funding and other income.   While...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Mortgage Schemes (7 Oct 2014)

Michael Noonan: I am advised by the Central Bank of Ireland that banks employ both Loan-to-Value (LTV) and Net Disposable Income (NDI) benchmarks as part of the initial assesment of mortgage loan applications. The LTV maximum tends to be at 90% and the mortgage to NDI no more than 35%.  In addition, banks require detailed income and expenditure disclosure which they examine...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Revenue Commissioners Resources (7 Oct 2014)

Michael Noonan: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that they implemented their current telephone system for callers to the PAYE 1890 lo-call service in 2005.  Revenue uses an automated voice recognition service to collect the customer's PPS Number which has on average a 90% success rate at identifying the spoken PPS Number.  While every effort has been made to tune and refine the system to...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Mortgage Arrears Report Implementation (7 Oct 2014)

Michael Noonan: Firstly, I must point out that the Financial Services Ombudsman is independent in the carrying out of his duties.  I have no role in the day to day workings of the office. However, the Financial Services Ombudsman has informed me that the information requested by the Deputy is as follows:- Information regarding Mortgage Arrears Resolution Process (MARP) complaints for the period...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Bank Debt Restructuring (7 Oct 2014)

Michael Noonan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 172 to 175, inclusive, together. I have been informed that there was no tranche similar in size to the €215 million tranche sold on 26 September 2014, offered for sale in 2011/2012.  As you will recall the requirement under the Central Bank's Prudential Liquidity Assessment Review (PLAR) issued in March 2011 was to sell the whole of the CHL...