Results 81-100 of 6,266 for at speaker:Michael McGrath

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Treasury Management Agency (21 May 2024)

Michael McGrath: I thank the Deputy for the question. The Ireland Strategic Investment Fund, which is a business unit of the NTMA, is statutorily independent and is subject to oversight by its investment committee and the NTMA's board. My officials are in contact with the NTMA on an ongoing basis across a range of issues, including those arising from the Illegal Israeli Settlements Divestment Bill 2023. On...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Treasury Management Agency (21 May 2024)

Michael McGrath: Perhaps I could write to the Deputy with detail of the investments that have been divested. The majority of what was announced has been completed at this stage. She will acknowledge that difficult and harrowing as the issue is with the occupied West Bank and the conflict and the terrible events happening in Gaza because of the excessive use of force by the Israel Defense Forces, it is not...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tax Credits (21 May 2024)

Michael McGrath: I do not accept the Deputy's assertion in that regard. I point to the fact that almost 22,000 taxpayer units, some of whom may be couples given the way they are counted by the Revenue Commissioners, made a claim for this relief as part of their 2023 PAYE income tax return. I expect that many more will do so over the eligibility period. Although it was an estimate, the figure provided to me...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tax Credits (21 May 2024)

Michael McGrath: I do not accept that at all. This is a non-refundable tax credit. There was engagement with the Revenue Commissioners for many months in the lead-up to the budget last October. They were very clear with me and my officials that it was not possible to put in place the necessary IT infrastructure to-----

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tax Credits (21 May 2024)

Michael McGrath: No, not at all.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tax Code (21 May 2024)

Michael McGrath: .... In Housing for All, the Government has set out a suite of incentives to address vacancy and the efficient use of existing stock. A vacant homes tax was announced in budget 2023 and legislated for in the Finance Act 2022. This tax is now set at five times the property’s existing base local property tax rate. The vacant homes action plan outlines the significant progress that...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tax Credits (21 May 2024)

Michael McGrath: ...form of the mortgage interest tax credit, introduced in the most recent budget, is a one-year temporary relief available to homeowners with an outstanding mortgage balance on their principal private residence of between €80,000 and €500,000 on 31 December 2022. It is available at the standard rate of income tax and is based on the increase in the interest paid in 2023 over...

Seanad: Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2024: Second Stage (21 May 2024)

Michael McGrath: I am pleased to be in the Seanad this afternoon to take Second Stage of the Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2024. This debate follows an extensive engagement to date, including with the Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach for prelegislative scrutiny, on Committee Stage in the Dáil and also with the budgetary...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Reliefs (21 May 2024)

Michael McGrath: ...administered by Revenue to assist first-time buyers with buying or building a new house or apartment. The scheme gives a refund of Income Tax and Deposit Interest Retention Tax (DIRT) paid in the State over the previous four years, subject to qualifying criteria outlined in the legislation. In the July 2020 stimulus plan, the scheme was amended so that the level of support available to...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Credits (21 May 2024)

Michael McGrath: The Rent Tax Credit, as provided for in section 473B of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 (TCA 1997), was introduced by the Finance Act 2022 and may be claimed in respect of qualifying rent paid in 2022 and subsequent years to end-2025. For the tax years 2022 and 2023, the maximum value of the credit is €1,000 per year in the case of a jointly assessed couple, and €500 in all...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: EU Agreements (21 May 2024)

Michael McGrath: The Capital Markets Union (CMU) is an ongoing and long term project which aims to deepen and further integrate Europe’s capital markets, support growth and enhance the resilience of the financial system. For Ireland, CMU has the potential to widen the sources of available funding for our companies as well as provide opportunities for our export-oriented financial services sector to...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Business Supports (21 May 2024)

Michael McGrath: ...vital liquidity support to businesses impacted by Covid-19 trading restrictions. The scheme allowed businesses to temporarily ‘park’ eligible taxes, on an interest-free basis, until 1 May 2024. At its peak in January 2022, there was €3.2 billion debt in the warehouse, the vast majority of which related to VAT and payroll taxes deducted by employers from their...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Legislative Measures (21 May 2024)

Michael McGrath: The Department of Finance's Retail Banking Review, published in November 2022, concluded that cash, despite a decline in its usage, remains an important element of the payments system and the broader economy and it is essential that cash remains readily available to customers through ATMs and other means across the country. The Review recommended that the Department of Finance should...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Illicit Trade (21 May 2024)

Michael McGrath: The Deputy should note that fines for the sale of illicit tobacco are contained in Tobacco Products Tax (TPT) legislation, as set out in Chapter 3 of Part 2 of the Finance Act 2005 (as amended). Sections 78 and 78A of the Act provide that, without prejudice to any other penalty, any person convicted of an offence in relation to the illegal selling of unstamped tobacco products or of illicit...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Reliefs (21 May 2024)

Michael McGrath: ...to purchase or self-build a new house or apartment to live in as their home. The relief is only available in respect of new builds, with a view to increasing the supply of new housing and stimulating demand. The incentive gives a refund of Income Tax and Deposit Interest Retention Tax (“DIRT”) paid in Ireland over the previous four years, subject to limits outlined in the...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Credits (21 May 2024)

Michael McGrath: The Rent Tax Credit, as provided for in section 473B of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 (TCA 1997), was introduced by the Finance Act 2022 and may be claimed in respect of qualifying rent paid in 2022 and subsequent years to end-2025. For the tax years 2022 and 2023, the maximum value of the credit is €1,000 per year in the case of a jointly assessed couple, and €500 in all...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Broadcasting Sector (21 May 2024)

Michael McGrath: As part of his Budget 2023 speech, my predecessor Minister Donohoe announced that he had instructed officials to explore opportunities to support the unscripted sector. This process was undertaken within the Department throughout 2023. After careful consideration I announced, as part of Budget 2024, the intention to proceed with a measure for the unscripted sector. Work is being undertaken by...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (21 May 2024)

Michael McGrath: As the Deputy will be aware, the 9 per cent VAT rate was applied on a temporary basis to the hospitality and tourism sectors until 31 August 2023 when it reverted to the 13.5 per cent rate. The 9 per cent rate was introduced on 1 November 2020 in recognition of the fact that the tourism and hospitality sectors were among those most impacted by the public health restrictions put in place...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (21 May 2024)

Michael McGrath: The Government is acutely aware of the difficulties in the housing market and the challenges this presents for many people and families at the moment. The need to address vacancy and to ensure all viable housing stock is being used is a priority for the Government. In Housing for All, the Government has set out a suite of incentives to address vacancy and efficient use of existing stock. ...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Consumer Protection (21 May 2024)

Michael McGrath: The Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman (FSPO) is an independent, impartial, fair and free service that helps resolve complaints against financial service and pension providers from consumers and small businesses. It plays a vital role in the robust financial consumer protection framework in place in Ireland to support consumers of financial services. The Deputy has raised the issue...