Results 21,961-21,980 of 32,864 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Financial Services Ombudsman Remit (8 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: Firstly, I must point out that the Financial Services Ombudsman is independent in the carrying out of his duties. I have no role in the day to day workings of the office or in the decisions which he takes. One of the main roles of the Financial Services Ombudsman (FSO) is to investigate, mediate and adjudicate complaints about the conduct of regulated financial service providers....

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Financial Services Ombudsman Staff (8 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: Firstly, I must point out that the Financial Services Ombudsman is independent in the performance of his statutory functions. It would not be appropriate for me to comment on how he performs his duties. I have been advised by the Financial Services Ombudsman that he keeps the adequacy of staffing levels in the Office under constant review. The Office has just completed a public recruitment...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Stamp Duty (8 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I am informed by the Central Bank that a recommendation of the National Payments Plan targeted a significant increase in the number of €10 and €20 banknotes dispensed from Irish ATMs, with a view to making lower denomination notes more available to cash users. Building on that recommendation, the Central Bank has set targets for the banks to achieve in terms of issuance of...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Stamp Duty (8 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The rate of Stamp Duty on commercial property was increased to 6% by way of Budget Day Resolution and applies in relation to all relevant conveyances executed after midnight on Budget day. In order to avoid changing the cost structures of contracts entered into prior to that date, I have introduced measures in the Finance Bill that will allow for the lower rate of 2% to continue to apply to...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Agreements (8 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 96 and 97 together. I am informed by Revenue that there are currently 29 open Mutual Agreement Procedure (“MAP”) cases. These relate to adjustments raised by tax authorities in Tax Treaty partner countries in respect of transfer-pricing or the attribution of profits to permanent establishments. Some of these cases are at an early stage and...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Settlements (8 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: It is accepted that it will take time to move through the significant number of appeals that are on hands in the Tax Appeals Commission (“TAC”). These appeals fall into three categories: (i) Those that have been notified directly to the TAC, following its establishment in March 2016; (ii) Those that were submitted to the Revenue Commissioners prior to the commencement...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Appeals Commission (8 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The Tax Appeals Commission (TAC) is an independent statutory body whose main task is hearing, determining and disposing of appeals against assessments and decisions of the Revenue Commissioners concerning taxes and duties in accordance with relevant legislation. I am advised by Revenue that it is always willing to engage in meaningful settlement discussions with appellants, even after an...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Appeals Commission (8 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 100 and 101 together. I am informed by the Tax Appeals Commission that, as of 3 November 2017, 106 hearings have taken place since the establishment of the Tax Appeals Commission in March 2016, to include a number of case management conferences. I am advised that case management conferences can be held for a number of reasons however they are primarily to...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Exchequer Returns (8 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: There is no clear guide as to the impact of different growth rates of GDP, GNP or GNI on general government revenue as the exact effect is a function of the composition of growth. For example, increased economic activity driven by exports does not have as significant an impact on the public finances as, for example, domestically driven growth. As a general rule of thumb, assuming no change...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Help-To-Buy Scheme Eligibility (8 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The Help-to-Buy (HTB) scheme is available to individuals who sign a contract during the period 19 July 2016 and 31 December 2019. - S. 477C(3) of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 (Help to Buy) requires that an applicant "..entered into a contract with a qualifying contractor for the purchase by that individual of a qualifying residence..." in the "qualifying period". - S. 477C(1)(a)...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministerial Meetings (8 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: In considering the particular matter regarding entitlements for community service supervisors, regard must be had to the costs and precedent of such an arrangement were one to be created. A scoping exercise is currently being finalised by officials in this Department and should be completed later this year. Due to unforeseen circumstances, it was necessary to postpone the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Brexit Issues (8 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: There is no doubt but that Brexit will pose significant challenges for Ireland. The Government is committed to addressing these challenges, to mitigating the impacts and to maximising the available opportunities. Last May the Government published a document setting out in detail its approach and the structures it had put in place to ensure a strategic and whole-of-Government response. Within...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Brexit Issues (8 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The exact nature of the relationship that will exist between the EU and the UK following Brexit is yet to be agreed. The impact of Brexit on Ireland will depend on the outcome of the complex negotiations still underway. While this poses challenges in planning our response, it is important to note that Ireland’s economy is in a strong position to deal with these challenges. In...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Labour Court Recommendations (8 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: In considering the particular matter referred to, regard must be had to the costs and precedent of such an arrangement were one to be created. A scoping exercise is currently being progressed by officials in this Department and should be completed later this year. A meeting of the Forum has been arranged to discuss the scoping exercise in the coming weeks. It continues to be the...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2017: Committee Stage (7 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: This section is a purely technical section which, for ease of reference, contains a definition of the principal Act for the purposes of Part 1 of the Bill dealing with universal social charge, income tax, corporation tax and capital gains tax. Where the term is used in Part 1 it means the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2017: Committee Stage (7 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: This section amends section 531AN of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 to give effect to the USC changes I announced on budget day. These changes are a continuation of a process of progressively reducing the marginal tax rate on low and middle income earners in a manner that maintains the highly progressive nature of the Irish tax system. My aim is to make it more attractive for people to...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2017: Committee Stage (7 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: It is somebody who is on a salary of between €30,000 and €70,000.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2017: Committee Stage (7 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I am conscious that even though a person has a level of income that is seen as being high for many people, the outgoings a person will have off that level of income could also be high. I am conscious that many people who might be seen by others to have a relatively high level of income might, for example, have a very expensive mortgage and a lot of outgoings because of children and so on....

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2017: Committee Stage (7 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I agree with the statistical point the Deputy is making. I am simply making the point alongside that that for a single-earner family of two parents and three children with a mortgage, an income of €65,000 to €70,000 is of course far higher than somebody who only has an income of €25,000. Statistically that is completely correct but if a one-income family has children in...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2017: Committee Stage (7 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I have information on the progressivity of our tax code which is worth sharing. There are 2.6 million taxpayer units. The total yield from income tax and USC, universal social charge, is approximately €22 billion. The top 0.1% of income earners in receipt of 4.9% of gross income pay 11.4% of total income tax and USC. The top 25% of income earners in receipt of 60% gross income pay...