Results 42,721-42,740 of 46,397 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Office of Public Works Properties (5 Mar 2015)

Simon Harris: The Office of Public Works is not the owner of the slipway concerned and has no information about its ownership.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Finance Act 2004 (Section 91) (Deferred Surrender to the Central Fund) Order 2015: Motion (4 Mar 2015)

Simon Harris: I thank the Chairman and committee for having me here today. In budget 2015, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform set out a programme of Exchequer capital investment of €11 billion out to 2017. This significant level of investment will address critical infrastructure deficits, aid economic growth and job creation and provide much needed social infrastructure. It is the...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Finance Act 2004 (Section 91) (Deferred Surrender to the Central Fund) Order 2015: Motion (4 Mar 2015)

Simon Harris: The money must be spent in the same Department but it can be moved to a different subhead if a project does not go ahead. I will ask the line Department to come back to the Deputy with a note on the Irish Land Commission and Haulbowline. I will also get the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport to contact the Deputy with the specific information on the swimming pools. With regard to...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Finance Act 2004 (Section 91) (Deferred Surrender to the Central Fund) Order 2015: Motion (4 Mar 2015)

Simon Harris: I did.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Finance Act 2004 (Section 91) (Deferred Surrender to the Central Fund) Order 2015: Motion (4 Mar 2015)

Simon Harris: I will be delighted to facilitate Deputy Fleming with a note. It is with regard to peatlands conservation measures, including the cessation of the turf cutting compensation scheme, to meet obligations arising from the EU habitats and birds directives. I will ask the Department to write to the Deputy.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Finance Act 2004 (Section 91) (Deferred Surrender to the Central Fund) Order 2015: Motion (4 Mar 2015)

Simon Harris: I am happy to give that undertaking. We will collect the information and revert to the committee in a composite reply.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Finance Act 2004 (Section 91) (Deferred Surrender to the Central Fund) Order 2015: Motion (4 Mar 2015)

Simon Harris: The total underspend on capital last year after the carryover was €2.5 million.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Finance Act 2004 (Section 91) (Deferred Surrender to the Central Fund) Order 2015: Motion (4 Mar 2015)

Simon Harris: I will try to assist. Total capital expenditure in 2014 amounted to €3.47 billion, including Supplementary Estimates. With regard to the capital carryover from 2014 to 2015, the total provisional outturn for capital was €3.55 billion. The total underspend on capital after Supplementary Estimates are accounted for is approximately €2.5 million, or 0.1%.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Finance Act 2004 (Section 91) (Deferred Surrender to the Central Fund) Order 2015: Motion (4 Mar 2015)

Simon Harris: The figures I have relate to Departments with carryover and amount to €2.5 million. I will come back to the Deputy with information on this.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Finance Act 2004 (Section 91) (Deferred Surrender to the Central Fund) Order 2015: Motion (4 Mar 2015)

Simon Harris: We will have to come back to the Deputy.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (4 Mar 2015)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Fleming for his amendment. I am approaching committee stage here in the same way I approach committee stage in the Seanad whereby if there are issues to be teased out we will endeavour to tease them out and I will be constructive in my responses. I think Deputy Fleming will know that from my responses to some of his amendments during the course of this debate. I am not in...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (4 Mar 2015)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Fleming for the amendment. The primary purpose of this Bill is to accelerate the National Revaluation Programme. There has been much criticism of the pace at which it is proceeding and predictions that it will take until 2013 are predictions that I have heard in various debates in the Dáil. This is not the case and the figures show that the revaluation programme has now...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (4 Mar 2015)

Simon Harris: I am positively disposed to what the Deputy is trying to do, if it is to ensure that the time period from the moment a case arrives at the door of the Valuation Office until the moment it is out the door is six months. If the purpose of the amendment is to ensure that a revision case should be concluded within six months of receipt, then I agree that this is something that should be provided...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (4 Mar 2015)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Fleming. This amendment is at odds with the intention of section 15, which provides a discretionary power to the commissioner in exceptional circumstances in the interests of maintaining a correct, equitable and uniform valuation list. The proposed amendment would result in limiting this discretion by limiting the period within which the function could be exercised. This...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (4 Mar 2015)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for the amendment. At revision, properties are valued by reference to the values of other properties in the same rating authority area. The values are based on the actual physical characteristics of the property at the time of valuation, but reflect the economic conditions at an earlier date. If all valuations in a local authority were decreased between revaluations as a...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (4 Mar 2015)

Simon Harris: I would not be happy not to have an opportunity to respond because there is quite a lot in that. Deputy Fleming and I possibly disagree on the national versus local approach. I have a different perspective, as does the Local Government Reform Act 2014, in terms of giving more powers for revenue raising to locally elected members of the Deputy's party, my party, every other party and...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (4 Mar 2015)

Simon Harris: My officials have already been in contact with the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, which is the Department which deals with policy in this area. I do not intend for this valuation Bill to be involving itself in policies outside of its remit. Our remit is to attach a value. I want to attach values which reflect economic circumstances at the end of 2012 to all...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (4 Mar 2015)

Simon Harris: It has also been stated to my officials. It is not necessarily comparing like with like.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (4 Mar 2015)

Simon Harris: I will report back to the Deputy on Report Stage, although I am not giving any commitment on the issue.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (4 Mar 2015)

Simon Harris: I will go through the amendment piece by piece. First, the amendment would duplicate what is already provided for in Schedule 3. Buildings and facilities used in connection with water and wastewater are already included in Schedule 3, specifically in paragraphs 1(a), 1(b) and 1(n). Including buildings and facilities used in connection with water and wastewater in Schedule 3 would be like...