Results 22,481-22,500 of 33,392 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I already have plans to increase the level of expenditure in third and fourth level institutions. As Deputies know, I made an announcement that I am planning to increase the training levy by 0.1% per year for the next three years. For next year alone that will bring in an additional €36 million to €37 million that would be available for higher and further education in our...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I will not be present for the afternoon session because I am taking parliamentary questions on public expenditure and reform. I will be present for the other session.

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Housing Data (8 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: As announced in my Budget speech on 10 October 2017, it is my intention to establish Home Building Finance Ireland (HBFI) to provide funding on market terms to viable residential development projects whose owners are experiencing difficulty in obtaining debt funding. HBFI will be a standalone entity which will provide funding directly into the market. It is important to note that HBFI...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: State Savings Schemes Administration (8 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The NTMA have advised me that An Post acts as an agent of the NTMA in the administration of State Savings. The incident the Deputy refers to, related to An Post operational issue. No NTMA systems were impacted. Due to the operational issue in An Post, there was an error in issuing maturity notices for one State Savings product that lasted approximately 2 weeks. All customers affected...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Alcohol Pricing (8 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I believe the issue the Deputy is referring to is that of below cost selling of alcohol products. The remit of my Department extends to the taxation placed on alcohol products. The issue of below cost selling is a matter in the first instance for my colleague the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation. The prohibition on below cost selling was removed when the Groceries...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Banking Sector (8 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy will be aware, the Programme for a Partnership Government commits the Government to thoroughly investigating the German Sparkassen model for the development of local public banks that operate within well-defined regions. The purpose of the consultation process and report is to assist the Government in its analysis of local public banking in an Irish context. My Department and...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tracker Mortgage Examination (8 Nov 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy's question was referred to the bank by officials in the Department who were provided with the following response: "Bank of Ireland is currently conducting its examination of tracker mortgage related issues which covers, amongst other things, transparency of communications with and contractual rights of tracker mortgage customers. This is an industry wide review required by the...

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

Paschal Donohoe: Section 477C of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 provides that for a first time purchaser to be eligible for the Help-to-Buy (HTB) scheme, he or she must enter into a contract with a qualifying contractor. If first-time purchasers do not purchase from a qualifying contractor, it is not an eligible house purchase. However, I am advised by Revenue that to consider the matter further, if...

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...