Results 24,001-24,020 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Disability Services (24 Jan 2023)

Michael McGrath: I hear what the Deputy is saying. I have had quite an amount of experience as a Deputy over recent years dealing with this scheme. I have been dealing with people who qualify for the scheme and with others who have been waiting for their appeal to be heard. It is very frustrating for people who have very severe disabilities, in many instances, to be waiting so long to have their appeal...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tax Code (24 Jan 2023)

Michael McGrath: I thank Deputy Devlin for his good wishes. The position is that the programme for Government, Our Shared Future, contains a number of specific commitments relating to income tax. These include the commitment that from budget 2022 onwards, in the event that incomes are again rising as the economy recovers, credits and bands will be index linked to earnings. This will be done to prevent an...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tax Code (24 Jan 2023)

Michael McGrath: I thank Deputy Devlin who has raised issues that are very important to the future of our income tax code, including the recognition of the ambition to move to a circular economy and the importance of schemes and supports for retrofitting. He also mentioned specific sectors of our economy. It is worth highlighting the specific income tax and USC recommendations that were made by the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Mortgage Resolution Processes (24 Jan 2023)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy. Many of these individuals have been in touch with me directly as well and a number of Oireachtas colleagues have raised this issue with me. It is an issue of which I am very conscious. I recognise that the rate that many of these mortgage holders would have been on prior to the changes in the ECB interest rate would have been 4% or 4.5% but all of the ECB increases have...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Mortgage Resolution Processes (24 Jan 2023)

Michael McGrath: I have put on the record my concern for these customers. I recognise that interest rates at that level can cause real problems for these borrowers, some of whom are already in arrears, while others have cleared and come out of arrears. It is very challenging for them. I acknowledge that point. That is why, as a new Minister for Finance, I have raised it directly with the Central Bank to...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Customs and Excise (18 Jan 2023)

Michael McGrath: I am advised by Revenue that there are no restrictive measures on goods coming from Palestine. Both Palestine and Israel have Free trade agreements with the EU. However, goods produced in the Israeli settlements located within the territories brought under Israeli administration since June 1967 are not entitled to benefit from preferential tariff treatment under the EU-Israel Association...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Reliefs (18 Jan 2023)

Michael McGrath: The Department of Finance does not provide any grants for the purchase of a vehicle but instead administers the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (Tax Concessions) Scheme which provides relief from VAT and VRT (up to a certain limit) set against the purchase and use of an adapted car, and for transport of a person with specific severe and permanent physical disabilities. The...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Business Supports (18 Jan 2023)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 305 and 312 together. Details of the Temporary Business Energy Support Scheme (TBESS) are set out in Finance Act 2022. The scheme provides support to qualifying businesses in respect of energy costs relating to the period from 1 September 2022 to 28 February 2023 and is available to tax compliant businesses carrying on a trade or profession the profits of...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Public Services Provision (18 Jan 2023)

Michael McGrath: Currently, there is no law requiring the acceptance of card payments by State agencies or public facing offices. Entities will consider a number of factors before choosing to accept any type of payment instrument. In the case of accepting card payments, typically, one of the more relevant factors considered is the fees that an entity must pay. One of the most common fees affecting card...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (18 Jan 2023)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 307, 333, 341, 376, 377 and 381 together. I am advised by Revenue that the VAT rating of goods and services is subject to EU VAT law, with which Irish VAT law must comply.  In general, the Directive provides that all goods and services are liable to VAT at the standard rate unless they fall within Annex III of the Directive, in respect of which Member...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Revenue Commissioners (18 Jan 2023)

Michael McGrath: I am advised by Revenue that in-person appointments are currently being provided at its offices in Blackpool, Cork; Sarsfield House, Limerick and Geata na Cathrach, Galway. The service allows customers to schedule an appointment at a time that suits them by calling the Appointment Helpline on 01 738 36 60, from 09.30 to 13.30 (Monday to Friday). The provision of in-person appointments...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Legislative Measures (18 Jan 2023)

Michael McGrath: It has not been possible in the time available to compile an updated list of the information sought in the Deputy's PQ. My officials will revert in writing to the Deputy when this is ready. Please note however that where the Oireachtas has chosen to provide a discretion to a Minister to commence legislation the Oireachtas has decided it should not commence...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (18 Jan 2023)

Michael McGrath: The Temporary Wage Subsidy (TWSS) was in place between 26 March and 31 August 2020 and was introduced as an emergency income support for employees of vulnerable firms whose businesses had been negatively impacted by COVID restrictions and whose turnover had reduced by at least 25% during Q2 2020.  The support was paid via the employer so as to maintain employment links between the...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Reliefs (18 Jan 2023)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 311, 319, 335 and 352 together. Recent Government policy has focused on strengthening the environmental rationale behind company car taxation. Until the changes brought in as part of the Finance Act 2019, Ireland’s vehicle benefit-in-kind regime was unusual in that there was no overall CO2 rationale in the regime. This is despite a CO2 based vehicle...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (18 Jan 2023)

Michael McGrath: I have been advised by Revenue that, based on the information provided, it is not possible to provide a definitive view of the tax implications in this case and direct contact with Revenue is recommended. Where a gift (or inheritance) is within the charge to Irish CAT, the tax liability will be computed in accordance with the relevant provisions of CATCA 2003. For CAT purposes, the...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Mortgage Interest Rates (18 Jan 2023)

Michael McGrath: Where a mortgage or other credit agreement is sold or assigned the terms and conditions of the agreement, including those terms in relation to the interest rate, remain in place and the entity which acquires the agreement cannot be in a better position than the entity which sold the agreement and cannot unilaterally change the terms of the agreement. In terms of regulation, the Central...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Appeals Commission (18 Jan 2023)

Michael McGrath: In response to the Deputies’ question I am informed by the Tax Appeals Commission that it does not separately record whether determinations are in favour of or against the taxpayer concerned. The Appeal Commissioners issue determinations based on the facts presented to them and the application of the relevant legislation pertaining to the appeal. All determinations are published on the...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Banking Sector (18 Jan 2023)

Michael McGrath: In 2021, Ulster Bank announced its intentions to commence a phased withdrawal from the Irish market. As part of this process, Ulster Bank plans to transfer its loans, including mortgages, to other providers. While it is regrettable that Ulster Bank has decided to exit the market, as Minister for Finance, I do not have a role in the operations of any bank operating within the State. My...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Consumer Rights (18 Jan 2023)

Michael McGrath: I understand that the Deputy is referring to hire purchase agreements on a business-to-business basis. Consumer type agreements are regulated by the Central Bank and under recent legislation - the Consumer Protection (Regulation of Retail Credit and Credit Servicing Firms) Act 2022 – it was provided that any entity which provides directly or indirectly credit, hire purchase and...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Reliefs (18 Jan 2023)

Michael McGrath: Section 469 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 (TCA 1997) provides for income tax relief in respect of qualifying health expenses. Such relief may be claimed where the person making the claim satisfies the conditions of the relief and has paid income tax in the relevant period.  In the case raised by the Deputy, I am advised by Revenue that according to its records the person...