Results 17,821-17,840 of 27,019 for speaker:Michael Noonan

Finance Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (25 Nov 2014)

Michael Noonan: I understood that the Deputy's position on equality is that all women are created equal and that all men are created equal and that we should ensure under our laws that men and women are created equally as well. I did not understand that he had a more restricted definition of equality where only those subgroups selected by Sinn Féin are to be treated equally and it is not a general...

Finance Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (25 Nov 2014)

Michael Noonan: I thank Deputy McGrath for the amendment. The system of individualisation has been in the tax code since it was introduced by the former Minister, Charlie McCreevy, in 1999. It is now integral to the overall system. When first announced, the stated purposes of individualisation were, essentially, to ease the burden on single persons, 65% of the workforce; to take workers on the average...

Finance Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (25 Nov 2014)

Michael Noonan: I accept the Deputy's bona fides on this, but the home carer's allowance is only one part of the measures introduced to repair the damage done to one earner families when individualisation was introduced in 1999. The reason married one earners do not benefit as much from the income tax cuts as single individuals or two earner couples is because they already pay much less income tax. It is...

Finance Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (25 Nov 2014)

Michael Noonan: I move amendment No. 5:In page 16, between lines 38 and 39, to insert the following:"Amendment of section 467 of Principal Act (employed person taking care of incapacitated individual)12.Section 467 of the Principal Act is amended in subsections (2) and (3) by substituting "€75,000" for "€50,000" in each place.".Section 467 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 provides for tax...

Finance Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (25 Nov 2014)

Michael Noonan: 1,780.

Finance Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (25 Nov 2014)

Michael Noonan: I do not have that information, but the advice from the Department of Health is that an increase will enable claims to be made for legitimate expenses incurred for keeping incapacitated people at home and that it will increase the number cared for at home or at least maintain the same number being cared for at home and take pressure from acute hospitals and nursing homes.

Finance Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (25 Nov 2014)

Michael Noonan: I do not have the average claim.

Finance Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (25 Nov 2014)

Michael Noonan: As the Deputy will be aware, the single person child care credit is, in the first instance, only available to the primary carer of the child. In circumstances where the primary carer cannot utilise the credit - for example, because of insufficient taxable income - the primary carer may relinquish the credit and a secondary claimant may claim it. However, the requirement for a primary...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Property Taxation Collection (25 Nov 2014)

Michael Noonan: I note that in the details supplied by the Deputy the individual concerned has asked why there are no concessions for the elderly when paying the Local Property Tax (LPT).  The Government decided that a liability to the LPT should apply to all owners of residential properties with a limited number of exemptions.  As a matter of Government policy, and in order to keep the rate of...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (25 Nov 2014)

Michael Noonan: I understand the Deputy to be referring to the Travel Pass/Taxsaver commuter ticket scheme.  The scheme operates on the basis that an employer pays for the ticket on behalf of an employee, typically at the start of the year, and the payment is then deducted from the employee's emoluments over the course of the year.  The incentive operates on the basis that, although such a payment...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: National Pensions Reserve Fund Investments (25 Nov 2014)

Michael Noonan: In July 2013, in order to meet expected costs arising, Irish Water entered into a €250m bridging loan facility with the National Pensions Reserve Fund Commission (NPRF), which is repayable in September 2015.  This facility was part drawn at the end of 2013 and was fully drawn down during 2014.  Earlier this month, the NPRF agreed to increase the amount available under...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (25 Nov 2014)

Michael Noonan: The Deputy will be aware that I announced on Budget Day that it was my intention to launch a public consultation in the coming months on this issue. There is a view that owners of zoned and serviced land are waiting for higher prices and that is why they are not taking steps to develop their land or sell it to others who will. If this turns out to be a valid point of view,...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Banking Sector Regulation (25 Nov 2014)

Michael Noonan: The Central Bank has informed me that all alleged instances of unauthorised activity that come to the attention of the Central Bank are investigated in full and appropriate action is taken where necessary. The Central Bank does not comment on any individual investigations.

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Mortgage Interest Rates (25 Nov 2014)

Michael Noonan: I can confirm for the Deputy that I am aware of the net interest margin being generated from variable rate mortgages at the banks including the discussions that were had in this regard at the recent meetings of the Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform with the banks' CEOs.  At the Committee the banks pointed out that in comparing the SVR mortgage...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Exemptions (25 Nov 2014)

Michael Noonan: I am advised by Revenue that for reasons of taxpayer confidentiality it cannot comment on the tax affairs of individual bodies. However, Revenue has informed me that in order to avail of a charitable tax exemption, a body or trust must be established for charitable purposes only and must apply all of its income in that regard. Revenue has also confirmed to me that it has procedures in...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Rebates (25 Nov 2014)

Michael Noonan: In April 2013 the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that the excise relief element of the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (Tax Concessions) Scheme is incompatible with the EU Energy Tax Directive. My Department has informed the European Commission of my intention to remove the excise relief element of the Scheme at the end of 2014 and replace it with a fuel grant in...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Revenue Commissioners Resources (25 Nov 2014)

Michael Noonan: From the week commencing Monday 17th November 2014, Revenue's 1890 Stamp Duty phone service has been reduced to a Tuesday to Thursday, 10am to 1pm, service. The revised service hours form part of an overall review of customer service to Stamp Duty customers and follows on from Revenue's engagement with the primary users of the phone service, namely, the legal profession. The changes to the...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Credits (25 Nov 2014)

Michael Noonan: As the Deputy will be aware, the Single Person Child Carer Credit is, in the first instance, only available to the primary carer of the child. Agreement as to who will be the primary carer of a child is a matter for the parents or guardians. In circumstances where the primary carer cannot utilise the credit for example, because of insufficient taxable income - the primary carer may...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Rebates (25 Nov 2014)

Michael Noonan: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that the details supplied by the named individual are sufficient to enable a tax refund to be made to that person. I am further informed that a refund was recently made to the named individual.

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Mortgage Interest Rates (25 Nov 2014)

Michael Noonan: On the issue more generally, the lending institutions in Ireland - including those in which the State has a shareholding - are independent commercial entities. I have no statutory role in relation to regulated financial institutions passing on the European Central Bank interest rate change or in relation to the mortgage interest rates charged.  It is a commercial matter...