Results 15,321-15,340 of 34,135 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tobacco Smuggling (11 Jul 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I am advised by Revenue that the number of persons prosecuted for cigarette and tobacco smuggling in 2018 and to date in 2019 is set out in the following table. The number of persons prosecuted for illegal selling of unstamped cigarette and tobacco products is also included. 2018 - 2019 (YTD end June) Indictable Summary Indictable Summary Smuggling 3 16 1 4 Selling unstamped...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Excise Duties (11 Jul 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The rates of excise (Alcohol Products Tax) for the various types of alcoholic beverages are provided for in Schedule 2 to the Finance Act 2003, as amended.  In each case, the applicable excise duty must conform with EU Directive 92/83/EEC on the harmonization of the structures of excise duties on alcohol and alcoholic beverages.    The excise rate on cider exceeding 2.8%...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (11 Jul 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: VAT legislation does not apply the zero rate of VAT to food supplements but shortly after the introduction of VAT Revenue applied a concessionary zero rating to certain vitamin, mineral and fish oil products. As the market developed over the years this treatment resulted in the zero rating by Revenue of further similar products, including products other than vitamins, minerals and fish...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Insurance Costs (11 Jul 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: At the outset, the Deputy should note that I am responsible for the development of the legal framework governing financial regulation.  Neither I, nor the Central Bank of Ireland, can interfere in the provision or pricing of insurance products, as these matters are of a commercial nature, and are determined by insurance companies based on an assessment of the risks they are willing to...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Vehicle Registration Data (11 Jul 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 210 and 211 together. I am advised by Revenue that the cost of the Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT) rebate for electric cars in 2018 is estimated at €9.2 million and the first six months of 2019 is estimated at €10m. If there is no change in the trend of registrations to date this year, the annual cost for extending the VRT rebate for electric...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Departmental Communications (11 Jul 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The Department monitors compliance with its relevant legislative, regulatory and internal procedural obligations under its Compliance Framework.  These obligations are set out in various registers including a Compliance Obligations Register which is managed and monitored by the Department’s Compliance Officer. Compliance obligation deadlines are monitored on a regular basis...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Climate Change Policy (11 Jul 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: As Deputies will be aware, in November of 2018 the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment received a mandate from Government to prepare a climate plan which would make Ireland a leader in tackling climate change. Following this, the Government's Climate Action Plan 2019 was published on 17 June, and it outlines an ambitious course of action, setting out how Ireland can...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: European Fund for Strategic Investments (11 Jul 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: Since the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI)'s enactment in July 2015, it has been possible for any project promoter, either public or private, to engage with the EIB regarding the possibility of receiving loans or guarantees under EFSI for particular projects. In this way, EFSI is providing an important additional funding possibility to the State alongside other...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Insurance Costs (11 Jul 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: At the outset it is important to note that as Minister for Finance, I am responsible for the development of the legal framework governing financial regulation.  Neither I nor the Central Bank of Ireland can interfere in the provision or pricing of insurance products, as these matters are of a commercial nature, and are determined by insurance companies based on an assessment of the risks...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Insurance Data (11 Jul 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 218 and 219 together. The database referenced by the Deputy is a claims matching database currently run by Insurance Ireland to assist its members in the detection and defence of potentially fraudulent claims.  The Cost of Insurance Working Group( CIWG) examined this database with a view to determining how effective it was from an operational perspective....

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Insurance Data (11 Jul 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: Increasing the availability of data in relation to Employer and Public Liability Insurance is a matter which was discussed by the Cost of Insurance Working Group in its Report on the Cost of Employer and Public Liability Insurance (2018).  It recommended a number of actions to improve transparency in this area.  Amongst these, Recommendation 1 requires the Central Statistics Office...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Insurance Data (11 Jul 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy is aware, the scope of the National Claims Information Database (NCID) was designed in such a way as to enable it be expanded to include other classes of insurance, e.g. liability, property, etc. in the future.  However the Cost of Insurance Working Group (CIWG) considered it important that the first focus of the database should be on the collection of private motor...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Insurance Costs (11 Jul 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy will be aware from previous Cost of Insurance Working Group’s (CIWG) update reports that a data template was developed by the data sub-group of the CIWG and this was submitted to Insurance Ireland by Minister of State D’Arcy on 18 May 2018.  In it, he requested that the completed data submission be returned by the end of Q3 2018 to allow sufficient time for the...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Insurance Industry Regulation (11 Jul 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: My Department is currently working on developing legislative changes that would oblige insurance companies to inform policyholders of claims made against them. The objective of the proposal is to ensure that policyholders are informed as soon as possible after a claim against their policy is lodged and informed after a claim is settled. In addition, the proposal will seek to require insurers...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Data (11 Jul 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: Firstly I should clarify that public service lump sums payments were not directly reduced by the Financial Emergency Measure in the Public Interest (FEMPI) legislation. The FEMPI legislation introduced measures that directly reduced pay, and reduced annual pensions of public servants, subject to certain rates, thresholds and exemptions. As both the annual pensions and lump sum payments of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Submissions (11 Jul 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The employer submission to the Pay Commission, as was the case in similar submissions,  was made on a collaborative basis between the management side parties and included extensive inputs from the Department of Defence and the Military Authorities. It is longstanding practice that the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (and before it the Department of Finance) represents the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Cyber Security Protocols (11 Jul 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: My Department implements a multi-layered approach to cyber security and to protecting ICT systems, infrastructures, and services. My Department implements a defence-in-depth security strategy which is achieved through the effective combination of People, Processes, and Technology to support the implementation of appropriate security measures and provisions. With the threat...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Commencement of Legislation (11 Jul 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy is aware, on 5 December 2017, the Government made the decision to increase the compulsory retirement age to 70, for public servants recruited prior to 1 April 2004.  Primary legislation was necessary in order to bring that change into effect.  It was made clear at the time that until such legislation was enacted, the compulsory retirement age of 65, which applied...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Project Ireland 2040 Administration (11 Jul 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: My Department has now transitioned its material to Gov.ie. Project Ireland 2040 information is available at gov.ie/2040. The specific link to the Investment Projects and Programmes Tracker is now The Investment Projects and Programmes tracker is currently being revised and updated. This updated version will be published in autumn 2019. Drawing on the material from the tracker, my Department...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Living Wage (11 Jul 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy is aware, the National Minimum Wage is a statutory entitlement and has a legislative basis. The Low Pay Commission annually assesses the appropriate level of the National Minimum Wage. The current national minimum hourly rate of pay, since 1 January 2019, is €9.80 per hour, as set out in the National Minimum Wage Order 2018.  The Living Wage has no legislative...