Results 18,461-18,480 of 27,019 for speaker:Michael Noonan

Consumer Protection (Regulation of Credit Servicing Firms) Bill 2015: Second Stage (4 Feb 2015)

Michael Noonan: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I welcome the opportunity to address the House on this important legislation, which is a priority issue for the Government. The purpose of the legislation is to protect consumers whose loans are sold by regulated financial service providers to unregulated firms. It will address concerns surrounding the continued applicability of the...

Consumer Protection (Regulation of Credit Servicing Firms) Bill 2015: Second Stage (4 Feb 2015)

Michael Noonan: The previous Bill collapsed.

Consumer Protection (Regulation of Credit Servicing Firms) Bill 2015: Second Stage (Resumed) (4 Feb 2015)

Michael Noonan: Is the Deputy referring to the song "A Hard Rain's A-gonna Fall"?

Consumer Protection (Regulation of Credit Servicing Firms) Bill 2015: Second Stage (Resumed) (4 Feb 2015)

Michael Noonan: While I accept that the Deputy is most entertaining, there is nothing about Gulliver's travels in the Bill.

Consumer Protection (Regulation of Credit Servicing Firms) Bill 2015: Second Stage (Resumed) (4 Feb 2015)

Michael Noonan: If the Deputy wishes to sell the film rights to his script, I have Stephen Spielberg's number.

Consumer Protection (Regulation of Credit Servicing Firms) Bill 2015: Second Stage (Resumed) (4 Feb 2015)

Michael Noonan: I thank Deputies for their contribution to this debate. As I outlined this morning, this is a priority issue for the Government. The purpose of the legislation is to protect consumers whose loans are sold by regulated financial service providers to unregulated firms and I welcome the broad support given by Members to this overall objective. We are all agreed our aim is to protect the...

Consumer Protection (Regulation of Credit Servicing Firms) Bill 2015: Second Stage (Resumed) (4 Feb 2015)

Michael Noonan: On the other hand, the Family Home Protection Acts, sponsored by the Department of Justice and Equality, make provision for the distribution of property if a person dies while making a will or without a will and for certain rights for husbands and wives. I will reflect on the issue, but perhaps the Deputy will raise the issue separately with the Minister for Justice and Equality as the base...

Consumer Protection (Regulation of Credit Servicing Firms) Bill 2015: Referral to Select Committee (4 Feb 2015)

Michael Noonan: I move:That the Bill be referred to the Select Sub-Committee on Finance pursuant to Standing Order 82A(3)(a) and (6)(a) and 126(1).

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Corporation Tax Regime (4 Feb 2015)

Michael Noonan: Last year, the Competition Directorate of the European Commission announced their intention to open formal state aid investigations into tax rulings provided to a number of companies in various Member States of the European Union.  This announcement is part of a much wider review of tax ruling practice that is currently being undertaken by the European Commission and recently the...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Real Estate Investment Trusts (4 Feb 2015)

Michael Noonan: The tax framework for Real Estate Investment Trust companies was introduced into law in Finance Act 2013.  My officials have been advised by the Revenue Commissioners that there is no tax return data available yet in relation to the three REITs that have been established:  - The first REIT to be listed on the Irish Stock Exchange was the Green REIT plc in July 2013 but my...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Home Repossession (4 Feb 2015)

Michael Noonan: This Government is tackling the issue of mortgage arrears head on.  We overhauled the structures to support customers in arrears to find solutions.The Deputy will be aware that the Government's Strategy to address the problem of mortgage arrears was formulated in response to the recommendations of the Keane Report (2011) and the main elements of it are: - Engagement with the banks to...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: European Council Meetings (4 Feb 2015)

Michael Noonan: The Ecofin Council met on 27thJanuary 2015. It was the first Ecofin meeting held under the Latvian Presidency of the Council. I represented Ireland at the meeting which was attended by representatives of the other 27 EU Member States along with representatives of the European Commission; the European Central Bank; the European Investment Bank; the Economic and Financial Committee of the...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Bank Restructuring (4 Feb 2015)

Michael Noonan: A way forward for Permanent TSB was agreed with the Troika in April 2012 which envisaged it playing an important role in the future of Irish retail banking, being a more focused retail bank bringing competition to the marketplace which has consolidated significantly since 2008. In this regard Permanent TSB prepared a Restructuring Plan, which was submitted to the European Commission ("the...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (4 Feb 2015)

Michael Noonan: In Budget 2015 I announced my intention to launch a public consultation on the issue of unused zoned and serviced land with a view to examining what taxation measures might be taken to penalise land owners who do not develop such land. I expect to launch this consultation shortly. The aim of the public consultation will be to assess the extent to which the taxation system - through penal...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Exemptions (4 Feb 2015)

Michael Noonan: The most recent year for which data is currently available in respect of levels of income from all sources, including exempt artistic income, of those who claimed the Artists' Exemption is 2012. In that year, approximately 44% of claimants had incomes of between €0 and €20,000, while almost 20% of claimants had incomes of between €20,000 and...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (4 Feb 2015)

Michael Noonan: The Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI) is built on the foundation stone that was laid by the Taoiseach and Chancellor Merkel when they agreed that the German promotional bank Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW) would help finance the Irish SME sector when Ireland was exiting the EU/IMF programme in late 2013. I asked my Department and the National...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: European Central Bank (4 Feb 2015)

Michael Noonan: As widely anticipated, the ECB, announced an expanded asset purchase programme on January 22nd to include bonds issued by euro area central governments, agencies and European institutions. Under this expanded programme, the combined monthly purchases of public and private sector debt securities will amount to €60 billion. These monthly purchases are intended to be carried out from...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Fuel Laundering (4 Feb 2015)

Michael Noonan: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners, who are responsible for tackling fuel fraud, that they are very aware of the risks posed to consumers' vehicles, legitimate businesses and the Exchequer by all forms of fuel fraud. Over the past number of months the Revenue Commissioners have received reports from a variety of locations around the country of problems relating to petrol quality,...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (4 Feb 2015)

Michael Noonan: First of all, I would point out to the Deputy that the USC surcharge only impacts on a small proportion of the high earning self-employed. In 2012, the latest year for which definitive figures are available, just over 11,000 taxpayers paid the 3% USC surcharge. This represents approximately 6% of taxpayers whose primary income is not subject to PAYE, or half of one per cent of...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Mortgage Arrears Rate (4 Feb 2015)

Michael Noonan: This Government tackled the issue of mortgage arrears head on.  We overhauled the systems and structures to support customers in arrears to find solutions. The Deputy will be aware that the Government's Strategy to address the problem of mortgage was formulated in response to the recommendations of the Keane Report (2011) and the main elements of it are: - Engagement with the banks to...