Results 12,601-12,620 of 32,610 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: EU Budget Contribution (13 Nov 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. The MFF was most recently discussed at the October European Council meeting, where leaders exchanged views on key issues such as the overall level of expenditure, the volumes of expenditure in the main policy area, and financing, including revenues and corrections as well as conditionalities and incentives. In light of the discussion, the Council...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Insurance Costs (13 Nov 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I will come in on this matter because a number of the questions were directed at me. Deputy Michael McGrath was good enough to confirm that the measure of my engagement on any particular issue cannot be measured solely on the number of meetings I have. I confirm to the House that I have been directly involved in the completion of each of the steps to which the Minister of State, Deputy...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Insurance Costs (13 Nov 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: With regard to Deputy Pearse Doherty's point, key figures within the insurance industry have given a commitment as to how they will respond when this work is under way. The Government and I intend to hold them to account in that respect.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: State Aid Investigations (13 Nov 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: Ireland has never accepted the Commission's analysis in the Apple state aid decision and is challenging the Commission's decision before the European courts. An application to annul the Commission decision was lodged with the General Court of the European Union. The case was granted priority status and the confidential written proceedings have taken place in private over the last number of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tax Code (13 Nov 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: It is my understanding that these changes are due to come in on 1 January 2020. Regarding my role or that of the Oireachtas, this is a matter for implementation of the tax code by the Revenue Commissioners. As is always the case, I have no doubt that the Deputy and the Opposition will raise the matter directly with me. I do not have the details regarding the bodies with which the Revenue...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tax Code (13 Nov 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank Deputy Michael McGrath. This matter has also been raised with me by Deputy Pearse Doherty. The flat rate expense allowance regime is an administratively-based practice operated by Revenue, where specific commonality of expenditure exists across an employment category and the statutory requirement for a tax deduction for expenses, as set out in section 114 of the Taxes...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tax Code (13 Nov 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I am well aware of the numbers of citizens who will be affected by this. I am also aware of the likely effect it will have on their after-tax income. In my letter to the Revenue Commissioners I also asked whether they can give me further clarity on the number of employees covered by this, the various categories of employees, the cost to Revenue and the benefit to each employee group in...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: VAT Rate Application (13 Nov 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 39 and 58 to 60, inclusive, together. Food supplement products are subject to the standard rate of VAT (23%). Shortly after the introduction of VAT, Revenue allowed the zero rate to be applied to certain food supplement products (vitamins, minerals and fish oils). This concessionary approach expanded as the market developed over the years and resulted in...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Insurance Industry Regulation (13 Nov 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 40 and 75 together. At the outset, the Deputies should note that the Minister for Finance is responsible for the development of the legal framework governing financial regulation. Neither I, the Minister for Finance, nor the Central Bank of Ireland can interfere in the provision or pricing of insurance products as these matters are of a commercial nature...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Public Liability Insurance (13 Nov 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: While neither I, nor the Central Bank of Ireland, can interfere in the provision or pricing of insurance products, the Government, through the work of the Cost of Insurance Working Group (CIWG) Reports, has identified the key problems that need to be addressed if we are to significantly reduce the cost of business insurance. In this regard, the work of the Personal Injuries Commission (PIC)...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Infrastructure and Capital Investment Programme (13 Nov 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I can confirm that the Department of Finance has no state infrastructure projects that are in development or are due for completion in 2019.

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Reliefs Availability (13 Nov 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The Special Assignee Relief Programme (SARP) is designed to help reduce the cost to employers of assigning skilled individuals in their companies from abroad to take up positions in the Irish-based operations of their employer or an associated company, thereby facilitating the creation of jobs and the development and expansion of businesses in Ireland. Earlier this year, I commissioned an...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Motor Insurance (13 Nov 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: At the outset, you should note that there are no plans to discontinue the existing insurance premium levies and contributions which are on both motor and non-motor insurance premiums. It is important to understand that these payments serve different purposes and some have been in place for some time: The levies and contributions are as follows: The Motor Insurers Insolvency Compensation...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Drugs Seizures (13 Nov 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I am advised by Revenue that the number of seizures of drugs going through the postal services in the years 2016 – 2018 and to-date in 2019 (*31/10/19), the volume and the value of those seizures is as set out in the following table: Year Number of seizures Volume (kg) Value (€) 2016 884 131.38 ...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Consumer Protection (13 Nov 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The consumer protection regulatory framework includes a number of very important measures to protect consumers who are taking out a mortgage, and it seeks to ensure that lenders are transparent and fair in all their dealings with borrowers and that borrowers are protected from the beginning to the end of the mortgage life cycle. This financial services framework includes protections...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Property Tax (13 Nov 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The basis for calculation of the Local Property Tax (LPT) was examined comprehensively in the 2012 report of the Inter-departmental Group on the Design of a LPT. The report advocated the use of market value of residential properties as the basis of assessment and this recommendation was accepted by the Government. The Design Group considered that under a market value approach applied to...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Appeals Commission (13 Nov 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The Tax Appeals Commission (TAC) was established on 21stMarch 2016, taking over from the former Office of the Appeal Commissioners. Since its establishment, staffing at the Commission has grown from two Commissioners and four administrative staff, to five Commissioners and twenty three administrative staff at various grades as of end-October 2019. I am advised by the TAC that there were...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Sovereign Debt (13 Nov 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The NTMA’s bond funding programme for the year is now complete. Over the course of 2019 a total of €14.4bn of benchmark bond funding was raised. This funding was completed at a weighted average yield of 0.9% and a weighted average maturity of over 16 years. A further €0.4bn was issued by way of a new inflation linked bond maturing in 2045 and a 100-year note maturing in...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Legal Costs (13 Nov 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: Ireland has never accepted the Commission’s analysis in the Apple State aid Decision and is challenging the Commission's decision before the European Courts. An application to annul the Commission Decision was lodged with the General Court of the European Union. The case was granted priority status and the confidential written proceedings have taken place in private over the last...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Consumer Protection (13 Nov 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: My officials were aware of the publication of this report. This report presents the case that consumers should have a right to access and use cash alongside electronic and innovative means of payment, and analyses the possible consequences for consumers of the total disappearance of cash. The report makes a number of recommendations concerning the acceptance of cash by physical traders,...