Results 14,421-14,440 of 32,640 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Economic Policy (19 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: Our economy is in good shape, following several years of economic recovery driven by the export sector, the domestic economy is now increasingly playing an important role in helping to drive growth. Modified domestic demand, a measure of underlying economic activity in the domestic economy, increased by 4.5 per cent in 2018. Despite the rapid rate of recovery, the main signs of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Housing Policy (19 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: Following a review of Rebuilding Ireland at the end of 2017, there has been a renewed emphasis on increasing the number of social housing units through build programmes. Reflecting this renewed emphasis, an overall housing capital budget of €1.4bn was provided in Budget 2019 representing a 24% increase over the 2018 allocation. This will help deliver 10,000 new social housing...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Project Ireland 2040 Funding (19 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: Project Ireland 2040, which comprises the National Development Plan (NDP) 2018-2027 and the National Planning Framework (NPF), was launched by the Government on 16thFebruary 2018. The NDP seeks to reform how public investment is planned and delivered. It sets out a strategic vision for Ireland’s public capital infrastructure priorities over the next 10 years that is strictly aligned...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Protected Disclosures Data (19 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has protected disclosures procedures in place that have been developed in line with the Protected Disclosures Act 2014 and agreed upon by the Management Board. Section 22 of the Protected Disclosures Act requires that annual reports be published in relation to disclosures received by the Department. This is done via the Gov.ie website. I can...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Requests (19 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The Freedom of Information Act 2014 is a key pillar supporting the openness, transparency and accountability of the public sector. However, as the Deputy has noted, the move towards a more user-friendly system and the abolition of fees have seen a significant increase in the number of requests. There has been a 67% increase between 2014, the last year of operation for the operation for the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Offices (19 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has financed one lease during the specified period. This lease is with the Technical University Dublin for learning facilities to support the Civil Service Learning and Development programme. The cost details of this lease are set out in the following table. The leasing costs to the bodies under the aegis of my Department, outside of those...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Circulars (19 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy is aware, Parental Leave is a statutory entitlement, and the Parental Leave (Amendment) Act 2019 will increase the amount of unpaid parental leave for relevant parents. I understand that the Minister for Justice and Equality, Charlie Flanagan TD, expects to sign a commencement order no later than 19 July, 2019, to give effect to the revised parental leave arrangements. Once the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Parental Leave (19 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The Irish public service comprises the Civil Service, the Defence sector, the Education sector, the Justice sector, the Health sector, Local Authorities and the Non-Commercial State Agencies. Each sector is a separate and distinct employer. Each of the sectors is regulated by the relevant Minister in accordance with the relevant legislation. The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Data (18 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: Air quality is an issue of increasing social concern with a number of pollutants being linked to a range of medical conditions including strokes, cancer, lung and cardiovascular diseases. Ireland generally has better overall air quality than most countries in Europe. Nevertheless, in larger towns and cities, where prevailing winds are disrupted and harmful pollutants cannot disperse due to...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: VAT Exemptions (18 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The VAT rating of goods and services is subject to EU VAT law, with which Irish VAT law must comply. In accordance with Irish VAT legislation, oral medicines (for human consumption) which are licensed/authorised by the Health Products Regulatory Authority are liable to VAT at the zero rate. However, non-oral medicines (products such as injections and infusions) are liable to VAT at the...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Insurance Costs (18 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: At the outset, the Deputy should note that I am responsible for the development of the legal framework governing financial regulation. Neither I, nor the Central Bank of Ireland, can interfere in the provision or pricing of insurance products, as these matters are of a commercial nature, and are determined by insurance companies based on an assessment of the risks they are willing to accept....

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Cycle to Work Scheme (18 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The Cycle To Work scheme provides an exemption from tax on the first €1,000 of expenditure incurred by an employer in connection with the provision of a bicycle or safety equipment to an employee or director. The bicycle must be for the employee/director’s personal use in undertaking the whole or part of the journey to or from work. Safety equipment includes helmets, lights,...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: European Central Bank (18 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 128 and 146 together. The President of the European Central Bank, Prof. Mario Draghi, is due to step down on 31 October this year. The selection process to appoint a candidate to succeed Prof Draghi will open when the President of the Eurogroup will invite nominations for the position. Following receipt of nominations the name(s) will be discussed at Eurogroup...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tracker Mortgage Examination (18 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I understand that the Central Bank has clearly set out its expectations of lenders to provide appropriate redress and compensation to affected customers in its documented Principles for Redress published in December 2015. The principles provide, inter alia,that “Any tax liability that impacted customers may incur as a result of the relevant issue in or respect of any redress,...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Residency (18 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I am advised by Revenue that a hard-copy Letter of Residence recently issued to the person in question. The person originally applied for the Letter of Residence through the postal system and subsequently made an online request. Following the online request, an electronic copy issued to their 'MyAccount' service. Unfortunately, the person was not aware that the electronic version had issued...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland Remit (18 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The SBCI is Ireland’s national promotional institution. The purpose of the SBCI is to deliver effective financial supports to Irish SMEs to address gaps and potential failures in the Irish SME finance market as well as encouraging competition and innovation, and facilitating the efficient and effective use of EU resources and financial instruments. The SBCI achieves this through the...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland Data (18 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 132 and 133 together. The Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI) is Ireland’s national promotional institution. The purpose of the SBCI is to deliver effective financial supports to Irish SMEs to address gaps and potential failures in the Irish SME finance market as well as encouraging competition and innovation, and facilitating the efficient...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Financial Services Regulation (18 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The Central Bank's total funding requirement for financial regulation activity is determined on an annual basis by the resources required to discharge its legal responsibilities under domestic and EU law. Section 32D and 32E of the Central Bank Act 1942, as amended, provide that the Central Bank Commission may make regulations relating to the imposition of levies and fees on the financial...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council Reports (18 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I can confirm for the Deputy that I have received a copy of the Fiscal Assessment Report (FAR)as published by the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council on Tuesday, 11thJune. In keeping with established practice, I will provide a formal response which will issue in due course. In terms of the Council’s assessment of the Stability Programme Update 2019 (SPU), I note its assertion that the...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Brexit Issues (18 Jun 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The decision of the UK to leave the European Union gives rise to unprecedented challenges for Ireland across all economic sectors. The Government have taken steps to maximise the resilience of the economy so that it may effectively manage the negative economic developments. National budgets have been framed to prepare for the challenge of Brexit. Budget 2019 maintained the overall...