Results 23,441-23,460 of 33,392 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Plastic Bag Levy (26 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that information in respect of tax collection, including the amount collected for the environmental levy on plastic bags, is available on the Commissioners' website at: . The most recently available figures available are for 2016. I am further informed that it is not possible for Revenue to provide the VAT collected from plastic bags sold above the...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Disabled Drivers and Passengers Scheme (26 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (Tax Concessions) Scheme provides relief from VAT and Vehicle Registration Tax (up to a certain limit), an exemption from motor tax and a grant in respect of fuel, on the purchase of an adapted car for transport of a person with specific severe and permanent physical disabilities. To qualify for the Scheme an applicant must be in...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Disabled Drivers and Passengers Scheme (26 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (Tax Concessions) Scheme provides relief from VAT and Vehicle Registration Tax (up to a certain limit), an exemption from motor tax and a grant in respect of fuel, on the purchase of an adapted car for transport of a person with specific severe and permanent physical disabilities. To qualify for the Scheme an applicant must be...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Budget Consultation Process (26 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 96 and 97 together. Each year my Department receives a large number of such submissions  from a wide range of groups and individuals. These are considered by the relevant officials in the context of Budget process. However the Deputy will be aware that it is not the practice of the Minister for Finance to discuss the details of measures which may be...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: National Treasury Management Agency (26 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: National Debt is the net debt incurred by the Exchequer after taking account of cash balances and other financial assets. General Government Gross Debt (GGD) is a measure of the total gross consolidated debt of the State compiled by the Central Statistics Office (CSO). It is the standard measure used for comparative purposes across the European Union. The primary component of General...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Rebates (26 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I am advised by Revenue that there has been direct contact with the person concerned in this matter. When a completed tax return that is required from the person concerned is received by Revenue then the matter of processing any refund of tax overpaid can be finalised.

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Insurance Compensation Fund (26 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The Insurance Compensation Fund (ICF) was established under the Insurance Act 1964, as amended, in order to provide a certain minimum level of protection for policyholders particularly where an insurer goes into liquidation. In essence the ICF is a consumer protection mechanism which is also found in Member States across the EU and elsewhere. The ICF is currently maintained and administered...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Electric Vehicles (26 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: An interdepartmental Low-Emitting Vehicles (LEV) taskforce has been established to consider a full suite of potential measures to expedite the deployment of low carbon technologies, particularly electric vehicles, under a commitment outlined in the Programme for a Partnership Government. One of the potential policy instruments being considered by the taskforce is the role of...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Drugs Smuggling (26 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I am advised by Revenue that they are working closely with An Garda Síochána in the aftermath of the recent drugs find off the west coast and investigations are continuing. The deployment of Revenue staff and resources is a matter for Revenue. I am advised by Revenue that they use a broad range of data, intelligence and analytics to identify and evaluate risk and to confront...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: EU Directives (26 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The Insurance Distribution Directive was published in the Official Journal of the European Union in February 2016 and must be transposed into Irish law by February 2018. It will replace the Insurance Mediation Directive which was adopted in 2002 to regulate point of sale insurance products and will create a single market for the sale of insurance products. The Insurance Distribution...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: NAMA Loans Sale (26 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy will be aware that I, as Minister for Finance, have no role in respect of NAMA's commercial operations or decisions. Accordingly, I am not aware of specific details in relation to this particular transaction. The Deputy will also be aware that NAMA operates under the same obligation of confidentiality as banks, and that Sections 99 and 202 of the NAMA Act 2009 prohibit the...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: VAT Rate Application (26 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The Programme for Partnership Government contains a commitment to look at the VAT faced by community groups on certain products, such as defibrillators and to work with our EU counterparts in seeking to reform this area. Applying a zero rate of VAT to defibrillators is not currently possible under the VAT rating provisions of the EU VAT Directive, with which Irish VAT law must...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Vehicle Registration (26 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: Ruling C-420/15 of the Court of Justice of the European Union concerns the circumstances in which an obligation to register a motor vehicle in a Member State would constitute an obstacle to freedom of movement for workers. National legislation provides that Irish citizens have the right to drive a car in Ireland that is registered in another Member State for a period of thirty days...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: EU Issues (26 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I presume that the Deputy is referring to the European Commission Expert Group on the Fight against Illicit Trade in Tobacco, established in 2017 under the aegis of the European Anti-Fraud Office. I am advised by Revenue that Ireland will be represented at the Expert Group by an officer of its Investigations and Prosecutions Division, and that the person concerned has no conflicts of interest.

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Departmental Contracts Data (26 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: In relation to cleaning services, and indeed facilities management services generally, my Department arranges the provision of such services both for itself and for the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.  There is no contract with an outside security company in respect of the provision of security for the buildings occupied by the two Departments.  Following a procurement...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Credits (26 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 109 and 110 together. The two tax credits to which the Deputy refers have different origins and policy objectives and therefore should not be considered in comparative terms. The Home Carer’s Allowance was introduced in Finance Act 2000 in the context of the commencement of a multi-year plan to move to the full individualisation of the tax...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Insurance Costs (26 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: My predecessor as Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael Noonan, established the Cost of Insurance Working Group in 2016 in order to examine the factors contributing to the increasing cost of insurance and identify what short, medium and long-term measures can be introduced to help to reduce the cost of insurance for consumers and businesses.  The initial focus of the Working Group was the...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (26 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: With regard to owner occupiers, Section 244 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 provides tax relief in respect of interest paid by an individual on a loan used for the purchase, repair, development or improvement of his or her sole or main residence or the sole or main residence of his or her civil partner, dependant relative or his or her former or separated spouse.  Tax relief is...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Company Liquidations (26 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: 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’ Bureau of Ireland (MIBI) is liable in respect of third party motor insurance claims made against the policyholders of Setanta Insurance.  The consequence of this is that the Insurance Compensation Fund (ICF) has been...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Banking Sector (26 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: Notwithstanding the State's 14% minority shareholding in Bank of Ireland, I, as Minister, have no direct function in commercial decisions taken by the bank including those which are part of the relationship between the bank and its customers. Decisions of this nature are matters for the board and management of the institution. The Minister has responsibility to ensure that the bank is run...