Results 17,021-17,040 of 34,135 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Recruitment (5 Mar 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy will be aware from previous replies, in my role as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, I have overarching responsibility for workforce planning in, and recruitment to, the Civil Service. In Budget 2015, it was announced that there would be a targeted programme of recruitment into the Civil Service to address service needs and a shortfall in...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Economic Competitiveness (5 Mar 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy suggests, we live in a world that is uncertain and in which Ireland faces many challenges, including the international and global trading challenges to which his question refers. Central to the Government’s preparation for such challenges is the prudent management of the public finances in order to ensure that the economy remains competitive in the face of future economic...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Capital Expenditure Programme (5 Mar 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The capital allocations made in the Revised Estimates of Public Services and the National Development Plan 2018-2027 were informed by the extensive evidence base collated and published on the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform's website in 2017 as part of the mid-term review of the previous capital plan.  This evidence base included a macroeconomic analysis, an...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Brexit Preparations (5 Mar 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: Central to the Government’s preparation for Brexit is the prudent management of the public finances so as to ensure the economy remains competitive in the face of future economic headwinds.  Dedicated measures to prepare for Brexit have been announced in Budgets 2017, 2018 and 2019, to ensure that Ireland is in the best possible position to respond to the challenges that Brexit...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Betting Regulations (28 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: As I said, much work has already taken place regarding this issue. I thank the Deputy for acknowledging that. It is my intention to meet some representatives of the sector to have a discussion with them on the issue. I will not give a commitment at this point on how I will handle the tax strategy group papers because if I begin to pare out one sector or one issue from the entire process,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Betting Regulations (28 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy is looking for certainty on behalf of businesses that want to be able to offer certainty to their employees or to those providing funding or lending to them. He is then asking a hypothetical question about what I might do. All I will commit to doing at this point is continuing work that is already under way. My officials and my Department have done a lot of work in this area....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Property Tax Review (28 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: A review of the local property tax, LPT, is being carried out by the Department of Finance in conjunction with the Departments of the Taoiseach, Housing, Planning and Local Government, Public Expenditure and Reform and the Revenue Commissioners. The terms of reference require that in conducting the review, the review group is to have regard to the principle of achieving relative stability in...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Property Tax Review (28 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: What we have seen is a change in property prices. I am well aware of the consequences of all of that and of the concern it has caused for many regarding their future bills. The revaluation date is November. The bills are not due until next January. I will fulfil the commitment I have given to provide clarity and certainty on the matter. Regarding the impact it has had on local...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Estimates Process (28 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The central scenario that is forecast in budget 2019, as prepared by my Department, is the assumption that the UK will make an orderly exit. This would involve a transition period being agreed that extends or replicates existing frameworks until the end of next year. In other words, it is assumed that the UK will remain in the Single Market and customs union during this period. The...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Estimates Process (28 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: Three questions have been asked. As I have already said to Deputy Broughan, I am planning that there will be just one budget this year. That budget will be delivered in October of this year. We ended up moving to a very slight surplus of 0.1% last year. As I acknowledged at the time, that surplus was driven by corporation tax figures in November and December which came in even higher than...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Estimates Process (28 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I often compliment Deputy Boyd Barrett on the detail of the proposals he puts forward. I also argue that they would be disastrous.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Estimates Process (28 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I do not recollect those policies yielding a surplus. If the Deputy ever holds the job of Minister for Finance, it is very unlikely that he would make the case for sustained surpluses within our economy.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Estimates Process (28 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I am sure the Deputy would be looking to spend the surplus immediately.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Estimates Process (28 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: Deputy Burton asked how much the move we have made in relation to deferred accounting will cost this year. We do not have a figure for the cost this year, for the simple reason that if a disorderly Brexit takes place, it will clearly create economic costs and difficulties which we have tried to quantify. It is difficult for me to be able to say what exactly the mitigating effect of this...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Estimates Process (28 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: There is a difference between a budget being balanced and a budget moving into surplus. I am quite happy to look at the different proposals and alternative budgets that Deputies submit to me. However, I do not recollect Deputies Broughan or Boyd Barrett ever saying we should raise money that we should not spend.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Estimates Process (28 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I stand to be corrected by the Deputy.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Estimates Process (28 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I am sure the Deputy will correct me if he is moving to a hawkish position on the national finances of the country.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Estimates Process (28 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: If that is the Deputy's view, his surplus credentials are already weakening. I have outlined on a number of occasions all of the different things we have tried to do to deal with a no-Brexit scenario. In response to some earlier questions, I outlined where the Revenue is from a staff point of view and the work we are doing from an infrastructure point of view. A number of weeks ago, the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Betting Regulations (28 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The increase in betting duty from 1% to 2% and the increase in the betting intermediary duty rate came into effect on 1 January 2019. The last time the duty rate was increased was 1975. At 1%, betting duty was at an all-time low. Receipts from betting duty represented less than 1% of all excise receipts in 2017. It is likely that this will also be the case in 2018. In the course of last...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Brexit Issues (28 Feb 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: We are not planning to have the same infrastructure in place at or near the Border as in Dublin Port. That is exactly what we are trying to avoid at the moment. On recruitment and the resources sought by the Revenue Commissioners to deal with the new customs procedures to be put in place, I have made those resources available. I gave an overview on Tuesday evening of the different sections...