Results 321-340 of 9,090 for speaker:Jack Chambers

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (22 Jan 2025)

Jack Chambers: The estimated cost of the 9 percent VAT rate for tourism and hospitality, from 1 November 2020 to 31 August 2023, was over €1.3 billion. While I recognise the difficult circumstances businesses in this sector find themselves in, the Government has taken additional measures to support businesses directly. For instance, Budget 2024 and Budget 2025 contained a number of measures to...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: State Assets (22 Jan 2025)

Jack Chambers: The National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA) has informed me that the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF) publishes details of individual investments in the NTMA Annual Report each year. The most recent annual report is for the year ended December 2023 which reported that ISIF held €300,000 in Palantir Technologies. ISIF’s holdings at the end of December 2024 will be...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Banking Sector (22 Jan 2025)

Jack Chambers: Creditors have the general right to assign or sell their benefits and rights under an existing credit agreement to another creditor, without changing the debtor's obligations and rights as also set out in the particular agreement or as subsequently agreed. Therefore, when a creditor's benefits under a credit agreement are sold to another entity, the terms of that particular agreement...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Financial Services (22 Jan 2025)

Jack Chambers: Payment service providers authorised in Ireland or who provide services in Ireland on a cross-border basis are subject to the requirements of Directive 2015/2366/EU on payment services (PSD2). PSD2 was transposed into Irish law with effect from 13 January 2018 by the European Union (Payment Services) Regulations 2018 (S.I. No. 6 of 2018) hereafter referred to as the Payment Service...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (22 Jan 2025)

Jack Chambers: The Deputy should note at the outset that I am not in a position to consider the rule change he has suggested. Context for this is provided below. Liquidation is the winding up of a company, including the sale of assets to pay creditors and shareholders based on the legal priority of their claims. Once appointed, a liquidator is legally obliged to distribute the dividends secured from...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Appointments to State Boards (22 Jan 2025)

Jack Chambers: Information on State Board membership, by Department, is available on the State Boards website www.StateBoards.ie.

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (22 Jan 2025)

Jack Chambers: Capital Acquisitions Tax (CAT) is a tax which applies to both gifts and inheritances. For CAT purposes, the relationship between the person giving a gift or inheritance (i.e. the disponer) and the person who receives it (i.e. the beneficiary) determines the maximum amount, known as the “Group threshold”, below which CAT does not arise. While the thresholds were reduced during...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (22 Jan 2025)

Jack Chambers: The VAT rating of goods and services is subject to EU VAT law, with which Irish VAT law must comply. In general, the EU VAT Directive provides that all goods and services are liable to VAT at the standard rate, unless they fall within the categories of goods and services specified in Annex III of the VAT Directive, in respect of which Member States may apply a lower rate of VAT. Musical...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Banking Sector (22 Jan 2025)

Jack Chambers: As Minister for Finance, I have no function in this area. The duties and obligations of owners of apartments that are in need of remediation work are governed by the relevant provisions of the Multi-Unit Developments Act 2011 and the Property Services (Regulation) Act 2011. These legislative Acts are the responsibility of the Minister for Justice. The Deputy will also be aware that on 18...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (22 Jan 2025)

Jack Chambers: As a general rule, commercial rates are deductible for tax purposes. Section 4(4)(a) Local Government Rates and Other Matters Act 2019, as amended by section 263 Historic and Archaeological Heritage and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023, sets out who may be considered a “liable person” with responsibility for payment of commercial rates. The liable person may be the occupier...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (22 Jan 2025)

Jack Chambers: Capital Acquisitions Tax (CAT) is a tax which applies to both gifts and inheritances. For CAT purposes, the relationship between the person giving a gift or inheritance (i.e. the disponer) and the person who receives it (i.e. the beneficiary) determines the maximum amount, known as the “Group threshold”, below which CAT does not arise. In Budget 2025, the Group A threshold...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (22 Jan 2025)

Jack Chambers: The Deputy should note that my Department and I share concerns that the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers Scheme or DDS is no longer fit-for-purpose and believe it should be replaced with a needs-based, grant-led approach for necessary vehicle adaptations that could serve to improve the functional mobility of the individual. However, this is very much a matter for Government as...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Artificial Intelligence (22 Jan 2025)

Jack Chambers: I can confirm for the Deputy that the Government approved Interim Guidelines for the Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the Public Service in January 2024. This was circulated to all staff within my department. These guidelines established that AI tools used in the civil and public service must comply with seven key requirements for ethical AI. My department follows advice from the...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Housing Schemes (22 Jan 2025)

Jack Chambers: I propose to take Questions Nos. 343 to 345, inclusive, together. The Help to Buy scheme operates through a Revenue online system that includes three distinct stages, application stage, claim stage and verification stage. The relevant property must be identified at the claim stage. The Deputy might note that applications for Help to Buy may be made on a provisional basis as first time...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (22 Jan 2025)

Jack Chambers: Budget 2010 announced the introduction of a carbon tax on fossil fuels in Ireland. Carbon taxation of petrol and auto-diesel came into effect in December 2009. It was extended to other liquid fuels and natural gas in 2010, and to solid fuels in 2013. Ireland’s carbon tax regime is a carbon pricing mechanism which directly links the taxation of fossil fuels to carbon dioxide emissions:...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Departmental Properties (22 Jan 2025)

Jack Chambers: I assume the Deputy’s question relates to locations where my Department’s staff work. In that regard please see the table below; Building Address Eircode Government Buildings, Upper Merrion Street, Dublin 2 D02 R583 14-16 Merrion Street, Upper Merrion Street, Dublin 2 D02 K728 7-9 Merrion Row,...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Official Travel (22 Jan 2025)

Jack Chambers: It was not possible for my Department to provide the information sought in the time available. I will, however, make arrangements to provide the information to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (22 Jan 2025)

Jack Chambers: The VAT rating of goods and services is subject to the requirements of EU VAT law, with which Irish VAT law must comply. In general, the EU VAT Directive provides that all goods and services are liable to VAT at the standard rate, unless they fall within categories of goods and services specified in Annex III of the VAT Directive, in respect of which Member States may apply a lower rate of...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (22 Jan 2025)

Jack Chambers: It is a general principle of taxation that, as far as possible, income from all sources should be subject to taxation. This is a well-established and broadly accepted principle. Section 19 of the Taxes Consolidation Act (TCA) 1997, sets out that tax under Schedule E shall be charged in respect of every public office or employment of profit. Section 112 of the TCA 1997 brings into charge...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Departmental Contracts (22 Jan 2025)

Jack Chambers: The principle of competitive tendering for Government contracts is used by my Department for the acquisition of goods and services. This is a requirement in accordance with the Directive on Public Procurement and the European Union (Award of Public Authority Contracts) Regulations 2016. Central to those procedures is the requirement to allow fair competition between suppliers through the...