Results 22,601-22,620 of 32,960 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Budget 2018 (3 Oct 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: Capital Acquisitions Tax (CAT) is the overall title for both Gift and Inheritance Tax. The tax is charged on the amount gifted to, or inherited by, the beneficiary of the gift or inheritance. CAT is charged at 33% to the beneficiary on amounts received by gift or inheritance, beyond certain lifetime tax-free amounts determined by the relationship between the beneficiary and the person making...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Expenses (3 Oct 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The motor mileage rates reimburse an officer only for the costs incurred in using their own cars for official business and are not deemed to be a source of emolument or profit. The rates are agreed with Staff Side Representatives and are determined by a methodology which takes account of the various costs associated with officers using their own cars on official business. The factors...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Gender Equality (3 Oct 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The Programme for a Partnership Government contains a commitment to develop the process of budget and policy proofing as a means of advancing equality, reducing poverty and strengthening economic and social rights. This is also a commitment that has been included in The National Strategy for Women and Girls 2017-2020. The drafting of a policy paper by my Department in relation to...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Legislative Programme (3 Oct 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy will be aware that the Public Sector Standards Bill 2015 is currently at Committee Stage. With regard to the Government's legislative programme for the Autumn Session 2017, my Department has two Bills on the priority list for publication: - Appropriation Bill 2017; and - Public Service Pay and Pensions Bill 2017. The latter Bill is the result of merging the Financial Emergency...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Budget 2018 (3 Oct 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: Unemployment has reduced from over 15% in early 2012 to 6.3% in August 2017. On the basis of the improving labour market, there have been reductions in expenditure on providing income supports for people who are unemployed. In arriving at estimates of fiscal space, an assumption is made about the level of Live Register related savings each year. The Expenditure Report 2017 set out...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Budget 2018 (3 Oct 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The Mid-Year Expenditure Report published last July stated that Gross Current Expenditure would reach an estimated €54.8 billion in 2018. I have consistently highlighted the requirement to focus on the totality of this expenditure in assessing how best to deliver quality public services rather than the planned annual increment reflected in estimates of fiscal space. In this context...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Medicinal Products Expenditure (3 Oct 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: Responsibility for pharmaceuticals is the responsibility for the Minister for Health. The introduction of new medicines is governed by the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013 which sets out the responsibilities of the HSE and the Department with regard to this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Financial Services Ombudsman Remit (28 Sep 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: Firstly, I must point out that the Financial Services Ombudsman (FSO) is independent in the carrying out of his duties.  I have no role in the day to day workings of the office. However, the FSO has informed me that, on receipt of a complaint, he reviews the complaint to assess whether it may be one which falls under the scope of the Central Bank Examination. If it is, the FSO...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Financial Services Ombudsman Remit (28 Sep 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: Firstly, I must point out that the Financial Services Ombudsman (FSO) is independent in the carrying out of his duties.  I have no role in the day to day workings of the office. However, the FSO has informed me that, on receipt of a complaint, he reviews the complaint to assess whether it may be one which falls under the scope of the Central Bank Examination. If it is, the FSO...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Financial Services Ombudsman Administration (28 Sep 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. However, the Financial Services Ombudsman has informed me that he received 4,513 complaints in 2016. Of these 1,504 were submitted through the online complaint form. It is the Financial Service...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Yield (28 Sep 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I assume that in his question the Deputy is referring to index-linking the income tax standard-rate bands by reference to overall wage growth in the economy. My Department is currently developing projections for 2018 wage growth that will be contained in Budget documentation to be published on 10 October, but this work is still ongoing and, under the Fiscal Responsibility Act, all such...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Credit Availability (28 Sep 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I assume that the Deputy is referring to the banks in which the State is an equity shareholder and will answer the question on that basis; I would note for clarity that this does not equate to being "State funded". I have received the following responses to the Deputy's question: AIB: "AIB supports proven developers in locations where there is demand for new product across the country....

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Interest Rates (28 Sep 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I am informed by the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF), which is a co-investor in Activate Capital, that the Activate base lending rate depends on the extent of leverage advanced and the risk characteristics of each specific project and would typically range from circa 6% to 10%.  Activate may provide up to 90% of the funding requirement for an individual project, and this...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tracker Mortgage Examination (28 Sep 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The Central Bank has advised that it is acutely aware of the unacceptable impact that lenders’ failures have had on impacted PDH and BTL tracker mortgage customers. Although a significant portion of the lenders’ failures occurred prior to the introduction of the Central Bank’s customer redress powers in the Central Bank (Supervision and Enforcement) Act 2013, the...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Insurance Compensation Fund (28 Sep 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: Setanta Insurance was placed into liquidation by the Malta Financial Services Authority on 30 April 2014. As it was a Maltese incorporated company, the liquidation is being carried out under Maltese law. As you are aware, the Supreme Court delivered its judgment on 25 May 2017 and overturned the previous decisions of the High Court and the Court of Appeal that the Motor Insurers’...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: State Aid Investigations (28 Sep 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I wish to advise the Deputy that the position is unchanged since my response to Parliamentary Question 120 of 13 July 2017, available via: The timing of any decision is solely a matter for the European Commission and I do not have an expected timeframe in this regard.

Written Answers — Department of Finance: VAT Yield (28 Sep 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that the most recent estimate for reverting the reduced 9% VAT rate back to 13.5% is that it would result in extra revenue in the region of €491 million.  A pre-Budget 2018 Ready Reckoner is available on the Revenue Commissioners website at: .  On page 26, this Ready Reckoner shows the impact of a 1% increase in the 9% rate to...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Yield (28 Sep 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I am advised by Revenue that the estimated first and full year cost to the Exchequer of increasing the entry point to the 40% Income Tax rate for all income earners to €150,000 is in the order of €4,257 million and €4,915 million respectively.  This change in the Income Tax structure would mean that the 40% Income Tax rate would only begin to apply on gross income...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Yield (28 Sep 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: A Pre-Budget 2018 Ready Reckoner is available on the Revenue Statistics webpage at . In relation to the Deputy's question, this Ready Reckoner shows a wide range of estimated costs including, on Page 6, the estimated cost to the Exchequer of changes to the earned income tax credit.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Staff Recruitment (28 Sep 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy will be aware, recruitment to the Public sector may be conducted by the various employing organisations.  The Public Appointments Services (PAS) is an independent statutory body which provides professional recruitment and selection services when requested to the civil and public service under licence from the Commission for Public Service Appointments (CPSA).  As a...