Results 10,521-10,540 of 32,593 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Mortgage Lending (3 Nov 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: I have met with the CEOs of the banks on a number of occasions since the pandemic arose to discuss the measures banks and other regulated lenders can put in place to assist their borrowers who are economically impacted by COVID-19 and also the need to continue to support overall credit and lending in the economy, including new residential mortgage lending. The purpose of the Employment...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (3 Nov 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: In 2009, the Commission for Taxation recommended the introduction of a tax on carbon emissions from fossil fuels released for consumption in Ireland in order to broaden the tax base and to protect and enhance the environment. Carbon Tax, as part of an overall suite of measures to incentivise decarbonisation, aims to encourage businesses and householders alike to use greener alternative fuels...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (3 Nov 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: I note the comments made in the European Parliament recently by the Chair of the Supervisory Board of the European Central Bank. I will continue to engage with the retail banks in light of any further guidance issued by the EU regulatory authorities to ensure that Irish borrowers can benefit from any further initiatives at an EU level. In April the European Banking Authority (EBA)...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (3 Nov 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: I would like to assure the Deputy that I continue to closely monitor the uptake and utilisation of the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) and that both I and my officials are in frequent contact with our counterparts the Departments of Social Protection and Public Expenditure and Reform on this important economy-wide employment measure. I am aware of the views expressed in the letter,...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: National Asset Management Agency (3 Nov 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: I am advised by NAMA that they do not typically own or sell properties. Rather NAMA’s role is as secured lender and the properties securing NAMA’s loans remain under the control of their registered owners, or in the case of enforcement, the appointed receiver. The Deputy will be aware that I, as Minister for Finance, have no role in respect of NAMA's commercial operations or...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (3 Nov 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: I have met with the CEOs of the banks on a number of occasions since the pandemic arose to discuss the measures banks and other regulated lenders can put in place to assist their borrowers who are economically impacted by COVID-19 and also the need to continue to support overall credit and lending in the economy, including new residential mortgage lending. The three main retail banks assured...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Data Protection (3 Nov 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: There were 8 data protection breaches identified in the Department of Finance in 2019. The Department has an internal personal data breach reporting protocol. All breaches must be formally notified to the Department’s Data Protection Officer for assessment. One of the breaches that occurred in 2019 was notified to the Office of the Data Protection Commission. Immediate follow-up...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Reliefs (3 Nov 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 451 and 452 together. In terms of the current tax treatment of the costs associated with working from home, the position is that any such costs incurred wholly and exclusively for the purposes of the business by an employer (for example, the provision of equipment) may be deducted by the employer in the normal course of calculating the tax liability of their...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Departmental Expenditure (3 Nov 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: My Department did not have capital spending above €20 million for any year since 2016. I wish to inform the deputy that there are 17 bodies under the aegis of my Department; of those 17 Bodies, 16 have confirmed that they their capital spending was not over €20 million in each of the years since 2016. The Central Bank has confirmed the following capital spending: ...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Living City Initiative (22 Oct 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: The Living City Initiative is a very specific tax incentive, established in compliance with the Department of Finance’s Tax expenditure Guidelines, with the aim of encouraging businesses and home-owners back to the centre of Irish cities in order to preserve historic buildings in special regeneration areas. I do not believe that it is a suitable vehicle for broader application beyond...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Primary Medical Certificates (22 Oct 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 48 and 53 together. I am informed by Revenue that the total cost and number of claimants for repayments of Value Added Tax (VAT) and remissions/repayments of Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT) under the Drivers and Passengers with Disabilities (DPD) scheme, as well as the total cost and number of persons who availed of the Fuel Grant in 2019, are provided in the...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (22 Oct 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 49, 51, 57, 59, 60 and 61 together. The details of the Covid Restrictions Support Scheme (CRSS) will be set out in the Finance Bill due to be published this week. The CRSS is a targeted support for businesses significantly impacted by restrictions introduced by the Government under public health regulations to combat the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic....

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Banking Sector (22 Oct 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: I emphasised to representatives of Ulster Bank in my meeting yesterday that staff, customers and other stakeholders must be informed promptly about any decisions made under the ongoing strategic review being undertaken by NatWest, Ulster Bank's parent. In particular, I said that staff should be consulted and kept informed of developments in the review. ...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (22 Oct 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: In relation to taxation for those over 66, a person aged 65 and over is fully exempt from income tax where his or her total income from all sources is less than the relevant exemption limit. For 2020, the exemption limits are €36,000 for a married couple or civil partners and €18,000 for a single individual. Where an individual exceeds the exemption limit, he or she is liable to...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Mortgage Lending (22 Oct 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: As you will be aware both officials and myself have engaged and will continue to engage extensively with the Banking and Payments Federation (BPFI) and the banks directly in relation to supports for personal and business customers affected by the COVID-19 crisis. Officials in my Department are alert to issues raised directly by the public and these inform the Department’s ongoing...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Rebates (22 Oct 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: Revenue has advised me that the person in question is in receipt of both an occupational pension and weekly payments from the Department of Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands. These payments are taxable income sources and are subject to tax rates, rate bands and tax credits in the normal manner. Due to the person’s level of income in 2020, no tax has...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Value Added Tax (22 Oct 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: I have previously outlined the rationale for the changes proposed to the VAT Retail Export Scheme. This scheme enables visitors that are resident outside the EU to benefit from VAT relief on goods purchased in Ireland and subsequently taken outside of the EU. If the scheme applies to UK visitors post-Brexit without changes UK visitors will be able to buy goods VAT free in Ireland. ...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Disabled Drivers and Passengers Scheme (22 Oct 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: I am informed by Revenue that the Disabled Driver and Passenger Scheme provides for the remission or repayment of VRT up to the maximum limits as provided for in Statutory Instrument 353 of 1994. Section 135C(3)(b) of the Finance Act 1992 further provides that a Category A series production electric vehicle can avail of relief of up to €5,000 on the VRT due.  The Disabled...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (22 Oct 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: The long established policy of providing tax relief for pension contributions is to encourage saving by employers, employees and the self-employed towards their retirement income. A repayment of contributions is only permitted in highly limited circumstances, for example due to ill-health, and as such, this would be subject to income tax. The policy rationale underpinning this is that...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Banking Sector (22 Oct 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 63 and 65 together. I became aware that NatWest is engaged in a strategic review of its operations, including those of its subsidiary, Ulster Bank, thanks to media reports published last month.  Following these media reports, officials from my Department contacted Ulster Bank and NatWest. Yesterday, I met with representatives of Ulster...