Results 14,341-14,360 of 32,640 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (19 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The Government is well aware of the pressure that is being placed on small companies in particular due to the increase in insurance premiums. I hope the Deputy is well aware that no Government can force a company which is providing a financial service to change its premiums. We had a debate about this issue earlier today during questions to me and a number of Deputies called for more...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (19 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: We have heard a number of claims about the Labour Court in this session. I am happy to deal with this matter because the Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, and I are working closely on it. The concept that the Labour Court is in any way being used as a delaying tactic on this issue gives no recognition to how important that institution is and the important role it played, most notably and...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (19 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: That was an answer I supplied to the Oireachtas yesterday. To put the matter in context, the point that was made in my reply to the relevant parliamentary question was that, up to the end of May, health expenditure was in the region of 6% higher than a year ago, which is approximately what is budgeted for in budget 2019. In the following month, that moved up to just under 9% above the...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (19 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: Deputy Howlin will be aware, as much as I am, of the challenges of ensuring that health expenditure is on line for the entire year. While the performance in the early part of the year was very positive, we have to focus on what drove that change in a single month. That is what the Minister for Health and I are now doing. In the context of the public pay issue to which the Deputy also...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Budget Measures (19 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I am aware of the impact of this change in the levy. We will track the tax collection as we move through the year. The purpose of the tax strategy group process is to indicate what options there are for budget day decisions.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Budget Measures (19 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The increase in the betting duty rate from 1% to 2% and the increase in the intermediary duty rate came into effect on 1 January 2019. The last time that the betting duty rate was increased was in 1975. Since then, the rate had gradually decreased to 1%. It now stands at an all-time low. In the course of last year's Finance Bill process, I acknowledged that smaller independent...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: EU Budgets (19 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: It is worth making clear that the eurozone's so-called budgetary instrument for convergence and competitiveness, BICC, will almost certainly only apply to countries in the eurozone. This has been at the heart of the debate on it. Regarding the claims of French newspapers, it is up to other countries' newspapers and governments to decide whether they have made progress on their national...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council Reports (19 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: It is worthwhile to begin the answer to that question by acknowledging what we have already done. That is why the change in the value added tax, VAT, rate for the hospitality sector was so important. That kind of base-broadening, which never happened in the past, is part of what we need to do to reduce our future reliance on the corporate tax stream. Moreover, for the first time our...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council Reports (19 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: Regarding the degree of risk, the estimate of €3 billion to €6 billion out of the total figure we are collecting in corporation tax is very high. In regard to its future accuracy, I note that this figure is difficult to quantify at this point. This is because a global process is now under way that will change the background to corporate tax policy in all developed countries....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council Reports (19 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The first and most important thing we can do is run a surplus in our national finances. We will run a surplus this year, provided that we continue to deliver our expenditure plans as we did up to the end of May. If we deliver that surplus it will represent 0.2% of our national income, approximately €600 million of revenue, which we will not spend. The best and most effective thing...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: IBRC Liquidation (19 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy is correct on that. I take her point that the legislation was passed at great speed. I remember the night very well and the circumstances. I do not have any plans to establish a committee of inspection in regard to the liquidation. I am satisfied it has happened in an entirely appropriate way, in accordance with the law and the legislation passed. As the Deputy is aware, a...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: IBRC Liquidation (19 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: Where I differ from the Deputy is in my belief that the progress reports issued by the liquidator have tried to get the balance right in terms of providing transparency and information to the House and also in terms of completing a liquidation that was and is immensely important to the financial progress of our State. As the Deputy knows, the various progress reports published have, at...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: EU Budgets (19 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: Last December, leaders of the euro area member states requested finance Ministers to work on the general features of a possible budgetary instrument that would be focused on competitiveness and convergence. This instrument will be open to members of the euro area and to member states currently outside the euro area who are preparing to join the euro. Its aim is to support reform and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: EU Budgets (19 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: On the policy background, it would probably be unfair to say this is a consequence of economic federalism. First, President Macron wants a stronger and more integrated Europe but he is as aware as many former French Presidents of the importance of national sovereignty. Second, with regard to the scale of the funding instrument, it is difficult to put a figure on it because there are very...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: IBRC Liquidation (19 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: It is important for me to set out the role of a committee of inspection in an ordinary liquidation and the legislative and factual context of the special liquidation of IBRC. The Irish Bank Resolution Corporation Act of 2013 specifically disapplied a number of provisions in the Companies Act 1963 insofar as they applied to the liquidation of IBRC, including those relating to committees of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: VAT Rate Increases (19 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: It is not Deputy Michael Healy-Rae's role to decide what rules I obey. That is the role of the Chair. The Deputy does not set the rules of this House. They are laid down in Standing Orders and overseen by the occupant of the Chair. Given that a moment ago, the Deputy praised the argument that we should stand by the facts, I simply outlined two facts. The Deputy participated in the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: VAT Rate Increases (19 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The second reduced 9% VAT rate was introduced on a temporary basis as part of the jobs initiative from July 2011 to December 2013 and was aimed at boosting tourism and the creation of additional jobs in that sector. The rate was designed to be temporary, but was maintained in subsequent budgets. In 2016, in A Programme for a Partnership Government, we committed to maintaining the 9% VAT...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: VAT Rate Increases (19 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I fear that singling out one part of the country would mean I will have to name them all. The recent Central Statistics Office figures for overseas visitors to Ireland show that there was an increase of 6% in the first quarter of this year. In the first 12 weeks of the year, we had more tourists coming to our country than a year ago. I accept the huge effort that goes into running tourism...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: VAT Rate Increases (19 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I acknowledge that the Deputy was in the room for 74 days but, ultimately, he decided not to join.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: VAT Rate Increases (19 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: It is one thing acknowledging how much time he spent in the room but he decided not to join.