Results 24,921-24,940 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Yield (3 May 2023)

Michael McGrath: The Deputy should note that all receipts from betting duty go to the Exchequer. There is no distribution of betting duty revenue to any sporting organisation. Allocations to sport and to sporting organisations is determined through the annual estimates process and is a matter for my colleagues, the Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform and the Minister for Tourism,...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Departmental Reports (3 May 2023)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 113 and 114 together. Details of external consultant reports commissioned by my Department and bodies under the aegis of my Department since 2020, including cost, company involved and publication date by report are set out in the tables attached. External consultant reports commissioned by bodies under the aegis of the Department of Finance since 2020,...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Collection (3 May 2023)

Michael McGrath: Further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 208, 209 and 210 of 25 April 2023, I am advised that a shortfall in Local Property Tax (LPT) payments, deducted from Department of Social Protection (DSP) payments for 2021, occurred due to an IT systems miscalculation rather than a rounding error. The systems error was unique to 2021 and has not affected subsequent or previous years. I am further...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Departmental Bodies (3 May 2023)

Michael McGrath: The Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers Scheme provides relief from Vehicle Registration Tax and VAT on an adapted car, as well as an exemption from motor tax and an annual fuel grant. The Scheme is open to severely and permanently disabled persons as a driver or as a passenger and also to certain charitable organisations. In order to qualify for relief, the applicant must hold a...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Departmental Bodies (3 May 2023)

Michael McGrath: The Deputy should note that even though the Disabled Drivers Medical Board of Appeal (DDMBA) is not operational at the moment, assessments for a primary medical certificate (PMC), by the HSE, are continuing to take place. In this, regard, an important point to be aware of is that applicants who have been deemed not to have met one of the six eligibility criteria required for a PMC are...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Official Engagements (3 May 2023)

Michael McGrath: I visited the United States on two occasions recently, visiting Chicago for a St. Patrick's Day programme during March, and visiting Washington DC for the Spring Meetings of the IMF and World Bank during April. The St. Patrick's Day programme involved visits to both Toronto and Chicago. During the programme in Chicago I met with a wide range a wide range of political and business figures...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Reliefs (3 May 2023)

Michael McGrath: The Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (Tax Concessions) Scheme (DDS) provides relief from Vehicle Registration Tax and VAT on the use of an adapted car, as well as an exemption from motor tax and an annual fuel grant. The Scheme is open to severely and permanently disabled persons as a driver or as a passenger and also to certain charitable organisations. In order to qualify for...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Reliefs (3 May 2023)

Michael McGrath: The Help to Buy (HTB) incentive is a scheme to assist first-time purchasers with the deposit they need to buy or build a new house or apartment. The incentive gives a refund on Income Tax and Deposit Interest Retention Tax paid in the State over the previous four years, subject to limits outlined in the legislation. Section 477C of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 outlines the definitions and...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Public Sector Pay (3 May 2023)

Michael McGrath: I am informed that payroll for Revenue staff is managed by the National Shared Services Office (NSSO). The NSSO recently notified the staff of all Departments and Offices whose payroll they manage that the NSSO faced a number of challenges in delivering the retrospection of pay increases due under the Building Momentum 2022-2023 agreement. Revenue’s senior HR management team are in...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Interest Rates (9 May 2023)

Michael McGrath: I thank Deputy Doherty for raising this issue. As I have stated previously in the House, the position is that the formulation and implementation of monetary policy in the eurozone and the setting of official interest rates is an independent matter for the ECB. The Government has neither a role in setting official interest rates nor in setting the retail interest rates that lenders may...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Interest Rates (9 May 2023)

Michael McGrath: As the Deputy well knows, when I advocated in opposition for mortgage interest relief, it was for an extension of the relief, which was successfully secured by the then Opposition. Those are the facts and the Deputy knows that. He referred to the surplus this year, which, as he knows well, is coming from windfall corporation tax receipts, so the Government has to take that into account in...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Interest Rates (9 May 2023)

Michael McGrath: I have acknowledged the real-life impact on mortgage holders of the changes in ECB rates. The Deputy will always quote the very highest figures and the highest examples. The same Central Bank report to which he referred also points out 40% of mortgage holders are protected because they are on fixed rates. In the various scenarios it looks at, the average impact is 13% to 16%. That is not...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tax Code (9 May 2023)

Michael McGrath: I am aware of the committee’s recent examination of the section 481 film tax credit, and I understand the report was published today. As I said in reply to the Deputy earlier, when I checked online in the middle of the afternoon, it was not available, but I will read it. I compliment the committee on undertaking this work. In respect of the intellectual property rights of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tax Code (9 May 2023)

Michael McGrath: I acknowledge that the Deputy has been consistently raising this and related issues, and I am happy to pick up on the work my predecessor, Deputy Donohoe, did with him on these issues. The Minister of State, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, has met Screen Producers Ireland and visited Ardmore Studios. She will, I am sure, assist in trying to bring about a resolution to these issues. Section 481...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tax Code (9 May 2023)

Michael McGrath: I give the Deputy a commitment that I will certainly read the Committee on Budget Oversight report. I am happy to engage with him and the sector to try to make further progress on these issues within the constraints that I need to live within, recognising that copyright law that does not fall within the Department of Finance. As the Deputy knows, it is within the remit of the Department of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tax Code (9 May 2023)

Michael McGrath: I am more than happy to engage with Deputy Boyd Barrett. I acknowledge he has a track record in raising these issues. From my reading of it, in preparation for this question it seems that there has been considerable progress. There has been goodwill and considerable work has been done by my predecessor and the industry to make progress. We will see if we can continue with that work and...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defective Building Materials (9 May 2023)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I fully empathise with the terrible plight of those homeowners who are dealing with the devastation that mica has caused to their homes. I will do all that I can while I am in this office to help them and to support them. The Government response to the mica issue is led by my colleague the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defective Building Materials (9 May 2023)

Michael McGrath: To be straight with the Deputy, I have no problem whatsoever in meeting the group and I am sure the Minister of State, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, will do the same on the insurance issues. Perhaps we can meet them together. These are genuine issues. These homeowners should not be in this situation and the banks need to adopt a supportive role when it comes to helping them because there will...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defective Building Materials (9 May 2023)

Michael McGrath: I assure the Deputy there is no lack of will on my part to support these homeowners on these issues. The scheme itself has been established by the Minister. The legislation has been put in place and this has to be worked through. The Deputy has raised specific issues around the treatment of people in the context of their mortgages, the difficulties that are already there, and the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Small and Medium Enterprises (9 May 2023)

Michael McGrath: SMEs are the foundation of the economy, accounting for the majority of employment in the State. Their vital importance to our economy is reflected in our programme for Government commitments. On tax measures, my Department has been proactive in supporting SMEs by introducing and expanding a number of taxation measures, which help small businesses access investment, scale-up and expand....