Results 23,421-23,440 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Croke Park Agreement Savings (23 May 2013)

Michael McGrath: 69. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if his Department is no longer seeking savings of €300 million on the public sector pay and pensions bill during the remainder of 2013; the required savings now for 2013; the impact any reduction in the required savings may have on the budget deficit targets for 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24967/13]

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Banking Inquiry (23 May 2013)

Michael McGrath: 70. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if any decision has been taken on the holding of a banking inquiry; his views on this matter; when a decision is expected to be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24968/13]

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (22 May 2013)

Michael McGrath: In terms of bringing the budget forward to mid-October, will all of the taxation decisions come into effect on 1 January 2014 or will some for example, excise and the old reliables come into effect immediately? If the latter, I assume this might have a positive impact on revenue in 2013 from the State's point of view.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (22 May 2013)

Michael McGrath: I am raising a broad principle here. The issue is whether a budget for 2014 will come into effect at the beginning of that year or sooner.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (22 May 2013)

Michael McGrath: Under output targets, I wish to raise the issue of multinationals in Ireland and corporation tax. Is it an area which the Revenue intends to target? Is the Minister satisfied that Revenue has the resources and, perhaps more importantly, the expertise it needs to examine the complex tax avoidance structures that are already in place by these companies? Does he have any comments in that regard?

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (22 May 2013)

Michael McGrath: I would like to ask the Minister about the overall figures in this area. Last year's Estimate was approximately €6.6 million and the outturn was approximately €5 million. The Estimate before us provides for approximately €6 million. What accounted for the large saving last year? Why is it going back up this year?

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (22 May 2013)

Michael McGrath: Have we finished dealing with the outputs under Vote 8?

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (22 May 2013)

Michael McGrath: I will leave it until we come to the outputs.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (22 May 2013)

Michael McGrath: I would like to ask the Minister about the implications of the local property tax for Revenue. It has had to take on additional staff. I understand the change in overall salary payments is quite modest. Can the Minister give us some information on the number of additional staff who were taken on? I am aware that Revenue has outsourced work to a call centre. Where does that appear under...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (22 May 2013)

Michael McGrath: That is fine. I will refer briefly to the outputs in the meantime. I note there is an objective in 2013 to devote at least 25% of compliance resources to target and intervene in cash and shadow economies and smuggling activities. Has the Revenue identified the targeting of the black economy as a particular priority in the current year?

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (22 May 2013)

Michael McGrath: I know these are early days, but has any preliminary analysis of the returns been done to ascertain whether people have generally accepted the valuation bands they were given in the guidance documents? Are more people coming in under the valuation guide or above it? Is any information on the profile of the returns available yet?

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (22 May 2013)

Michael McGrath: Okay.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (22 May 2013)

Michael McGrath: When does Revenue expect to initiate enforcement activity in respect of people who do not file returns? I refer to activity regarding social welfare payments, bank accounts, salary deductions, etc.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (22 May 2013)

Michael McGrath: Is it a troika requirement or an initiative of the Government?

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (22 May 2013)

Michael McGrath: It is not a fiscal plan; it is a broader economic plan. Is that the case?

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (22 May 2013)

Michael McGrath: What accounts for the increase from €1.1 million to €2.2 million in subhead B2?

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (22 May 2013)

Michael McGrath: There is one follow-on. The Estimate for 2012 overall for Vote 7 was €32 million, give or take. Some €24.6 million was spent which the Minister said was due to tight management but the Estimate for 2013 is more than €33 million, therefore the Estimate is going back up beyond the Estimate for 2012. Is that Presidency related? I do not need the minutiae of it.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (22 May 2013)

Michael McGrath: I wish to make that very point.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (22 May 2013)

Michael McGrath: How is subhead A2 broken down?

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Office of the Appeal Commissioners (Revised) (22 May 2013)

Michael McGrath: I am working from the briefing notes and there are selected subheads from the programmes there.