Results 19,061-19,080 of 27,019 for speaker:Michael Noonan

Written Answers — Department of Finance: National Debt (24 Mar 2015)

Michael Noonan: At the end of 20131, the general government debt per capita figures were €46,950 for Ireland and €28,848 for Greece while the comparable Gross National Income (GNI) per capita figures were €32,391 and €16,486 for Ireland and Greece respectively. These equate to a debt to GNI percentage of 144.9% for Ireland and 175.0% for Greece. It should be noted that Gross...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Insurance Industry Regulation (24 Mar 2015)

Michael Noonan: The Central Bank Review of the Sale of Payment Protection Insurance on 11 credit institutions was reported on in March 2014. Since then one further institution has made refunds to PPI customers. I am informed by the Central Bank that allcustomers identified for refunds under the reviews were written to and made offers of refunds.  If any PPI customer considers that they should have...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council Membership (24 Mar 2015)

Michael Noonan: An open selection process for the recent appointment of a Member of the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council was undertaken in accordance with the "Guidelines for appointments to state boards" published by the Government in November 2014.  The vacancy was advertised on Stateboards.ie and the process was managed by the Public Appointments Service (PAS). The advertisement, which requested...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (24 Mar 2015)

Michael Noonan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 269, 270, 274 and 275 together. The position is that in Finance Act 2010, mortgage interest relief was extended up to end of 2017 for those whose entitlement to relief was due to end in 2010 or after.  Therefore, tax relief will continue to be available in respect of interest paid by an individual on qualifying home loans taken out on or after 1...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Freedom of Information Data (24 Mar 2015)

Michael Noonan: Under section 20 of the Freedom of Information Act, 2014 I have delegated the powers of decision maker and reviewer to officers in my Department. In practice this means that Assistant Principal Officers or equivalents are decision makers and Principal Officers or equivalents act as reviewers of Freedom of Information requests made under the Act to my Department. These officials have the...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Data (24 Mar 2015)

Michael Noonan: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that net tax receipts  in respect of activities such as producing gas fields would most likely be recorded in the trade sector "Mining and Quarrying" in the "Net Receipts by Sector" table noted by the Deputy. These sectoral receipts figures are based ona sector identifier used on the tax records called the "NACE code" (the current version of...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Mortgage Arrears Proposals (24 Mar 2015)

Michael Noonan: The correspondence referred to in the Deputy's question makes the case that large scale debt forgiveness by the Government to distressed mortgage holders is not a fair response to the issue and would disadvantage those currently renting and wishing to purchase an affordable home. The Government has developed a comprehensive cross-Departmental strategy to support households in arrears in...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Home Repossession (24 Mar 2015)

Michael Noonan: The Consumer Credit Act provides that any communication issued by or on behalf of a mortgage lender to a borrower which refers to the possibility of possession proceedings being taken under the mortgage, shall contain an estimate of the cost to the borrower of such proceedings. This requirement is spelt out in more detail in the CCMA and at various points in the MARP process, the lender is...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: National Treasury Management Agency (24 Mar 2015)

Michael Noonan: The National Treasury Management Agency (the "NTMA") advised the Committee of Public Accounts in February 2014 that, in view of the nature of the failings at State Street identified by the Financial Conduct Authority, the National Pensions Reserve Fund (the "Fund") had terminated its contract with State Street Global Advisers ("SSGA"), which managed an indexed equity mandate for the...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Collection (24 Mar 2015)

Michael Noonan: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that general guidance on the tax treatment of expenses is available on Revenue's website, including Statement of Practice SP/IT/2/2007 (Tax Treatment of the reimbursement of Expenses of Travel and Subsistence to Office Holders and Employees) and two information leaflets IT51 (Employees' Motoring/Bicycle Expenses) and IT54 (Employees' Subsistence...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Home Repossession Rate (24 Mar 2015)

Michael Noonan: While the Courts Service operates as an independent corporate organisation, primary responsibility for reporting on matters before the Courts, including home repossession cases, lies with the Department of Justice and Equality.  I have been informed by the Courts Service that the actual number of new cases initiated for repossession of land and/or...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Home Repossession Rate (24 Mar 2015)

Michael Noonan: While the Courts Service operates as an independent corporate organisation, primary responsibility for reporting on matters before the Courts, including home repossession cases, lies with the Department of Justice and Equality.  I have been informed by the Courts Service that the actual number of new cases initiated for repossession of land and/or...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Data (24 Mar 2015)

Michael Noonan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 281 and 282 together. I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that a wide range of statistical information is now available on the Revenue Commissioners' new, enhanced, statistics webpage at . In particular, in response to the Deputy's Questions, detailed information is presented on the breakdowns of gross income at . This information can be found under the...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Reliefs Availability (24 Mar 2015)

Michael Noonan: I have no plans to introduce incentives along the lines suggested by the Deputy. The Deputy will appreciate that tax reliefs and exemptions have costs which have to be paid for and their introduction must be considered only where there is a clear economic and social policy need to be addressed.  It should be noted in relation to local property tax (LPT), that where a person...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Mortgage Arrears Rate (24 Mar 2015)

Michael Noonan: The Central Bank publish a quarterly Residential Mortgage Arrears and Repossessions statistical release which provides some information about home repossessions at a national level only, and consequently no regional breakdown is available.  The last release, published on 6th March 2015, was for end-Q4 2014 and is available here: The Q4 release shows that of the 110,366 total...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Mortgage Interest Rates (24 Mar 2015)

Michael Noonan: At the outset, I must confirm to the Deputy that the lending institutions in Ireland - including those in which the State has a significant 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 to the mortgage interest rates charged.  It is a...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Disabled Drivers Grant Appeals (24 Mar 2015)

Michael Noonan: The Disabled Drivers Medical Board of Appeal has informed me that the person (details supplied) had her appeal heard and was unsuccessful in the appeal.  If an appeal is refused, a citizen can reapply after six months if there is a deterioration in their condition.

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Insurance Levy (24 Mar 2015)

Michael Noonan: The Central Bank of Ireland has responsibility under Section 6 of the Insurance Act 1964 to assess the Insurance Compensation Fund from time to time to see if it needs financial support. Where it is of the opinion that the state of the ICF is such that financial support should be provided for it, it is allowed determine an appropriate contribution to be paid to the ICF by each...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Ireland Strategic Investment Fund Investments (24 Mar 2015)

Michael Noonan: The National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA) Amendment Act 2014 established the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund. Pursuant to the Act, the NTMA shall determine, monitor and keep under review an investment strategy for the assets of the Fund in accordance with the policy of the Fund. The Act provides that in determining and reviewing the investment strategy, the NTMA shall consult with...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Defined Benefit Pension Schemes (24 Mar 2015)

Michael Noonan: In the first instance all questions to do with the Commercial semi-states are a matter for the Minister with responsibility for the sector concerned.  In the nature of participating with NewERA on departmental steering groups established to consider specific state asset disposals, officials from my Department participated in discussions and/or have been circulated with documents...