Results 23,721-23,740 of 33,392 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Financial Instruments (13 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 238 and 239 together. Qualifying Investor Funds (“QIF’s”) and Qualifying Investor Alternative Investment Funds (“QIAIF’s”) are forms of investment undertakings and are regulated by the Central Bank.  QIAIFs were introduced in July 2013 to meet the requirements of the Alternative Investment Fund Managers...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Disabled Drivers and Passengers Scheme (13 Jul 2017)

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

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Appointments to State Boards Data (13 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The Public Appointments Service is the centralised provider of recruitment, assessment and selection services for the Civil Service, Local Authorities, the Health Service Executive, An Garda Síochána and other public bodies. The Public Appointments Service also aims to provide an open, efficient and effective gateway and process to identify top quality people for consideration...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Decentralisation Programme (13 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy will be aware, The Decentralisation Programme announced in December 2003 involved the relocation of over 10,000 civil and public service jobs to 53 locations in 25 counties. Up to the date of the cancellation of the programme, about a third of the target numbers, over 3,400 posts were decentralised. The proportion of civil servants working outside Dublin is now just over...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts (13 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: Public Procurement is governed by EU and National rules.  The aim of these rules is to promote an open, competitive and non-discriminatory public procurement regime which delivers the best value for money.  It would be a breach of the EU rules for a public body to favour particular candidates on grounds such as organisation size, locality, nationality, etc. and there are legal...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Budget 2018 (13 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: Decisions on the expenditure allocation to the Department of Social Protection will be taken in the context of the 2018 Estimates process.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Services for People with Disabilities (13 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: Part 5 of the Disability Act 2005 sets out the legal obligations of public service bodies to include promoting and supporting the employment of people with disabilities and complying with any statutory Code of Practice. The National Disability Authority (NDA) reports annually on compliance within each public service body with a target of  3% of employees with disabilities. In...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Capital Expenditure Programme (13 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy will be aware, the Government’s Capital Plan was announced in September 2015 and outlined exchequer capital spending of €27 billion over the next six years. In the 2016 Summer Economic Statement, the Government committed to additional capital investment of €5.14 billion over the period of the Plan. Subsequently, in this week's 2017 Summer Economic...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Brexit Issues (13 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I fully appreciate the uncertainty that Brexit has caused not just for the PEACE programme but also for INTERREG.  For that reason I am committed to the successful implementation of the current programmes and to successor programmes post-2020. I was pleased, therefore, to be able to announce last October that agreement had been reached between my Department and the Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Minimum Wage (13 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: In response to the Deputy’s question, the following table outlines the annual cost of implementing a minimum weekly gross wage of €15 an hour for all employees in my Department and the bodies under its aegis: Organisation Annual Cost € Department of Public Expenditure and Reform 272,453 National Shared Services Office 3,054,430 Office of Government...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Staff Remuneration (13 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: In response to the Deputy’s question, the following table outlines the annual cost of implementing a minimum weekly gross wage of €600 for all full time employees in my Department and the bodies under its aegis: Organisation Annual Cost € Department of Public Expenditure and Reform 151,813 National Shared Services Office 2,203,267 Office of Government...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Funding (13 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The Office of Public Works will respond to you directly within the next ten days in accordance with Standing Order 42A.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Appointments to State Boards Data (13 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: The Board of the Public Appointments Service (PAS) is the only State Board under the aegis of my Department. I am informed by the PAS that one applicant declared that they were a former TD when the vacancies were last advertised in 2014.

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Insurance Industry (12 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: As Minister for Finance, I am responsible for the development of the legal framework governing financial regulation.  Neither I nor the Central Bank of Ireland can interfere in the provision or pricing of insurance products, as these matters are of a commercial nature, and are determined by insurance companies based on an assessment of the risks they are willing to accept.  This...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Help-To-Buy Scheme Assessment (12 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 120 and 121 together. My Department complies with all relevant public procurement legislation including EU regulations. The core principles of the EU procurement directives are transparency, equal treatment, open competition, and sound procedural management. They are designed to achieve a procurement market that is competitive, open, and well...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (12 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: Hypothecation is not a feature of the Irish tax system in general. I am not in favour of hypothecation of revenue receipts as it reduces the flexibility of the Government to prioritise and allocate funds as necessary at a particular time.

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Motor Insurance Costs (12 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 123 and 124 together. As Minister for Finance, I am responsible for the development of the legal framework governing financial regulation.  Neither I nor the Central Bank of Ireland can interfere in the provision or pricing of insurance products, as these matters are of a commercial nature, and are determined by insurance companies based on an...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Flood Risk Insurance Cover Provision (12 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I am conscious of the difficulties that the absence or withdrawal of flood insurance cover can cause to homeowners and businesses, and that is one of the reasons the Government has been prioritising investment in flood defences over the last number of years. However, the provision of insurance cover and the price at which it is offered is a commercial matter for insurance companies...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Compliance (12 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: As previously indicated to the Deputy, Revenue carries out regular compliance checks on all lenders to ensure correct operation of the mortgage interest relief scheme. Additionally, all information in regard to the operation of the scheme is made available to the Comptroller & Auditor General for examination. Revenue is constrained by Section 851A of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Excise Duties Yield (12 Jul 2017)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 127 and 128 together. I am informed by Revenue that the breakdown of the net Excise receipts by category for 2016 and the period January to June 2017 is as shown in the table. Please note that receipts shown for 2017 are provisional. Net Excise Receipts 2016 2017 (6 Mths.) €m €m Alcohol 1,208 561 Tobacco 1,098 257 Oils 2,173 994...