Results 10,141-10,160 of 32,864 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Flood Risk Assessments (20 Sep 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I am aware of the difficulties that the absence or withdrawal of flood insurance cover can cause to homeowners and businesses, and that is one of the reasons the Government has been prioritising investment in flood defences over the last number of years.  However, you should be aware that the provision of insurance is a commercial matter for insurance...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Insurance Fraud (20 Sep 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: At the outset, the Deputy should note that tackling fraud is one of the six key objectives within the Action Plan of the Report on the Cost of Motor Insurance. This Report recommended the setting up of a fully functioning insurance fraud database for industry to detect patterns of fraud. A dedicated Working Group has been set up in the Department of Justice and Equality to implement...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Interest Rates (20 Sep 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The issue of standard variable mortgage rates is a significant one for this Government and the Programme for a Partnership Government has set out a number of important and practical measures which seek to improve the position of variable rate mortgage holders. A key item was the request to the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC)...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Credit Union Regulation (20 Sep 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The Credit Union Act 1997 (1997 Act) contains provisions in relation to membership, membership approval and expulsion.  In particular Section 17(3) of the 1997 Act states that a person shall not be a member unless he has at least one fully paid-up share in the credit union, but the rules of the credit union shall not require a person to have more than €10, or...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Economic Competitiveness (20 Sep 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: Addressing Ireland’s economic competitiveness is a key economic policy priority for Government, as outlined in the Summer Economic Statement published in July. The Action Plan for Jobs 2017 sets out a range of initiatives across Government Departments to support competitiveness. The National Competitiveness Council has reported regularly to the relevant Cabinet Committee where its...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (20 Sep 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I can confirm to the Deputy that I have not met with the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (IFAC) since assuming my role as Minister for Finance. In July of this year I met with the Chairman of the IFAC, Mr Seamus Coffey, in relation to the Review of Ireland’s Corporation Tax Code. This meeting did not relate to Mr Coffey’s work as Chair of the Fiscal Council.

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Budget Statement (20 Sep 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy will be aware, it is a longstanding practice of the Minister for Finance not to comment, in advance of the Budget, on any tax matters that might be the subject of Budget decisions.

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Data Protection (20 Sep 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I, as Minister for Finance, have no statutory role in relation to the matters referred to in the question. As the Deputy will be aware the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner comes under the aegis of my colleague the Minister for Justice and Equality. I am aware of recent media reports on the loss of certain customer data. I have been informed by the AIB Group that it adheres to...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Disabled Drivers and Passengers Scheme (20 Sep 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers Scheme provides relief from VAT and Vehicle Registration Tax, an exemption from motor tax and a grant in respect of fuel expenditure, on the purchase of an adapted car for transport of a permanently and severely disabled person within the terms of the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (Tax Concessions) Regulations 1994. To...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Flood Relief Schemes (20 Sep 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I am conscious of the difficulties that the absence or withdrawal of flood insurance cover can cause to homeowners and businesses, and that is one of the reasons the Government has been prioritising investment in flood defences over the last number of years. However, the provision of insurance cover and the price at which it is offered is a commercial matter for...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Brexit Issues (20 Sep 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 193 and 194 together. I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that they are actively engaged in examining a range of scenarios in order to support Ireland's Brexit objectives. As previously indicated, until the shape of post-Brexit arrangements becomes clear, it will not be possible to formulate specific plans. I am therefore informed by Revenue that...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: European Banking Authority (20 Sep 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The procedure agreed by the European Council for the relocation of the European Agencies currently located in London, the European Banking Authority (EBA) and the European Medicines Authority (EMA), stresses that the business continuity of the two Agencies is vital and must be ensured. Business continuity is one of the six essential criteria in the relocation selection process and...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Mortgage Interest Rates (20 Sep 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy will be aware, the Central Bank of Ireland introduced an Addendum to the Consumer Protection Code 2012 in February of this year. These new regulatory provisions are designed to better inform and protect rate mortgage holders in relation to changes in variable mortgage interest rates (excluding tracker interest rates). Under these...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Home Renovation Incentive Scheme Applications (20 Sep 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: As regards the Home Renovation Incentive (HRI), relief is given by way of an income tax credit as distinct from a tax rebate. Relief, where it is arises, is applied evenly over not less than a two year period.  Where a person’s income level is such that the person pays no tax in a given two year period, then the person will be unable to claim the relief in that period. ...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: NAMA Loan Book Value (20 Sep 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I would firstly refer the Deputy to my response to Parliamentary Question 94 of 29 June 2017, where I highlighted page 46, in particular, of the 2016 NAMA Annual Report, which outlines that the outstanding principal balance of NAMA’s loans and receivables portfolio at end-2016 was €28.4 billion.  The corresponding carrying value of loans (net of impairment) held...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: NAMA Operations (20 Sep 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I would refer the Deputy to Dáil Questions No. 64 of June 22, 2017 and No. 273 of May 2, 2017, which outline that the NAMA retention and redundancy scheme was established to help safeguard NAMA’s performance, aid the Agency in retaining its operational capabilities through the retention of key staff during the course of its disposal strategy, and allow NAMA to fulfil its objective...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Data (20 Sep 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I am advised by Revenue that a Pre-Budget 2018 Ready Reckoner is available on the Revenue Statistics webpage at www.revenue.ie/en/corporate/documents/statistics/ready-recko ner.pdf. The statistics contained in this Ready Reckoner are 2018 estimates from the Revenue tax forecasting model using latest actual data for the year 2015, adjusted as necessary for income, self-employment and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Redeployment (20 Sep 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 204 and 208 together. The Public Sector Transfer Network allows employees to transfer service from one member organisation to another. The legislative provision for this is Section 4 of the Superannuation and Pensions Act 1963, which allows for the transfer of pensionable service in the case of staff transfers between the Civil Service and "approved...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Pension Provisions (21 Sep 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I am advised by Revenue that an individual in a defined contribution pension savings arrangement has the option of putting the funds accumulated under the arrangement into an Approved Retirement Fund (ARF) on retirement, subject to conditions. Where such an individual is under the age of 75 at the time of exercising the option and does not meet the requirement of having a minimum...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Universal Social Charge Abolition (21 Sep 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I am advised by Revenue that the estimated full year cost of abolishing the Universal Social Charge (USC) in 2018 on all income less than €90,000 is €2,800 million.  This costing includes the abolition of USC on all incomes less than €90,000, i.e., those earning in excess of €90,000 only pay USC on the portion of their earnings in excess of €90,000....