Results 25,281-25,300 of 33,175 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Exemptions (3 Nov 2021)

Paschal Donohoe: The original policy objective of the dwelling house exemption relief was to alleviate the hardship of an inheritance tax liability for a person who inherits a house in which he or she had been living with the deceased and to ensure that the person did not have to sell the house to pay the tax liability. Over time, however, the relief had moved away from its original policy focus, and was...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (3 Nov 2021)

Paschal Donohoe: In Finance Act 2019 I legislated for a CO2-based BIK regime for company cars from 1/1/2023. From that date the amount taxable as BIK remains determined by the car’s original market value (OMV) and the annual business kilometres driven, while new CO2 emissions-based bands will determine whether a standard, discounted, or surcharged rate is taxable. The number of mileage bands is reduced...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Revenue Commissioners (3 Nov 2021)

Paschal Donohoe: I am advised by Revenue that its telephone Helplines remain operational despite the difficulties encountered from the COVID-19 pandemic. Further details on the Helpline opening hours is available on the 'Contact Us' page of Revenue website, which may be of interest to the Deputy. Revenue has also confirmed that the LPT, PAYE and Self-Assessment Helplines are currently experiencing...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Fuel Prices (4 Nov 2021)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 250 and 252 together. The price of petrol and diesel is determined by a number of factors including taxation, the price of the raw materials, the prevailing exchange rates as well as the fact the different wholesalers can enter into forward contracts at different rates for the purchase of oil. The price of fuel on the forecourt is set by the individual...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Exemptions (4 Nov 2021)

Paschal Donohoe: The Finance (Local Property Tax) Act 2012 (as amended) provides for certain properties to be exempt from LPT during the current valuation period (2013 to 2021) and the next valuation period (2022 to 2025) where they meet certain qualifying conditions. However, certain exemptions will expire on 31 December 2021 and as such will not be available for the new valuation period. These include...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Cross-Border Co-operation (4 Nov 2021)

Paschal Donohoe: I can inform the Deputy that the Department of Finance has no record of funding allocated to cross-Border Project Ireland 2040 infrastructure projects in 2021, 2022 and 2023. The Deputy will note that my response refers only to Department of Finance records and I cannot comment on behalf of other Departments.

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Cross-Border Co-operation (4 Nov 2021)

Paschal Donohoe: I can inform the Deputy that the Department of Finance has no record of spending on current cross-Border initiatives and has no commitments to funding goods or services related to cross-Border initiatives in 2021, 2022 and 2023. The Deputy will note that my response refers only to Department of Finance records and I cannot comment on behalf of other Departments.

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (4 Nov 2021)

Paschal Donohoe: Defibrillators, other than implantable defibrillators, are liable to VAT at the standard rate, which in Ireland is 23%. Parts or accessories are also liable to VAT at the standard rate. There is no provision under existing VAT law that would make it possible to apply a reduced rate or zero rate to the supply of such products. Under the EU VAT Directive, Member States may retain the zero rate...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Fuel Prices (9 Nov 2021)

Paschal Donohoe: My apologies to the House for keeping Members waiting. I am advised by Revenue that the VAT rating of goods and services is subject to the requirements of EU VAT law, with which Irish VAT law must comply. The VAT directive obliges each member state to have a standard rate of VAT and allows that a member state may choose to have no more than two reduced rates of VAT which may be applied to...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Fuel Prices (9 Nov 2021)

Paschal Donohoe: I was responding to the question the Deputy provided to me in writing. He asked about a rebate or an exemption from VAT for domestic energy supplies. I answered the question that was put to me. He made reference to the Czech Republic but it is notable that out of all the members of the European Union, at the moment only two are engaged with the Commission and the Union regarding a change...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Fuel Prices (9 Nov 2021)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy must note the starting positions of those other countries. The starting position of Spain and the Czech Republic is a standard rate of 21%. We already apply a lower rate than 21%. Our starting position compared to that of those other countries is very different. The starting position of Spain is 21% while our starting position is 13.5%. That is the difference. They have an...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tax Code (9 Nov 2021)

Paschal Donohoe: I should remind the Deputy of the many different ways in which wealth is currently taxed, for example through capital gains tax, deposit interest retention tax, or DIRT, and the local property tax. Any revenue raised from a wealth tax may not therefore be additional to the existing forms of wealth taxation, as revenues from those taxes could be affected by the introduction of a wealth tax. ...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tax Code (9 Nov 2021)

Paschal Donohoe: I noted in my reply the array and level of taxes we have on capital. Our capital gains tax and capital acquisitions tax are very high in comparison to many other countries in the European Union and OECD countries. We already tax capital at a very high level. The Deputy was right in saying I acknowledged in my reply that a share of the wealth is wrapped up in property that is owned in terms...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tax Code (9 Nov 2021)

Paschal Donohoe: How many of the workers the Deputy referred to are employed by the corporations to which he also referred? Many of those corporations are very large employers employing a large share of the workers he correctly identified. We receive income tax on the salaries those corporations pay those workers. We receive tax from the investments those corporations make here. It comes back to the...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Treasury Management Agency (9 Nov 2021)

Paschal Donohoe: Ireland was one of the first countries to divest public money from fossil fuel investments. The Fossil Fuel Divestment Act 2018 was signed into law by the President of Ireland in December of that year.  The Act imposes certain prohibitions and restrictions with respect to the investment by the National Treasury Management Agency, NTMA, of assets of the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund,...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Treasury Management Agency (9 Nov 2021)

Paschal Donohoe: ISIF is already doing this on a national level. It has published a list of the nearly 250 fossil fuel companies it does not invest in, much of it for the reason the Deputy has just outlined in that we believe, as a country, it is appropriate we not invest in fuels and technology that can do more harm to the future of our world and national environment. It was one of the first agencies of...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Treasury Management Agency (9 Nov 2021)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy's point about the need to tell people what we are doing is relevant to this debate. Much of what he is calling on me and the European Union to do is happening. I have just mentioned what ISIF has done. Only a few weeks ago, the Governor of the Central Bank wrote to all of the CEOs involved in the insurance sector about investment decisions they make, reminding them of the need...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Forestry Sector (9 Nov 2021)

Paschal Donohoe: I know the Deputy's question relates to farmers or foresters who sell their trees for profit and whose trees have become damaged or diseased. As he said, there is a particular issue with ash dieback disease, sometimes referred to as chalara, which is of particular relevance to his question. Profits or gains from the occupation of woodland in the State, which is managed on a commercial basis...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Forestry Sector (9 Nov 2021)

Paschal Donohoe: However, we have acted. Ash dieback was not a regulated disease in the European Union when it was detected here and as I understand, it is still not a regulated disease in the EU. Ireland and the United Kingdom were the first countries to introduce emergency national legislation to restrict the impact and import of ash plants from other member states. The then Government acted to restrict...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Forestry Sector (9 Nov 2021)

Paschal Donohoe: Everything from the Deputy is always about blame. It is always about blaming somebody.