Results 11,161-11,180 of 32,602 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Written Answers — Department of Finance: EU Budget Contribution (28 Jul 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy will be aware, on 21stJuly 2020, Heads of State and Government reached agreement on the Post-2020 MFF and recovery plan “Next Generation EU”, totalling €1.82 trillion. Difficult discussions took place over four days. The Government has welcomed this agreement. It is a fair and balanced outcomeand demonstrates that Europe can work collectively to deal with...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: EU Budget Contribution (28 Jul 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy will be aware, Ireland became a net contributor to the EU Budget in 2014, and since then, this position has grown further. However, at this point in time information on Ireland’s actual net contribution to the EU Budget in 2019 and 2020 is not available. Ireland’s gross contribution to the EU Budget in 2019 was €2.4 billion. Ireland’s gross...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: EU Budgets (28 Jul 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy may be aware, on 25 March 2020, in response to the Covid-19 crisis, Ireland and eight other countries (Belgium, France, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal, Slovenia, and Spain) signed a public letter to the President of the European Council (PEC) Charles Michel, calling for “a common debt instrument issued by a European institution to raise funds on the market on the...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Mortgage Lending (28 Jul 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: I fully appreciate the concerns you raise at this difficult time about people who are experiencing uncertainty about mortgage applications and drawdowns.  My Department is maintaining close contact with the Central Bank of Ireland and Banking and Payments Federation Ireland – the BPFI - as the lending industry works to address the difficulties the Covid-19...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Insurance Industry (28 Jul 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: Let me say at the outset that I am very much aware of the problems faced by many businesses in the leisure industry, in relation to the availability and affordability of public liability insurance.  However, neither I, nor the Central Bank of Ireland, can direct the pricing of insurance products, and neither can we compel any insurer operating in the Irish market to provide cover to...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: EU Budget Contribution (28 Jul 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy will be aware, Ireland became a net contributor to the EU Budget in 2014, and since then, this position has grown further. However, at this point my Department does not have information regarding Ireland’s actual net contribution to the Post-2020 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) in each year until 2024. Irish contributions to the EU budget are expected to rise...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Value Added Tax (28 Jul 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: I am advised by Revenue that in order for home care services to qualify for exemption, the provider must act as principal and must be recognised by the HSE as a home care provider. The home care provider is required to give notice in writing to the HSE of their own details as well as details of the persons to whom they provide home care services and the nature of such services so...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Customs and Excise (28 Jul 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: I am advised by Revenue that it is aware of the emerging trend in the misuse of nitrous oxide. Revenue is closely monitoring importations of the product into the State. Nitrous oxide containers are not prohibited goods as they have a number of legitimate uses, for example in the food industry. However, where Revenue has reasonable grounds for believing that the goods being imported will...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Revenue Commissioners (28 Jul 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: I am advised by Revenue that it currently operates 19 Dog Detector Teams, which includes one team working on behalf of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. A further 7 posts, which are vacant due to staff movements, are in the process of being filled. Statistics in relation to seizures by the Teams are compiled on an annual basis. The table below sets out the seizures secured...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Value Added Tax (28 Jul 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: The VAT rating of goods and services is subject to the requirements of EU VAT law with which Irish VAT law must comply.  The VAT Directive does not make specific provision for a reduced or zero rate to apply to safety equipment, including life saving equipment, and as such they are subject to the standard VAT rate, which is currently 23%.  However, for historic reasons the zero rate...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Ministerial Briefing (28 Jul 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: I wish to advise the Deputy that a briefing document prepared by the Department of Finance was provided to me on my appointment as Minister for Finance. A copy of this document, having regard to the relevant provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2014, is available from my Department’s website at the following link: . As such, the document will not be provided on an individual basis.

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (28 Jul 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: I am advised by Revenue that over 63,000 employers have accessed the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS) to date in respect of almost 627,000 employees. The numbers of employers availing of the scheme varies from week to week, depending on factors such as the pay frequencies that fall due, i.e. weekly, monthly, etc. For example, over 31,800 employers claimed the subsidy in respect of...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: EU Issues (28 Jul 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: I have consistently recognised that the international taxation system needs to adapt to account for changes in how business is conducted due to increased digitalisation in recent years. I strongly believe that the best way to achieve a sustainable solution is by securing global agreement.  The OECD BEPS Inclusive Framework is the forum in which can global agreement can...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Covid-19 Pandemic (28 Jul 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy will be aware, on 21stJuly 2020, Heads of State and Government reached agreement on the Post-2020 MFF and Next Generation EU, totalling €1.82 trillion. Difficult discussions took place over four days but I welcome this agreement and think this is a fair and balanced outcomeand demonstrates that Europe can work collectively to deal with this once-in-a-generation crisis....

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Covid-19 Pandemic (28 Jul 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: By social conditionality I take the Deputy to mean ensuring that a basic level of social protection for the most vulnerable people is included in Government decisions. The aim of the July Stimulus is to help get Ireland’s businesses back on their feet and get as many people back to work as quickly as possible. The package consists of over fifty measures and represents the...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Insurance Industry (28 Jul 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy is aware, the “Programme for Government – Our shared Future” document lays out commitments that are aimed at addressing consumer and business concerns on the cost of insurance. These commitments include increasing transparency; reviewing duty of care legislation; looking at how to further enhance the role of the Personal Injuries Assessment Board, and...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Pensions Reform (28 Jul 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: Personal Retirement Savings Accounts (PRSAs) are low cost, easy-to-access, private pension savings vehicles designed to allow individuals save for retirement flexibly and transfer their pension funds between jobs. They are available to anyone regardless of employment status. The relevant legislation setting out the treatment of PRSAs is contained in Chapter 2A of Part 30 of the Taxes...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Value Added Tax (28 Jul 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: As I outlined previously in my answer to Parliamentary Question Nos. 104, 105 and 112 of 20 May 2020 and to Question No. 48 of 9 June 2020 the VAT rate changes implemented by Revenue following the European Commission Decision C (2020)2146, fully implemented the scope for zero rating imports of COVID-19 related goods permitted by the Decision and also implemented a corresponding temporary...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (28 Jul 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: I am advised by Revenue that the first and full year yield from the Deputy’s proposal is estimated to be of the order of €210 million and €260 million respectively. These figures are based on tax returns for 2017. An exercise was undertaken using data from these returns to break down the gross incomes of taxpayer units to an individualised level and apply a...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Universal Social Charge (28 Jul 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: I am advised by Revenue that if an additional 5% Universal Social Charge (USC) was applied to incomes in excess of €140,000, the estimated first and full year yields would be €228m and €300m respectively. This assumes that a surcharge would continue to apply to self-employed income above €100,000 in addition to the 5% USC rate suggested by the Deputy. These...