Results 1,181-1,200 of 9,158 for speaker:Jack Chambers

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Data (9 Jul 2024)

Jack Chambers: The Rent Tax Credit (RTC), 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. I am advised by Revenue that RTC statistics currently available refer only to PAYE taxpayers. Data on self-assessed taxpayers are not yet available....

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Public Sector Staff (9 Jul 2024)

Jack Chambers: 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 FSPO's Workforce Plan for...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Public Sector Staff (9 Jul 2024)

Jack Chambers: The Irish Financial Service Appeals Tribunal (IFSAT) Tribunal has no employees. Tribunal members are appointed by the President in accordance with the provisions of the Central Bank Act 1942 (as amended) and are assigned to hear and determine appeals on a case by case basis, as and when appeals are submitted to the Tribunal. As per provided for in section 57D, the Tribunal consists of...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Public Sector Staff (9 Jul 2024)

Jack Chambers: In response to the Deputy’s question, I am informed that the Tax Appeals Commission (“the Commission”) is comprised of 32 staff: one Chairperson, 5 Temporary Appeal Commissioners and 26 administrative staff to support the Appeal Commissioners in their work. There are presently 4 vacancies for Appeal Commissioners at the Tier 3 grade. The Public Appointments Service...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (9 Jul 2024)

Jack Chambers: I assume the Deputy's question relates to Capital Acquisitions Tax (CAT) and the calibration of the thresholds provided for within CAT CAT is a tax which applies to both gifts and inheritances. For CAT purposes, the relationship between the person giving a gift or inheritance (i.e. the disponer) and the person who receives it (i.e. the beneficiary) determines the maximum amount, known as...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Reliefs (9 Jul 2024)

Jack Chambers: The Department of Finance has opened its pre-budget costings service, this is available with effect from 1 July 2024. The procedures for availing of this service are set out in a letter dated 1 July 2024 from the Secretary General of the Department to all recognised parties and technical groups in Dáil Éireann. To ensure efficiency and fairness, all costing requests should be made...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Departmental Communications (9 Jul 2024)

Jack Chambers: I wish to advise the Deputy that as my Department is not public facing, there are no public helplines operated by my Department. As outlined on my Department's website, there is a main contact number which members of the public can ring if they have a query. My Department does not record calls and it is not something we have considered.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tax Code (4 Jul 2024)

Jack Chambers: I propose to take Questions Nos. 108 and 111 together. As the Deputy will be aware, the 9% 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% rate. The 9% 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...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tax Code (4 Jul 2024)

Jack Chambers: Both my colleagues, the Ministers, Deputies Peter Burke and Catherine Martin, have extensively engaged with the tourism and hospitality sector. I know that my colleague, Deputy McGrath, when he was Minister recently met the sector also. That is why the Government responded in budget 2024 with the increased cost of business grant, which aims to provide financial support to small and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tax Code (4 Jul 2024)

Jack Chambers: I know that extensive work was done towards the latter end of last year, in which the Minister of State, Deputy Richmond, was involved in his previous role. That is why we responded with the increased cost of business scheme and also providing for the other ranges of support which the Minister, Deputy Burke, has advanced around the national minimum wage and having the lower rate of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Vacant Properties (4 Jul 2024)

Jack Chambers: The VHT was announced in budget 2023 and legislated for in the Finance Act 2022. The key objective of this tax is to increase the supply of homes for rent or purchase by encouraging the owners of vacant, habitable residential properties to bring those properties back into use. The tax applies to properties which are residential properties for the purposes of local property tax, LPT....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Vacant Properties (4 Jul 2024)

Jack Chambers: Tackling vacancy is a key priority for the Government and is part of the wider Housing for All strategy. The Deputy has submitted a question on this to my colleague, Deputy Darragh O'Brien. As to the Deputy's question about the Revenue Commissioners, they are engaged around the VHT. It is collected on a self-assessment basis and applies under specific criteria. We have a range of other...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Vacant Properties (4 Jul 2024)

Jack Chambers: The Department of Finance has engaged regularly with the Department of housing. The review of the derelict sites levy is also an important context. A number of practical challenges have been identified in addressing dereliction, such as difficulties in identifying properties and their owners. That is one challenge. This tax itself is part of a broader suite of measures which is being...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Schemes (4 Jul 2024)

Jack Chambers: I thank the Deputies for raising this issue. I accept the ongoing frustration leading to both points that have been made. We are pursuing the reform of this in the context of the structure that has been established in the Department of the Taoiseach. As I said to Deputy Pringle earlier, I will be pursuing a timeline on the matter when the report is received. To respond to Deputy...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Universal Social Charge (4 Jul 2024)

Jack Chambers: The USC plays a vital part in meeting many of the expenditure demands placed on the Exchequer. At over €5 billion, its yield is an important source of revenue for funding all of our public services and, as such, I have no plans to abolish it. It is important to point out that, in 2016, joint research by the Department of Finance and the ESRI found that the USC represented a more...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Universal Social Charge (4 Jul 2024)

Jack Chambers: I have set out the position. USC is an important revenue source for funding many of our public services. To make this proposal cost neutral would require significant changes. For example, the proposal would have the effect of increasing the top marginal rates of tax for PAYE and self-employed income earners from 52% and 55% to 60.5% and 63.5%, respectively. A significant increase in high...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Universal Social Charge (4 Jul 2024)

Jack Chambers: Assuming he can tax everyone and every corporation on the basis that they will stay is farcical.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Schemes (4 Jul 2024)

Jack Chambers: I propose to take Questions Nos. 77 and 81 together. The Deputy should note that my Department and I share concerns that the disabled drivers and disabled passengers scheme, DDS, is no longer fit for purpose and believe it should be replaced with a needs-based, grant-led approach for necessary vehicular adaptations that could serve to improve the functional mobility of the individual....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Schemes (4 Jul 2024)

Jack Chambers: I will answer Deputy Moynihan first. Extensive work is ongoing involving the Department with the group established by the Department of the Taoiseach. As I said to Deputy Pringle earlier, it is crucial that we try to make progress in this area. It has been going on for too long with too many reports and not enough progress for people who require the reform. Extensive work will now start...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Vehicle Registration Tax (4 Jul 2024)

Jack Chambers: I will pursue a timeline on this. It is in the interests of my Department and the collective interests of people we represent in our constituencies to find a way forward on this. I assure the Deputy I will pursue that with the group established in the Department of the Taoiseach. The group will report in the autumn and we need to see progress on it in the aftermath of that. I take the...