Results 1,601-1,620 of 9,563 for speaker:Jack Chambers

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...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Banking Sector (4 Jul 2024)

Jack Chambers: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. The Department of Finance's retail banking review published in November 2022 concluded that cash still has an important place in our economy and it recommended that the Department of Finance develop access to cash legislation to establish a framework to ensure that the future evolution of cash infrastructure in the State will be managed in a fair,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Banking Sector (4 Jul 2024)

Jack Chambers: I agree with the Deputy's points, particularly with regard to rural communities and the regions. That is why a specified percentage of the population must be no less than 5 km and no more than 10 km from an ATM. There must be a specified number of ATMs per 100,000 people and a specified percentage of the population must be within 10 km of a cash service point. These are locations where...

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

Jack Chambers: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. The universal social charge was designed and incorporated into the Irish taxation system in 2011 to replace two other charges - the health and income levies. The primary purpose of the USC was to widen the tax base and provide steady income to the Exchequer to provide funding for public services. The USC is an individualised tax, meaning that a...

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

Jack Chambers: To give some context, the VAT rate for hospitality in Ireland compares favourably to our nearest neighbour, as Britain and Northern Ireland maintain a 20% VAT rate for the sector. Across the whole EU, Ireland is one of 14 countries with a rate at 12% or higher for hospitality. On accommodation, Ireland is one of seven member states that have a rate at 12% or higher. The Government has...

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

Jack Chambers: We will engage with the business community. It is important to say that the context now is different from it was during the Covid pandemic and the very high and difficult levels of inflation we experienced in the economy. We are entering a more regular budgetary environment. We will set out more on that the summer economic statement next week. With inflation easing, we expect the domestic...

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

Jack Chambers: I thank Deputy Pringle for asking this question about the disabled and disabled passengers scheme, DDS. This scheme provides relief from VRT and VAT on the use of an adapted car, as well as an exemption from motor tax and an annual fuel grant. The scheme is open to severely and permanently disabled persons, as defined, who meet one of six medical criteria as a driver or as a passenger and...

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

Jack Chambers: I accept and acknowledge that this matter has been going on for too long and too many years without an outcome and that it is impacting many people across our country. As I said, I have been informed that significant work is now ongoing on this issue, led by the Department of the Taoiseach, and we expect a report on that in the autumn. It is about giving effect to and trying to make...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Fuel Prices (4 Jul 2024)

Jack Chambers: I am not sure what question the Deputy is asking. Is he talking about the actual parliamentary question he asked or is he asking about the date of the budget? As he knows, Sinn Féin called for an earlier budget two years ago when we were responding to the cost-of-living challenges. We have to submit our wider fiscal and budgetary framework to the European Commission, as he will be...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Fuel Prices (4 Jul 2024)

Jack Chambers: To respond to the Deputy's question, I have said that we will keep this matter of excise under review. We have seen a reduction in the national average prices, which in May were €1.84 and €1.78, and the most recent prices as of 1 July were €1.77 for petrol and €1.69 for diesel.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Fuel Prices (4 Jul 2024)

Jack Chambers: What will set the wider budgetary and fiscal parameters is the summer economic statement, which we announce next week. That will set out the position on taxation and expenditure, and what is possible for budget 2025. The Deputy is posing a complete contradiction. First, he is calling for an election every day of the week in here. Second, we are actually committed to political stability...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Fuel Prices (4 Jul 2024)

Jack Chambers: -----that is reflected by his party and its opposition to every European treaty and its opposition to our pro-trade and pro-enterprise policies, which actually reflect in the strong corporation tax figures, the strong income tax figures, and the strong tax figures we have seen more generally in June this year. Sinn Féin's policy is to abandon all fiscal prudence, spend as it likes and...

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

Jack Chambers: 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 health restrictions put in place throughout the pandemic....

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Television Licence Fee (4 Jul 2024)

Jack Chambers: What I said publicly is what I am restating here: a discussion is ongoing. We are committed to the introduction of a new sustainable and fair funding model and will make a decision on that in the coming weeks. In reply to Deputy Doherty's question, we are exploring all options for a new and reformed funding model with a contribution. As I said, we have not landed on any particular model...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Television Licence Fee (4 Jul 2024)

Jack Chambers: The vast majority do pay the TV licence fee. That underpins independence in public service media. We need ongoing support for that to be in a sustainable and long-term funding position. As I said in other domains, I support the ongoing contribution by the public to public service media and the TV licence. We are committed to making a decision on this matter in the coming weeks. In...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Television Licence Fee (4 Jul 2024)

Jack Chambers: That is why we have to prioritise spending and make sure there is an ongoing contribution. On the Deputy's question, I said we are exploring all options for a reformed funding model.