Results 8,861-8,880 of 33,175 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Departmental Expenditure (17 Jun 2021)

Paschal Donohoe: I can inform the Deputy that the Department of Finance has no record of spending on social media content production from the beginning of January 2021 to 12 June 2021.

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Departmental Expenditure (17 Jun 2021)

Paschal Donohoe: I can inform the Deputy that the Department of Finance has no record of spending on public relations consultancy since January 2021 to date. A number of bodies under the aegis of my Department have incurred expenditure on public relations consultancy since January 2021, the details are as follows: The National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) has spent €40,000 (VAT excl.) to date since...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (17 Jun 2021)

Paschal Donohoe: In terms of providing a context for the present arrangements, the current structures with regard to tax bands of couples who are married or in civil partnerships has been in place for the last 20 years or so. The previous Commission on Taxation in their 2009 report observed the following: "However, in relation to income tax, a “hybrid” arrangement has been in place since 2000,...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Departmental Policies (17 Jun 2021)

Paschal Donohoe: Since June 2020, my Department published Budget 2021 in October 2020, the Stability Programme Update forecasts in April 2021 as well as various economic, research and analysis papers to support policy-making, including the launch of the quarterly Economic Insights series. My Department also continues to provide technical input around the economic impact of COVID-19 and the related policy...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Equality Issues (17 Jun 2021)

Paschal Donohoe: Each year since 2015, my Department has satisfied the target of employing 3% of staff with disabilities and is committed to achieving the revised target of 6% by 2024. The Department’s Disability Liaison Officer works closely with the National Disability Authority to ensure that it is fully compliant with its obligations under the Disability Act 2005. My Department has held awareness...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (16 Jun 2021)

Paschal Donohoe: Section 28B of the Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Covid-19) Act 2020 provides for the operation of the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS), which is an economy-wide enterprise support for eligible businesses in respect of eligible employees. It provides a flat-rate subsidy to qualifying employers based on the numbers of paid and eligible employees on the employer’s...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (16 Jun 2021)

Paschal Donohoe: The Financial Resolution passed by the Dáil on 19 May last provides for a new higher stamp duty rate of 10% where at least 10 residential units (excluding apartments) are acquired by an individual or a corporate entity such as a company in any 12-month period. This new measure is ‘triggered’ when a residential unit is acquired on or after 20 May 2021, with the...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (16 Jun 2021)

Paschal Donohoe: The Debt Warehousing Scheme remains available to support businesses that are experiencing tax payment difficulties arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. The scheme applies to VAT debts, PAYE (Employer) debts, self-assessed income tax debts (balance of 2019 income tax liability and 2020 preliminary tax) and Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS) overpayments. The Government recently agreed to the...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (16 Jun 2021)

Paschal Donohoe: While it is difficult to estimate the cost of the extension, as it is difficult at this time to predict the level of activity in 2022, it is estimated that the extension will cost the Exchequer approximately €350m.

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Insurance Industry (16 Jun 2021)

Paschal Donohoe: I note that the details supplied relate to a query about the provision of motor insurance rebates in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the Deputy will be aware, in line with the EU Solvency II Directive insurance framework, I cannot compel any insurer operating in the Irish market to provide refunds to their customers, as this is a commercial matter. As the Minister for Finance, I am...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Departmental Schemes (16 Jun 2021)

Paschal Donohoe: The Help to Buy (HTB) incentive is a scheme to assist first-time purchasers with obtaining the deposit they need to buy or build a new house or apartment. The scheme gives a refund on Income Tax and Deposit Interest Retention Tax (DIRT) paid in the State over the previous four years, subject to limits outlined in the legislation. An increase in the supply of new housing is fundamental to...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Departmental Bodies (16 Jun 2021)

Paschal Donohoe: Since inception, HBFI has provided funding to house builders for over 2,400 homes across 17 counties, comprising of approximately 56% houses and 44% apartments. To be clear, HBFI funds the construction of new homes and does not lend to the end buyers of these homes, whether they be institutional funds, Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs), local authorities or other categories of buyer. Based on...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Departmental Policies (16 Jun 2021)

Paschal Donohoe: The paper to which the Deputy refers calls for higher levels of borrowing to increase public spending on housing, but it is important that we place this discussion in full context. Last year, a general government deficit of €18½ billion was recorded – the equivalent of nearly 9 per cent of modified gross national income (GNI*). For this year, the Stability Programme...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Insurance Industry (16 Jun 2021)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy will be aware that the Programme for Government includes a commitment to work to remove dual pricing, a form of differential pricing, from the insurance market. In this regard, the Action Plan for Insurance Reform also commits to examine the forthcoming final report and recommendations of the Central Bank Review of Differential Pricing in the Motor and Home Insurance Marketsand...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Electric Vehicles (16 Jun 2021)

Paschal Donohoe: I can inform the Deputy that the Department of Finance has no record of purchasing any vehicles in 2020 or to date in 2021.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (15 Jun 2021)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 65, 71, 79 to 81,inclusive, 88, 92, 95, 100, 102, 105, 120, 130 and 384 together. This has been an absolutely vital scheme. I will deal with County Carlow where, to date, under the employment wage subsidy scheme 6,800 employees have participated in the employment wage subsidy scheme. Prior to this, it was the temporary wage subsidy scheme and the number...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (15 Jun 2021)

Paschal Donohoe: I very much agree with the analysis put forward by the Deputy. This scheme has made a massive difference to workers and employers throughout the country. As the Deputy knows, the Government has made the decision to extend the scheme to the end of this year, in a completely unchanged way for the next quarter and with a view to seeing whether we can make some slight changes to the scheme in...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (15 Jun 2021)

Paschal Donohoe: I congratulate the Deputy in advance of tomorrow. It is great to know that this week 100,000 citizens from throughout the country will be getting either their first or second jab. This will continue in the weeks and months of this year. In any decision the Government will make regarding supports in future there must be a balance. We cannot keep the supports we have in place in an...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Insurance Industry (15 Jun 2021)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Deputy. The Minister of State, Deputy Fleming, and I are very much aware of that reality and the challenge many small businesses face with the rising cost of insurance. It is the reason this and the previous Government have had such a focus on this matter. It is the reason the Minister of State has worked previously with the former Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee, and the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Insurance Industry (15 Jun 2021)

Paschal Donohoe: This is about the regulation of a sector through an independent regulator with the power to hold firms to account where there are practices not in keeping with regulation or where there is a breach of law. I accept the point that the general matters I refer to may not be of solace to the specific company referred to by the Deputy, but it is the implementation of these policies by the...