Results 15,141-15,160 of 32,572 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Housing Policy (4 Apr 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I am aware of the recent report concerning the Irish housing market by the UN special rapporteur on the right to adequate housing. The Irish government recognises the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights to which the Ireland has been a party since 8 December 1989. Article 11.1 of this Covenant recognises the right of everyone to an adequate standard of living for...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Insurance Costs (4 Apr 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: My Department is currently working on developing legislative changes on insurance as part of the Consumer Insurance Contracts Bill 2017. As the Deputy is aware the purpose of the Bill is to reform and modernise the law of consumer insurance contracts and to "level the playing field so that the consumer is better equipped to stand up to the insurer". The Bill is based on the 2015 Law Reform...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Mortgage Book Sales (4 Apr 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The Central Bank of Ireland has advised that it cannot comment on specific transactions relating to regulated firms. In addition, the Central has commented as follows: “While the strategy and commercial decisions of lenders are ultimately matters for the boards of those lenders, the Central Bank, as supervisor, requires that when loans are sold, all statutory legal protections are...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Insurance Data (4 Apr 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I welcome the publication of the CSO’s report on the feasibility of collecting price information on the cost of insurance to businesses, which was published in February 2019. Increasing the availability of data in relation to Employer and Public Liability Insurance is a matter which was discussed by the Cost of Insurance Working Group and its Report on the Cost of Employer and...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Credit Card Levy (4 Apr 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I am advised by Revenue that there is no age-related exemption from the annual €30 levy that applies to credit card accounts. The charge is applied to an account regardless of the number of credit cards issued to the account. I am also advised by Revenue that individuals are exempt from Deposit Interest Retention Tax (DIRT) on their interest income where they, or their spouse or...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Pension Provisions (4 Apr 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 69 and 72 together. First, I should note that while I have overall policy responsibility in relation to public service pension schemes, questions about the pension schemes of any particular public service body should be referred to the Minister of the parent Department for the body concerned. To address the general point raised, the Deputy will...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: State Bodies Data (4 Apr 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: In response to the Deputy's question, the Public Appointments Service (PAS) is the only body under the aegis of my Department which has a State Board. As set out in the Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act 2004, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (in consultation with the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, the Minister for Health...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Retirements (4 Apr 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 71 and 73 together. On 5 December 2017, the Government made the decision to increase the compulsory retirement age to 70, for public servants recruited prior to 1 April 2004. Primary legislation was necessary in order to bring that change into effect. It was made clear at the time that until such legislation was enacted, the compulsory retirement age of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Broadband Plan (4 Apr 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: Officials in my Department with responsibility for the Vote of the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment have been appraised periodically by that Department of progress on the procurement process but have had no involvement or input in that process or any evaluation of same.   The Office of Government Procurement was represented in an advisory role...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Customs and Excise Staff (3 Apr 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I am advised by Revenue that attendance at events such as those referred to by the Deputy forms part of the range of compliance activities and interventions undertaken by them.  Officers attended as part of their normal work and no additional staff costs were incurred.

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Revenue Commissioners Data (3 Apr 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I am advised by Revenue that section 851A of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 prevents it from commenting on the tax affairs of any taxpayer, or from providing information which might directly or indirectly identify a taxpayer. Revenue has also confirmed that the tax affairs of sporting bodies are monitored and risk-ranked in the same way as all other taxpayers. The types of interventions...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Retirements (3 Apr 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: On 5 December 2017 the Government made a Decision to increase the compulsory retirement age to 70, for public servants recruited prior to 1 April 2004. Primary legislation was necessary in order to bring that change into effect. It was made clear at the time that until such legislation was enacted, the compulsory retirement age of 65, which applied to the vast majority of this cohort,...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Policy Functions (3 Apr 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: ‘Dignity at Work – an anti-bullying, harassment and sexual harassment policy for the Civil Service’ which came into effect from 20/02/2015 covers all of the Civil Service including the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.  The policy was developed in partnership between Civil Service management and staff unions and replaced the previous policy, ‘A...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Betting Regulations (2 Apr 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The increase in the betting duty rate from 1 per cent to 2 per cent, and the betting intermediary duty rate from 15% to 25%, came into effect on 1 January 2019. The last time that the betting duty rate was increased was 1975 and at 1% betting duty was at an all time low. Receipts from betting duty represented less than 1 per cent of all excise receipts in 2017 and this was...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Bank Debt Restructuring (2 Apr 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department does not hold the information that is being sought. Officials from my Department contacted AIB and it provided the following response: "AIB prioritises reaching consensual arrangements with its customers in difficulty and only resorts to court proceedings where this is not possible. In cases where customers do not meaningfully engage or do not...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Mortgage Applications Approvals (2 Apr 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: In considering an application for mortgage credit, there is a requirement on lenders to obtain relevant information on the borrower’s financial needs and objectives, personal circumstances and financial situation, including the person’s income and other relevant financial information. Based on the borrower’s income and expenses and other necessary and relevant financial...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Revenue Commissioners Data (2 Apr 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I am advised that designated bodies are required to submit a Suspicious Transaction Report (STR) to the Revenue and An Garda Síochána where they have a suspicion that a money laundering offence may have been committed. Tax evasion is a predicate offence for money laundering. In cases where the STR relates to other criminal activity it becomes a matter for An Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Clearance Certificates (2 Apr 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I am advised by Revenue that it has no record of an application for tax clearance from the person concerned. They can apply for a Tax Clearance Certificate on www.revenue.ieusing either ROS (business customers) or MyAccount (PAYE and non-ROS customers). If the individual requires any further information or assistance they should contact Revenue’s Helpline at 01-7383663.

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Brexit Data (2 Apr 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 113, 115 and 120 together. The most recent published estimates for the cyclical budgetary component and the structural balance were included in Budget 2019 (see Table). At Budget time, it was estimated that, adjusting for the impact of the cycle, the structural budget balance would be broadly in line with the achievement of the medium-term objective (MTO) in...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Stability and Growth Pact (2 Apr 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The Medium-Term Objective (MTO) is the cornerstone of the preventive arm of the Stability and Growth Pact, the EU's fiscal framework within which the Irish public finances are assessed. The European Commission sets minimum MTOs for each Member State every three years taking account of new information including changes in projected ageing costs. Member States subsequently set their own MTOs,...