Results 19,981-20,000 of 34,135 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Yield (5 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I am advised by Revenue that Solid Fuel is subject to both Carbon Tax (SFCT) and VAT. SFCT is an excise duty that applies to coal and peat supplied in Ireland on or after 1 May 2013. Wood is not liable to the SFCT and wood products that have no solid fuel component are also not liable to SFCT. Solid fuels are liable to VAT at a rate of 13.5%. The carbon tax collected from solid fuels in...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Staff Training (5 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: In response to the Deputy’s question 300 people in my Department have received training in respect of GDPR to date with a further 265 expected to receive training before the end of the year. The following table provides details of GDPR training both from my Department and bodies under its remit. NAME OF BODY NUMBER OF STAFF TRAINED Department of Public Expenditure and Reform 306...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Regulations (5 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: Public Procurement is governed by EU and National rules. The aim of these rules is to promote an open, competitive and non-discriminatory public procurement regime which delivers the best value for money. It would be a breach of the EU rules for a public body to favour particular candidates on grounds such as organisation size, locality, nationality etc., and there are legal remedies which...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Insurance Costs (4 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I welcome the role that the Alliance for Insurance Reform is taking in regard to the issue of the cost of insurance, particularly for businesses and voluntary organisations. The Minister of State for Financial Services and Insurance, Mr Michael D’Arcy TD, has formally met with the Alliance, and relevant issues were discussed. Both Minister D’Arcy and I are very conscious of...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Departmental Investigations (4 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I am advised by the Special Liquidators that they are in the process of collating the requested information for the Deputy but it was not ready in its entirety in order to answer the PQ within the timeframe provided. I will write directly to the Deputy with a response once the information has been received by my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Reliefs Data (4 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: In general consideration of Capital Acquisitions Tax (CAT) thresholds and rates are undertaken within the annual Budgetary and Finance Bill process. As is normal, the Deputy will appreciate that I cannot comment on any possible changes in advance of the 2019 Budget. In addition, it would be impossible for me to comment on any possible changes in respect of future Budgets. The Deputy will...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: NAMA Receivers (4 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I am advised by NAMA that receivers appointed to NAMA-secured properties are selected from NAMA's insolvency service provider panel which was established following a competitive public procurement process. I am advised that, arising from this process, very competitive fixed-fee rates were achieved relative to prevailing market norms. I am advised that, in general, fees are not paid to...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Mortgage Lending (4 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The Central Bank has advised that the objective of the recent review it undertook was to assess whether or not lenders were advertising mortgages with cashback offers in a clear and unambiguous way. The review therefore assessed lenders’ compliance with certain provisions of Chapter 4 (relating to the provision of information) and Chapter 9 (relating to advertising) of the...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tribunals of Inquiry Recommendations (4 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: In response to the Deputy's question, the Moriarty Tribunal made a number of recommendations which affected a number of Government Departments. As Minister for Finance I can only respond in relation to the recommendations made in relation to my own Department. The tribunal pointed out problems to be addressed in our system of financial regulation.  Poor supervision, an...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Departmental Contracts Data (4 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The use of polling companies and/or Irish market researchers to conduct research on behalf of my Department since June 2016 is outlined in the following table.  Company Name Associated Costs Year  Detail Indecon International Economic Consultants €96,890.79 (€78,773 plus VAT) 2018 A mini competition was run from December 2017 to January 2018 for research services to...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Appeals Commission (4 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 176 to 179, inclusive, together. The TAC was established on 21st March 2016 and new procedures for making, processing, adjudicating and determining appeals came into effect. Before this date taxpayers sent their appeals directly to Revenue who then transferred cases to the Appeal Commissioners when they were ready for a hearing. Since that date, taxpayers...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Reliefs Abolition (4 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: A review of the appropriate treatment for tax purposes of trade union subscriptions and professional body fees was carried out by my Department in 2016 and included in the 2016 report on tax expenditures published on budget day 2016. The review may be found at the following link: ( The review concluded that: "...analysis of the scheme using the principles laid down by the Department’s...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Tribunals of Inquiry Recommendations (4 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: In response to the Deputy's question, the Moriarty Tribunal made a number of recommendations which affected a number of Government Departments. As Minister for Finance I can only respond in relation to the recommendations made in relation to my own Department. The tribunal pointed out problems to be addressed in our system of financial regulation.  Poor supervision, an overly...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Contracts Data (4 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table. Year Name of company Amount Purpose 2016 IPSOS MRBI €27,060 A survey of Civil Service customers 2016 Perceptive Insight €18,425 A survey of Civil Service business customers 2016 RED C €28,290 Preparatory work on Gov.ie Portal 2016 Gartner €127,428 Provision of research and analysis...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Community Sector High Level Forum (3 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The difficulty we have with this is the massive costs relating to it that we outlined in response to the Private Members' motion from the Deputy's party. I have shared and indicated in the Dáil before that we estimate the potential cost to the State of this as being between €188 million and €347 million per annum. This is in addition to the call for the Exchequer to...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Community Sector High Level Forum (3 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I do not know what the difficulty is with the publication of minutes from the previous forum meetings. I will follow up on that. We have not been able to reach agreement on the matter because, while the Deputy is speaking strongly about those who are especially affected by this, if the State were to agree to funding pensions for organisations to which it has contributed but which are not of...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Public Sector Pay (3 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: Two different elements are at play. I will publish the legislation on Thursday. There will be a Government meeting that morning, to which I will bring legislation in order to deliver what the Deputy mentioned. I hope and anticipate that it will be agreed by the Government and published that day. Depending on whether the Business Committee makes time available, I expect the legislation to...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Public Sector Pensions (3 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: That is a different matter than how the Deputy's written question was interpreted. The written question refers to the supplementary pension, which I took to refer to the future of auto-enrolment. Clearly, the Deputy-----

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Public Sector Pensions (3 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I am aware of the matter-----

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Public Sector Pensions (3 Jul 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: No, I will answer the question the Deputy has just raised. Her previous question was on the abolition of the retirement age for people who worked in our public services.