Results 881-900 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (8 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: -----that has to coincide with reforms at group level.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (8 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: It is undoubtedly the case that cafés and restaurants add a great deal to the character of our cities, towns and villages. We want them to be viable and to support them. The Government has been very supportive of the sector over recent years and that has been acknowledged. Labour availability is a challenge. We have unemployment of approximately 4.5%. That is a good news story. Our...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (8 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: The Minister, Deputy Foley, is leading a very ambitious programme of school building. The outturn last year in respect of capital spend was that her Department spent its budget and a lot more besides. The Government came to an arrangement with the Minister to enable an acceleration of the school building programme because we recognise the importance of ensuring that school places are...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (8 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: The State has become much more involved in building apartments through the Land Development Agency and the Croí Cónaithe scheme brought forward by the Minister, Deputy O'Brien. I have seen a number of examples, including in my own city, of schemes happening that otherwise would not have happened, of cost-rental homes being provided and of apartments being offered for sale to...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I acknowledge that he had a Private Members' motion on this issue on the Order Paper this week. I understand it will now be taken next week. The Government will respond to that motion. I agree with the Deputy that SMEs are the lifeblood of towns, villages and communities. The Government values them. As the Deputy has acknowledged, the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: We regret any closures. We do not want to see any viable business close down. It is important to recall the context of the reduction in the VAT rate. When it first happened, it was to stimulate demand by reducing prices to drive footfall into businesses. It was continued during Covid. It was also extended in the context of the war in Ukraine and the cost-of-living pressures so many are...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: Only Deputy Murphy could come into the House and seek to blame the Government for people burning down buildings. That was an outrageous contribution. He has actually made it more difficult for the Garda and our criminal justice system to secure successful prosecutions of people who are conducting criminal acts. He has not done anyone any service with the contribution he just made in that...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: I believe the Deputy did essentially blame the Government. He accused us of dancing to the tune of the far right.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: He blamed them for burning the buildings.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: He is drawing a correlation which is completely unjustified and is not defensible. If that is the way the Deputy wants to represent himself and his views in the House, so be it. I am not sure if he is suggesting that the State should provide security at every vacant building in the country. I ask him to bear in mind that some of the buildings that have been burnt down were not earmarked...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: If we adopt Sinn Féin policy, the supply of new homes will fall. At the moment, we need at least €13 billion to €14 billion of capital to build in excess of 30,000 homes a year. The State is providing €4 billion to €5 billion of that. We are likely, over the period ahead, to revise upwards the housing targets in Housing For All. That will mean much more...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: The supply numbers are real numbers. Since 2020, more than 100,000 new homes have been built. More homes were delivered in four years than in the previous nine years combined, and that is the reality. Almost 33,000 homes were built in 2023. The RTB has the statutory powers it needs in the enforcement of the rent pressure zone rules. It has the powers of investigation and has been given...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: We are not going to dismiss constructive suggestions, wherever they come from across the House because we recognise that this is a challenge. We believe we are making progress as a Government and as a country in increasing the supply of homes but we have more to do. We are never going to deny that and we are open to constructive ideas and proposals from right across the House. It is...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: I thank Deputy Doherty very much for raising this issue. The report to which the Deputy refers from the RTB is just the second such report it has published. It is the rent index report. It is good to have definitive data from the RTB in relation to rents associated with actual tenancies. That gives us some very valuable information as a Government and Oireachtas in terms of the policy...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (8 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 159 to 161, inclusive, together. The Residential Zoned Land Tax (RZLT) is a new tax introduced in Finance Act 2021 which seeks to increase housing supply by encouraging the activation of development on lands which are suitably zoned and appropriately serviced. It aims to bring those lands which have benefitted from investment in services and are capable of...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Reliefs (8 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: I assume that the Deputy’s question relates to PAYE taxpayers. I am advised by Revenue that, where an income tax return is not completed, it is not possible for Revenue to know if a taxpayer may be due additional credits or reliefs. Therefore, it is not possible to provide the Deputy with an estimated amount of unclaimed tax reliefs in each of the years requested. Some taxpayers may...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Credits (8 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 163 and 164 together. The Blind Person’s Tax Credit was last increased in Budget 2008 from €1,760 to €1,830 for single persons and from €3,520 to €3,660 for a married couples or civil partners. It should be noted that as part of the suite of measures to deliver fiscal consolidation in Budget 2011, the Blind...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Rebates (8 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: I am advised that Revenue has received four separate claims for refunds under the Value-Added Tax (Refund of Tax) (Flat-rate Farmers) Order 2012 from the person concerned. The peak filing period for these claims is between mid-November (the Income Tax filing period) and late January, hence Revenue has experienced a large volume of claims and is currently addressing a 6-week backlog. The...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Financial Services (8 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: The Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman (FSPO) plays a vital role in the financial consumer protection framework in Ireland. The FSPO is committed to providing a receptive service that is delivered in an accessible and inclusive manner, responsive to the needs of its customers. The FSPO adheres to ‘Our Public Service’, a framework developed by the Department of Public...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Financial Services (8 Feb 2024)

Michael McGrath: Consumers can make a complaint against a “financial service provider", as defined in section 2 of the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman Act, 2017, as amended (the “2017 Act”). This definition includes a “regulated financial service provider” within the meaning of section 2(1) of the Central Bank Act 1942, as amended. The functions and powers of...