Results 5,361-5,380 of 33,118 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement 2022: Discussion (14 Jul 2022)

Paschal Donohoe: I want to add to what the Minister, Deputy McGrath said regarding the recognition of those who do not qualify for social welfare payments, but are in work and clearly face new difficulties because of the higher price of energy and food. That is why there is complete agreement in government regarding the role of indexation in our personal code. The Minister, Deputy McGrath, and I recognise...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement 2022: Discussion (14 Jul 2022)

Paschal Donohoe: I acknowledge the huge work the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and his Department have done on this. He will elaborate on the framework in a moment. I welcome the Deputy's recognition in this regard. It also formed part of the national economic dialogue, where we tried to broaden the evaluation of how we are doing beyond the very traditional economic measures of GDP and...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement 2022: Discussion (14 Jul 2022)

Paschal Donohoe: I will kick off because the Deputy opened with questions that are relevant to me. I do not foresee any changes in our budget day parameters between now and budget 2023 being announced. At €6.7 billion, it will be the largest budget in core spending that any Government has introduced in Ireland for quite some time. However, as the Minister, Deputy Michael McGrath, has said on a...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement 2022: Discussion (14 Jul 2022)

Paschal Donohoe: The percentage reduction is faster. All other things being equal, on our current forecasts we are still expecting our national income to grow. That is particularly important. At the start of the year the interest we were paying on our national debt for new borrowing was approximately zero and today it is 1.7%. I will note, before others make the point to me, that the 1.7% is a reduction...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement 2022: Discussion (14 Jul 2022)

Paschal Donohoe: Croí Cónaithe.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement 2022: Discussion (14 Jul 2022)

Paschal Donohoe: We will give the points raised by the Deputy about the operation of the Living City initiative very serious consideration. A proper review of the scheme has been done and I will be getting a copy of the report very shortly. The Deputy raised some very reasonable points regarding how what is a very targeted scheme could work better and they will be given proper consideration in the time...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement 2022: Discussion (14 Jul 2022)

Paschal Donohoe: Yes. I echo what the Deputy said. Phenomenal work is under way there. Limerick 2040 is one of the key bodies-----

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement 2022: Discussion (14 Jul 2022)

Paschal Donohoe: 2030.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement 2022: Discussion (14 Jul 2022)

Paschal Donohoe: Indeed. In conjunction with the council, Limerick 2030 has done brilliant work moving lots of large initiatives forward. I am really looking forward to going back soon with the Deputy and seeing all the progress that has been made. I know well the parts of the city referred to by the Deputy and the work that could really complement the broader regeneration that is under way. It will be...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement 2022: Discussion (14 Jul 2022)

Paschal Donohoe: We had assumed a base case scenario of inflation within our economic forecast of approximately 6% on average for the year. When the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and I published the stability programme update in April and the summer economic statement a couple of weeks ago, we acknowledged there was a risk to that 6% and said there could be changes that would move it to between...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement 2022: Discussion (14 Jul 2022)

Paschal Donohoe: We will be implementing lots of initiatives between now and budget day, for example, the measures announced by the Ministers for Education and Social Protection on back to school and the changes to the SUSI grant across the summer. All of the measures the Government has announced during the year will be implemented across the summer. The Government has not made any decision yet about what...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement 2022: Discussion (14 Jul 2022)

Paschal Donohoe: Nothing has been flagged with me regarding significant difficulties with the operation of the CSO and the data it produces in a very timely way. The indicators it is now involved in producing for the Government appear to have grown in both quantity and quality in recent years. I am sure it will raise funding needs, as every State body does, to which the Minister for Public Expenditure and...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement 2022: Discussion (14 Jul 2022)

Paschal Donohoe: The Minister, Deputy McGrath and I are constantly at pains to acknowledge the challenges and difficulties many are facing at the moment but in the same breath to make the point regarding the things that are still going well in our economy. We both made reference in our opening statements to where we are with income, with employment and to the growth that has taken place in our economy and...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Summer Economic Statement 2022: Discussion (14 Jul 2022)

Paschal Donohoe: I can certainly provide that to the committee.

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Vacant Properties (13 Jul 2022)

Paschal Donohoe: I am advised by Revenue that it has recently published a report setting out analysis of residential property vacancies as reflected in the Local Property Tax (LPT) returns for 2022. This report is available at www.revenue.ie/en/corporate/documents/statistics/lpt/lpt-vac ant-properties-report.pdf. I am advised by Revenue that the data in this report are not directly comparable to that...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Primary Medical Certificates (13 Jul 2022)

Paschal Donohoe: The Disabled Drivers & Disabled Passengers Scheme provides relief from Vehicle Registration Tax and VAT on the purchase and use of an adapted car, as well as an exemption from motor tax and an annual fuel grant. The Scheme is open to severely and permanently disabled persons as a driver or as a passenger and also to certain charitable organisations. In order to qualify for relief, the...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Primary Medical Certificates (13 Jul 2022)

Paschal Donohoe: The Disabled Drivers & Disabled Passengers Scheme provides relief from Vehicle Registration Tax and VAT on the purchase and use of an adapted car, as well as an exemption from motor tax and an annual fuel grant. The Scheme is open to severely and permanently disabled persons as a driver or as a passenger and also to certain charitable organisations. In order to qualify for relief, the...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Reliefs (13 Jul 2022)

Paschal Donohoe: Section 473A of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 provides for income tax relief in respect of qualifying tuition fees paid by an individual for a third level education course (including a postgraduate course), subject to the conditions set out in that section. The relief is granted at the standard rate of income tax (currently 20%), where an individual pays “qualifying fees” for...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Departmental Staff (13 Jul 2022)

Paschal Donohoe: My Department continually seeks to grow its people and enhance its culture to deliver an inclusive place to work and an environment where talented people are engaged, valued and choose to work to provide a world class service and expertise to the State. Recruitment to the Department and wider Civil Service is managed centrally by the Public Appointments Service (PAS). As such, recruitment...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Strategy Group (13 Jul 2022)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy will be aware, the Tax Strategy Group (TSG) is in place since the early 1990’s and is chaired by the Department of Finance with membership comprising senior officials and political advisers from a number of Civil Service Departments and Offices. Papers on various options for tax policy changes are prepared annually by Department of Finance officials. The TSG is not a...