Results 20,021-20,040 of 32,726 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Written Answers — Department of Finance: EU Directives (20 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The Insurance Distribution Directive (IDD) was published in the Official Journal of the European Union in February 2016 and was originally to be transposed into Irish law and apply to industry by February 2018. On 20 December 2017 the European Commission published a proposal to postpone the application date of IDD to October 2018. This proposal was subsequently amended to postpone the...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Excise Duties Collection (20 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I am advised by Revenue that the importation of purchases made by online shoppers from non-EU countries are generally carried out either by express couriers or through the postal system. In the case of the express couriers, these companies complete the necessary import declarations and pay duty and VAT, where payable, to Customs. In respect of imports via the postal system, the...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tracker Mortgage Data (20 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The Central Bank has advised that, as of end-December 2017, lenders have reported that loss of ownership has occurred in respect of 41 private dwelling homes and 100 buy to let properties arising from their failings to their tracker mortgage borrowers. However, it should also be noted that, as lenders’ analyses continues, this figure can be expected to rise. The Tracker...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Reliefs Abolition (20 Mar 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...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Departmental Schemes (20 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I did not receive a proposal for a scheme similar to the home renovation incentive scheme to incentivise the refurbishment of derelict business premises in towns and villages from other Ministers, or their Departments, in the course of preparations for Budget 2018, nor have I received such a proposal so far this year.

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Departmental Schemes (20 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I have received a number of proposals for tax incentives along the lines the Deputy suggests. The use of tax incentives and reliefs in accordance with the tax expenditure guidelines published by my Department, is one of a number of potential approaches that can be adopted to deal with the issues mentioned by the Deputy. There are number of tax incentives already in...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Disabled Drivers and Passengers Scheme (20 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 114 and 115 together. I am informed by Revenue that the qualifying provisions for the Disabled Drivers' and Passengers' Scheme are contained in Statutory Instrument No. 353 of 1994 (Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (Tax Concessions) Regulations 1994). Regulations 8 (disabled drivers), 10 (disabled passengers) and 12 (organisations) provide that a...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (20 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: Section 469 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 provides for relief at the standard rate of income tax (currently 20%) on certain health expenses incurred in the provision of health care. For the purposes of the section "Health Care" is defined as the "prevention, diagnosis, alleviation or treatment of an ailment, injury, infirmity, defect or disability" but excluding routine ophthalmic...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: European Central Bank (20 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy will be aware I meet regularly my European colleagues to discuss a wide range of issues, particularly at Eurogroup and ECOFIN meetings. With regard to the allegations the Deputy refers to, I have not discussed this with my colleagues.

Written Answers — Department of Finance: National Development Plan Data (20 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I can inform the Deputy that my Department does not have any projects mentioned in the National Development Plan 2018 to 2027. Of the seventeen bodies under the aegis of my Department, I am informed that fourteen are not involved in any projects mentioned in the National Development Plan 2018 to 2027. One of the bodies, the Office of the Revenue Commissioners, are involved in the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Lottery Data (20 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: My officials have been advised by An Post National Lottery Company that the value of unclaimed lottery prizes for each of the 5 years before the sale of the licence in 2014 cannot be disclosed as these figures are considered commercially sensitive. I am advised by the Office of the National Lottery Regulator as follows: The current treatment of unclaimed prizes is specifically provided for...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pay (20 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 120, 126, 129 to 132, inclusive, 140, 151, 153 and 155 together. As the Deputy is aware, under the Public Service Stability Agreement (PSSA) 2018-2020, it was agreed that an examination of the remaining salary scale issues in respect of post January 2011 recruits at entry grades covered by Parties to this Agreement will be undertaken and that there would be...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Banking (20 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: In 2017, my Department was charged €143,604 in negative interest in respect of moneys for which it is accountable and are held in the following accounts at the Central Bank of Ireland: - National Lottery Fund: €111,566 - State Property (Miscellaneous Deposits): €29,062 - Ireland /US Educational Fund: €2,976 Negative interest arises from the necessary application by...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Advertising Expenditure (20 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table: Company Name Service Provided Year Month Cost Public Appointments Service Social Media Advertising 2018 January / February €553.50 Mindshare Media Ireland Ltd Media buying across communication channels for the Public Services Card media and communication campaign 2017 December...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Shared Services (20 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I am informed by the National Shared Services Office that an overpayment to staff of salary, allowances and expenses can and does occur across the entire public service for a number of reasons, including late notification, after the payroll closed and the file has issued to the bank for payment. In addition, the reform of sick leave in the public service, while creating significant savings...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Staff Data (20 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy will be aware, recruitment to the Civil Service is undertaken under the terms of the Public Service Management (Recruitment Appointments) Acts 2004, as amended, and is subject to the Codes of Practice set down by the Commission for Public Service Appointments (CPSA) and is open to audit by them if they see fit. The CPSA is responsible for setting standards for recruitment...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Staff Data (20 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: All recruitment for my Department is conducted in accordance with the Commission for Public Service Appointments (CPSA) Codes of Practice. The Commission is the principal regulator of recruitment and selection processes within the Public Service. It has a statutory role to ensure that appointments in the organisations subject to its remit (those that fall under the authority and scope of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (20 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: Employers across the Civil Service were responsible for managing attendance at work in their own organisations during Storm Emma. Civil Service organisations provide different and complex services in locations across the country. Each employer was best placed to determine the individual needs of their organisations and to assess the risks to staff of attending work. In...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Staff Remuneration (20 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: Under the Protection of Employees (Fixed-term Work Act) 2003, a fixed-term employee cannot, in respect of his or her conditions of employment, be treated in a less favourable manner than a comparable permanent employee. A fixed-term employee can not be treated less favourably than a comparable permanent employee only because of the fixed-term worker’s status. The Act of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Appointments Service (20 Mar 2018)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 137 to 139, inclusive, together.  While there are no specific guidelines issued by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in relation to the running of a recruitment process for CEOs of State bodies the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies, 2016 provides a framework for the application of best practice in corporate governance...