Results 341-360 of 33,829 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Departmental Reviews (29 Jul 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: The Minister for State will be aware that as Minister for Finance, I have no direct function in the relationship between financial institutions and their customers and I cannot be involved in the commercial decisions made by individual lenders. I note from the information provided that this particular case is currently before the Courts and it would be inappropriate for me to comment on this...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Reliefs (29 Jul 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: Excise duty on alcohol is governed by EU law, with which Irish excise law is obliged to conform. The “Alcohol Structures Directive” (Council Directive 92/83/EEC) lays down a harmonised approach to excise duties on alcohol in the EU. It defines alcoholic beverages and sets out the basis on which excise duties on such products are to be established by Member States as well as the...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Departmental Schemes (29 Jul 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy is aware, at an appeal hearing the Disabled Drivers Medical Board of Appeal (DDMBA) reviews the decision by a HSE Primary Medical Officer and determines if an appellant meets any of the six medical criteria. Only if an appellant meets one of the six eligibility criteria will the Board issue a Board Medical Certificate. I have no role in relation to the granting or refusal...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Programme for Government (29 Jul 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: The Finance (Provision of Access to Cash Infrastructure) Act 2025 was commenced on 30 June 2025. The Act also brings cash-in-transit providers (CITs) and independent ATM deployers within the regulatory perimeter of the Central Bank of Ireland. The Act requires me to prescribe access to cash criteria, for each of the eight Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics 3 (NUTS3) regions...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Programme for Government (29 Jul 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: The Programme for Government commits to delivering further action to drive down insurance costs impacting households, motorists and businesses. One of the first steps to delivering this commitment is a new Action Plan for Insurance Reform, which was published by the Government on 24th July. As part of the development of this Plan, the Department of Finance undertook a wide-ranging public...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Programme for Government (29 Jul 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 647 and 707 together. In January 2020, revised Central Bank Lending Regulations were put into effect on credit union home and business lending. I would like to note that there are no limits on personal lending which continues to comprise the vast majority of credit union lending (approximately 86% as at end March 2025). Last year, the Central Bank...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Programme for Government (29 Jul 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: The credit union sector is an important contributor to the housing market in the area of home lending and investment in social housing via the Credit Union Approved Housing Body (AHB) Fund. This is in addition to the provision of personal loans to fund home improvements and retrofit schemes. Credit union home lending has increased significantly, with 34% year on year growth from March...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Programme for Government (29 Jul 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: My officials, together with credit union stakeholders worked collaboratively to deliver the Credit Union (Amendment) Act 2023 (the 2023 Act). The 2023 Act represents a very significant piece of legislation that will have far-reaching positive implications for the credit union sector in the years to come. The 2023 Act increased flexibility around the common bond, opening up opportunities...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Programme for Government (29 Jul 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: At the outset, I would like to acknowledge the sensitivity of this issue. The Government is firmly committed to advancing this important legislative reform and it is a key commitment in the Programme for Government – Securing Ireland’s Future. I am pleased to confirm that with Government support the Central Bank (Amendment) Bill 2025 passed Second Stage in the Dáil on the...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Insurance Industry (29 Jul 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: Substantial progress has been made under the 2020 Action Plan for Insurance Reform to address issues related to the cost and supply of insurance. This includes the implementation of significant reforms such as the rebalancing of the duty of care, reform of the Injuries Resolution Board, the introduction of Personal Injuries Guidelines, the banning of price walking in the home and motor...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Departmental Schemes (29 Jul 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: The Help to Buy (HTB) incentive, is a scheme to assist first-time purchasers with the deposit they need to buy or build a new house or apartment. It also has as an aim to encourage additional supply of new houses by supporting demand. Based on the latest available data (30 June 2025), the scheme has supported more than 57,000 individuals or couples to buy their own home. The level of...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Departmental Legal Cases (29 Jul 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: I wish to advise the Deputy in cases where specialist legal advice is required from private sector law firms, in 2022 my Department established a panel of legal firms to provide those services on foot of an open public procurement competition run under procurement rules and published on OJEU. This panel was put in place for four years. The fees charged by those firms are governed by that...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Departmental Legal Services (29 Jul 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: A significant proportion of legal services provided to my Department are obtained without fees from the Office of the Attorney General and the Chief State Solicitor’s Office. Where barristers are engaged those offices have processes in place to ensure that the fees charged by counsel are fair and reasonable before they meet them. In cases where specialist legal advice is required...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Departmental Legal Services (29 Jul 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: Most of our legal advices are obtained without fees from the Office of the Attorney General and the Chief State Solicitors Office. My department procures goods and services in line with Irish and EU rules and guidelines. These rules and guidelines provide for the procedures that must be followed at each relevant threshold level. For limited legal advices, the Department established...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Departmental Legal Cases (29 Jul 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: Most of our legal services are obtained without fees from the Office of the Attorney General and the Chief State Solicitor’s Office. Where barristers are engaged those offices have processes in place to ensure that the fees charged by counsel are fair and reasonable before they meet them. I understand that the Office of the Attorney General operates a number of panels of barristers to...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Departmental Legal Services (29 Jul 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: I can inform the deputy that most of our legal services are obtained without fees from the Office of the Attorney General and the Chief State Solicitors Office. Where barristers are engaged those offices have processes in place to ensure that the fees charged by counsel are fair and reasonable before they meet them. I understand that the Office of the Attorney General operates a number...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Departmental Legal Cases (29 Jul 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 658 and 659 together. A significant proportion of legal services provided to my Department are obtained without fees from the Office of the Attorney General and the Chief State Solicitor’s Office. Where barristers are engaged those offices have processes in place to ensure that the fees charged by counsel are fair and reasonable before they meet...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Cost of Living Issues (29 Jul 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: Government has provided significant support to households and business over the last three years to help absorb the impact of higher prices. At the same time it is important that fiscal policy does not add to inflationary pressure within the economy. Protecting the economy, supporting and protecting jobs and investing in our public finances to ensure the sustainability of the public...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Exemptions (29 Jul 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: Finance Act 2021 introduced Part 22A Residential Zoned Land Tax (RZLT) into the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 (TCA 1997). RZLT is designed to prompt residential development by owners of land that is zoned for residential or mixed-use (including residential) purposes and that is serviced. RZLT is an annual tax, calculated at a rate of 3% of the market value of the land within its scope,...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Reliefs (29 Jul 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy is aware, a number of tax reliefs related to agriculture are due to 'sunset' at the end of 2025. Consequently, the Department is currently reviewing the following schemes in advance of Budget 2026: Accelerated Capital Allowance (Income Tax) for Slurry Storage In Budget 2023, a scheme was announced to allow for the Accelerated Capital Allowance for Slurry Storage for the...