Results 16,161-16,180 of 32,961 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Consultations (14 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I stood up and said that we have employed this company once between 2015 and today. This company has been employed for us on a single occasion. Instead the Deputy stands up and bases an answer on what he would like to hear-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Consultations (14 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: -----rather than the information I gave the Deputy. This company, across the time period to which I was asked to refer, has been used on a single occasion by my Department. The Deputy will stand up day after day and lambaste the ability and competence of my officials to perform their work. When they seek to gain external support for the delivery of their duties, he lambastes that too. I...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: EU Directives (14 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy and Mr. Carthy, MEP, will be aware, the legislative package of the Commission and its objectives seek ways in which we can create a safer and more stable and resilient financial sector. Part of this was the implementation of revised capital requirements for banks under the capital requirements directive and the capital requirements regulation. This aspect of the package of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: EU Directives (14 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The only culture I am interested in seeing develop throughout Europe is one that builds on what we have had in Ireland, where we have seen really important and significant progress in dealing with the issues of mortgage arrears and distressed debt, taking account of the huge trauma and difficulty it causes to citizens. Of course, what I will not hear from Deputy Doherty is the fact that we...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: EU Directives (14 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: Of all the Deputies I thought were going to mention Valentine's Day to me, I did not have Deputy Doherty at the top of the list. His card has not arrived to me yet, nor indeed has a card from anyone else, but the day is but young. As for all the charges the Deputy has put to me, I point back to the balance we have sought to secure, which the Deputy will never acknowledge, of trying to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Corporation Tax (14 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: There has been a very significant increase in our corporation tax receipts. This is an area on which there will be growing focus in the next few years because of change that is very likely in the global tax landscape. Whether it be the work that is taking place in the OECD or changes that we may see as a result of global trade, it will be increasingly important that we form a new view...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Brexit Preparations (14 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The continued efficient flow of legitimate trade through Ireland's ports and airports is a key priority for the Government. In this regard, the Revenue Commissioners have undertaken significant preparations to date, with work intensifying in recent months. With resource requirements, the Revenue Commissioners determine that an additional 600 staff will be required to manage the impact of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Brexit Preparations (14 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: On the first of the Deputy's three points, I do not have the information available on how many staff have been recruited. I will be able to get that information quickly and I will share it with him. The second question was on engagement with traders. It is fair to say that many businesses still have a lot of work that needs to be done quickly in the case of a no-deal scenario. The...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Brexit Preparations (14 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: My assessment of the likelihood of a no-deal scenario is that it is a clear and distinct risk we are now planning for. In the past week, I met the Revenue Commissioners, the National Treasury Management Agency, NTMA, and the Central Bank to review where we are from a preparedness point of view, with a particular focus on how we will respond to challenges for the State, to our financial...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Digital Services Tax (14 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy will be aware that the Commission proposal for an interim Digital Services Tax, which imposes a 3% levy on the turnover of certain companies’ digital activities, was discussed extensively last year among Member States – both at a technical and political level. In December the proposal was brought before ECOFIN for political decision where it was clear that a...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: NAMA Social Housing Provision (14 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I wish to advise the Deputy that subject to current market conditions prevailing NAMA projects a surplus in the region of €3.5bn to be returned to the State once it completes its work. The realisation of this surplus depends on the redemption of NAMA’s remaining subordinated debt by March 2020 and completion of its Dublin Docklands SDZ and residential funding programmes. As...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Brexit Preparations (14 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The EU and Ireland have stated that they are determined in the context of Brexit, deal or 'no deal', to avoid the need for a hard border on the island of Ireland. In a 'no deal' scenario, intensive discussions between the Government, the EU Commission and EU partners will be required regarding the movement of goods North-South and the protecting of the EU’s Single Market and...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Insurance Data (14 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: In the wake of Storms Ophelia and Emma last year, I understand that Minister of State Michael D’Arcy TD requested officials to look at how insurance claims were managed. His request arose on foot of some negative feedback that the Minister of State had received from policyholders regarding delays in claims being processing in relation to these storms. In this context, Minister of...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Insurance Costs (14 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 18 and 43 together. As outlined to the Deputy in previous PQs (including PQs 48424, 43997, 40257, 34064, 30683), stakeholder consultation formed the foundation upon which the Reports of the Cost of Insurance Working Group and their recommendations were developed. This consultation process involved a wide range of stakeholders representing the different voices...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Brexit Preparations (14 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The Government remains firmly of the view that ratifying the Withdrawal Agreement, agreed between the EU and the UK, remains the best way to ensure an orderly UK exit from the EU. A 'no deal' Brexit is the worst possible outcome and would not be in the interests of the UK, Ireland or the EU, and dealing with it would be an exercise in damage limitation. While ratification of the Withdrawal...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (14 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: It is a long-held principle of inheritance tax that transfers of property between spouses are exempt. All inheritances taken by a spouse from his or her spouse since January 1985 are exempt from tax and are not taken into account in computing tax. The spousal exemption from inheritance tax was extended to civil partners with effect from 1 January 2011. As a result of the full tax...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Brexit Preparations (14 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I am informed by Revenue that, in keeping with their role and responsibilities, they are strongly focused on facilitating the efficient and timely movement of legitimate trade, post Brexit. During 2018, Revenue chaired an Inter-Departmental group which was established to consider the adequacy of port and airport infrastructure and facilities, post-Brexit. The group included...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: National Children's Hospital Expenditure (14 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The “National Surplus (Exceptional Contingencies) Reserve Fund” which is also referred to as the Rainy Day Fund, is intended to be an economic buffer available for drawdown in the event of a sharp economic downturn. It is intended to allow the Government of the day to mitigate the effects of such a downturn. The aim in establishing the Fund is that in the event of a future...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council Reports (14 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I can confirm for the Deputy that my formal response to the November 2018 Fiscal Assessment Report (FAR) issued to the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council on 23rd January 2019. In keeping with established practice, a copy of the response was also published on my Department’s website. Given its independent nature, I do not as a matter of course hold formal meetings with the Council. However,...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Carbon Tax Implementation (14 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 24 and 46 together. Decisions in relation to the carbon tax take place as part of the annual budgetary process. The Energy and Environmental Taxes paper prepared annually for the Tax Strategy Group contains analysis on the carbon tax to help inform budget decisions. The Tax Strategy Group papers are available to read on the Department of Finance website. The...